A/N 1: Sorry this took so long. It's getting to the tough part (the interrogations), and I needed to think hard about what Eames revealed when, and to whom. BTW, anyone watch "The Good Wife"? Two of Goren's bad girls have had guest spots: Martha Plimpton (Jo Gage), and Francie Swift (Nelda Carlson).
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CHAPTER SEVEN: DISSOLUTIONMENT
New York
Two months ago
Her cell phone rang just as she'd finished packing her gym bag. Phillip. "Hello?" They'd never spoken between conferences before. She didn't even know how he got her number? Maybe the same way he got all his information.
"Hey. Have a minute?"
She didn't want to talk to him, but she was too tired to lie.
"Yeah, what is it?" She was rubbing lip gloss over and over her lips to keep from picking at her cuticles.
"Are you going this year?"
Funny question. Alex tossed her head in irritation, but beneath it was relief. This wasn't as difficult as it could have been; over the phone, Phillip's charm was less in evidence.
Unlike the first time she'd met him. His lanky height and easy good looks would have made him stand out anywhere, but as one of the only male programmers of the National Women in Law Enforcement Annual Conference, he'd been impossible to miss.
"Why? Was my credit card declined?"
"Alexandra," he whispered.
"Yes, I'm going," she said briskly, sighing and picking up her bag. "And no, I haven't changed my mind." She wondered if he knew, if he suspected. If he did, god, it could get ugly.
"You're so sure that's why I called?"
She sniffed disdainfully. Ever the cop. Well two could play… "Yes. You have things you want to say to me, but you won't say them over the phone, because seeing my face is an important part of your read on me. You like to have a plan, and also, you're lazy. You don't want to bother coming up with something if I'm not going to show, but you want me to be a bit on edge and off-kilter if I am."
He hung up.
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A/N 2: The chapter title is not a typo.
WORDS: 381 UPLOADED Saturday, May 22, 2010