On his way out the door, still shrugging into his shirt, he dialed Logan and brought him up to speed.
Once in the car, he called up Peterson. She needed to know about Cheryl, but he also mentioned that Rowdy needed him.
“You will update me immediately after you find out what’s going on.”
“Soon as I can. Sure.” Rather than continue driving one-handed, he disconnected the call and put all his concentration on reaching Rowdy. He wore dark sunglasses and an absurd ball cap that, hopefully, would keep him from being too recognizable should he have to return to the area later.
Reese found Rowdy slumped comfortably on the curb, his back against a lamppost. Unsure how they should play it, Reese pulled up, let the car idle and waited.
Rowdy came over and got in on the passenger side. “Go right around the corner there, and then park it. Let anyone watching think that we’re doing a deal.”
“A drug deal?”
Shrugging, Rowdy said, “Why not? But we have to make it quick. Dealers and junkies don’t sit around in the dealer’s car shooting the breeze.”
Keeping the details short and sweet, Rowdy told Reese about the lights on inside Killer Designz, and the guy he recognized who’d disappeared after the woman had come on hot and heavy.
“Could be a coincidence.” But Reese didn’t like it. He eyed Rowdy and, feeling edgy for many reasons, quipped, “Maybe she just liked your smile.”
Rowdy took him seriously. “I wondered, since I do get hit on a lot.”
Looking at him over the dark sunglasses, Reese said, “Braggart.”
“Just stating a fact. Women have never...” He hesitated, shook his head. “Almost never been a problem for me.”
Rowdy’s love life was the least of his concerns at the moment. “If you don’t think it has anything to do with the case, why mention it?”
“Because she had the same type of tat as that dead girl, same as the one Alice described seeing on Cheryl.”
Reese cursed low.
“I didn’t see it until she was walking away. Instead of being on her arm, it was on her calf.”
Great. Now the sick f**ks were mixing it up, putting the tats in different locations. “Wonder if there’s any significance in that. If maybe a leg tattoo has a different meaning than on the arm.”
“I was thinking the same thing. Could be for different buyers, or as a sign of what she’s carrying.”
“They could be anywhere,” Reese mused aloud. “Back of the neck, shoulder, midsection...”
“Even a tramp-stamp.”
“Small of the back, right?”
“Yeah.” Rowdy gave it some thought. “You can ink just about anything on your body.”
“But we should assume it’d be a location easily seen. It’s not like these ladies can go around naked without drawing attention.” Reese glanced toward Killer Designz. “I need to get inside there.”
Hedging, Rowdy looked out the passenger window, then turned toward Reese in a rush. “It’d be easier for me.”
Reese didn’t even bother looking at him. “Forget it.” He put the car back in gear. “Where are you parked?”
Defiance held Rowdy silent until Reese started driving forward. Hands curled into loose fists, gaze unflinching, Rowdy directed him. “Turn right, circle the block. I’m up at the other end, by the park.”
Smart, not to be too close. Without showing it, Reese waited for the arguments to start.
“You’re a cop.”
“Seriously?” Reese pretended surprise. “I’ll be damned, I think you’re right.”
“One look,” Rowdy said, not amused by the sarcasm. “That’s all it takes. Everything about you screams officer of the law.”
“I’ll manage.” Somehow. But Rowdy might have a point. Unlike Logan, who had successfully pulled the wool over Pepper’s lustful eyes, Reese wasn’t quite as anxious to try the undercover routine.
But given that they were so short-staffed right now, he might not have a choice.
“That’s me,” Rowdy said, nodding at a beat-up truck.
Reese pulled up alongside Rowdy’s ride. No one paid any attention, not with the park filled with kids and young moms, people with their pets, joggers and walkers. “How is it you have a damned different vehicle every other day?”
“I rotate when I don’t want anyone to tag me.” He didn’t exit Reese’s car. “So, what are you going to do?”
It might not be routine, but he decided Rowdy had a right to know. “Cheryl called Alice.”
Other than the pinching of his brows, Rowdy showed no discernible reaction. “She’s okay?”
“Alice or Cheryl?”
He slashed a hand through the air. “I’m assuming you have Alice well in hand.”
Reese stared at him.
“Keeping her safe, I mean.” Rowdy rubbed his face with both hands. “Jesus, don’t tell Alice I phrased it like that.”
In many ways, Rowdy’s rapport with Alice resembled the relationship he had with his sister—full of platonic concern, caring, protectiveness.
And good thing, since Reese’s heretofore unknown jealous streak shone bright around Alice. “For now at least, Cheryl is alive. She wanted to meet Alice.”
“No f**king way.”
Not that Rowdy had a vote in the decisions, but... “You took the words right out of my mouth.” Reese pulled down his sunglasses. “Cheryl called the extra cell Alice had, and she used the code Alice set up, claiming her life was peachy.”