Reunited by the Badge Read online

  But Paul had wanted a future together that included whatever they both needed, and Simone had just been too scared to commit, not wanting to admit that at that time, she didn’t have a clue what she had wanted or needed.

  She and Paul had met in college, becoming fast friends in a few short weeks. He could make her laugh with little effort and his energy was infectious. Paul’s enthusiasm for life had brought out the best traits in Simone and where she was often snarky and difficult with others, with Paul Reilly she was like the easiest breeze on a summer day.

  They had absolutely nothing in common, not even a shared interest in the same foods. He was altruistic, and she was often self-centered, thinking only about herself. He believed in a higher power and she proclaimed herself an agnostic. Where he was willing to venture through life all willy-nilly, she was more restrained and guarded and not a risk taker. Paul had treated her with kindness in a way no other man had before. And there had been other men. Casual acquaintances who never quite measured up to the father and brothers she compared them with. The male members of Simone’s family had set a standard others had found insurmountable. Paul had surpassed the challenge.

  Paul had never tried to control her, allowing her the freedom to find her own way as it suited her. He was nonjudgmental, even tempered and compassionate to a fault. The friendship that had evolved between them had taken on a life of its own. Their intense physical attraction to each other and a willingness to simply trust the process had created a bond that even they didn’t understand. It worked, even when it shouldn’t have.

  Paul leaving after weeks of begging her to join him had been devastating. It had left a hollow void in her life that she’d been unable to fill. She’d regretted the decision more times than she cared to count, and she had never told him, hating to admit that she had simply been too scared to step outside of her comfort zone. Her pride had been the biggest wall standing between them. Now, here she was, racing to see him, and trying to be cute when she got there.

  Her heel caught in a crack in the concrete sidewalk and she almost tripped, barely stopping herself from falling forward. She came to an abrupt halt, pausing to take a deep breath to calm her nerves as she steadied herself. The air was crisp, evening temperatures predicting snow in a forecast that was warm one day and practically cataclysmic the next. She sucked in oxygen like her life depended on it.

  The two men entering Little Bad Wolf caught her attention. They wore matching black suits and when one shoved his hands into his pants pockets, she spied a holster beneath his jacket. They had an odd, Men in Black vibe that felt strangely unnatural. The duo gave her reason to pause, something about them feeling out of sync with the neighborhood. Each tossed a look over his shoulder before moving through the entrance, which made her uneasy. She wanted to dismiss the emotion, her nerves already on overdrive as she thought about Paul and his telephone call and her excitement about meeting him. But there was something that suddenly had her imagining terrorist attacks, hostage situations or something else bringing harm to a host of innocent bystanders.

  She would wonder why later, but instinct moved her to reach for her cell phone and dial the number to the local police station. Two rings and an officer Simone didn’t recognize answered the phone.

  “Good evening. Is Captain Black available, please? It’s his sister calling.”

  Parker Black answered the line a few seconds later. “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s me, Simone.”

  “What’s wrong, Simone?”

  “It might not be anything, but can you roll a patrol car out to Little Bad Wolf? I feel like they need to do a safety check of the area.”

  “Because...?”

  “I’m here to meet Paul and two really shady-looking guys just went into the place. One’s carrying a gun under his jacket. I’m not sure about the other. But they’re not regulars and they don’t look like they’re visiting Chicago for our pleasant tourist sights. It’s just a feeling I get. Something’s just not right about them.” She didn’t bother to tell her brother that Paul had said his problem was a matter of life and death and that something in his voice had been concerning. She doubted the two had anything to do with each other, but she would rather be safe than sorry.

  “So, you’re meeting Paul the doctor? Your ex-boyfriend Paul? I heard he was back. So, are you two reconciling or is this just a late-night booty call?”

  “Just send a car, please?”

  “He’s a good guy, Simone. Go easy on the brother.”

  “Thank you, Parker!” she answered, her singsong tone belying her anxiety.

  Her brother persisted. “It wasn’t cool how you ended things. You’re lucky...”

  Simone disconnected the call, not even bothering to say goodbye. She took another deep breath and moved through the door into the space.

  Little Bad Wolf was a neighborhood favorite. The gastropub was often packed, a lengthy line waiting to get inside during prime dinner hours. She and Paul had been regulars, eating there at least three, sometimes four times, per week.

  The young man who greeted her at the door looked discombobulated, although he tried nicely to mask his distress. He smiled, recognition washing over his expression. “Attorney Black, long time no see!” he exclaimed as he leaned in to give her a warm hug.

  Simone hugged him back. “Jacob, hey! Is everything okay?”

  The man named Jacob nodded, but there was something about the twitch over his eye that said so much more. “I’m good. Really good,” he said as he tossed a look over his shoulder.

  Simone smiled. “I’ve missed this place,” she said casually.

  “Dr. Reilly is in the back,” Jacob said as he grabbed a menu and turned, gesturing for her to follow. “He’s been waiting for you.”

  Simone’s gaze skated around the room, eyeing the patrons who sat in conversation, laughter ringing warmly through the space. It was a nice crowd for a late hour.

  The boys in black were seated at the oversize bar. The bartender was trying to make conversation, but neither was interested. One sat with his broad back to the polished, wooden structure, staring toward the other end of the room. Simone shifted to see where he was staring, her eyes finding Paul seated at their usual spot in the rear. The sight of him triggered a host of alarms she hadn’t been expecting.

  Simone gasped slightly, the man lifting her lips in the sweetest smile. He was still a beautiful specimen of manhood with his hazel eyes, warm beige complexion and meticulously trimmed beard and mustache. He had always been fastidious with his grooming and lifted weights regularly to maintain a fit physique. He wore a formfitting gray sweater that looked molded to his muscles and denim jeans. He was as dashing as she remembered, her heart skipping a beat, or two, as she gawked.

  His briefcase rested on the seat beside him, a pile of papers on the table that he was shifting awkwardly back and forth. His brow was furrowed, and he seemed completely lost in thought, oblivious to his surroundings. She glanced back toward the two men, shifting to put herself between them and their view of Paul. She bumped Jacob’s shoulder, her voice dropping to a low whisper. “Do you know the two men at the bar?” she questioned.

  “You mean the two brutes at the bar?” He shook his head. “No, and they feel like they might be a problem. You won’t believe how they pushed their way in!” he said, squarely in his feelings about their interaction at the door.

  Simone gave him a nod. “I thought so, too. It’s why I called my brother and asked for a patrol car to come by and do a safety check. When the cops get here, point them in my direction. If those two do anything before they get here, just dial nine-one-one.”

  “Thank you,” Jacob said, relief flooding his face.

  They came to a stop at the edge of the table. Paul looked up, startled out of the trance he’d fallen into. He tossed Jacob a polite glance, then settled his gaze on Simone. His eyes widened, and joy shim
mered in the light orbs.

  “Simone, hey,” he said, standing abruptly. He moved to wrap his arms around her, pulling her against him in a warm hug. He pressed his lips to her cheek, allowing them to linger there a second longer than necessary. His hold tightened, his arms like a cashmere blanket in a viselike grip around her torso.

  Simone felt her whole body welcoming him home as she hugged him back. “Hey,” she answered, her voice a loud whisper.

  Jacob dropped her menu to the table. “Thank you, again,” he said before hurrying back to the front of the restaurant.

  Paul finally let her go, a warm smile filling his face. “I appreciate you coming,” he said.

  “You said it was important.”

  Paul nodded as he gestured for her to take a seat. Sitting down, Simone stole another quick glance toward the bar. The two strangers were both staring blatantly, not bothering to hide their interest in the two of them.

  Simone rested an elbow on the tabletop, turning flirtatiously toward Paul. “Do you know Tom and Jerry over there?” she asked softly. She reached a hand out, trailing her fingers against his arm.

  Her touch proved just distracting enough to him that Paul didn’t turn abruptly to stare back, drawing even more attention in their direction. His focus shifted slowly from her toward the duo at the bar. He eyed them briefly before turning his attention back to Simone. He shook his head. “Should I?”

  “It might be nothing, but they seem very interested in you.”

  Paul’s gaze danced back in their direction and he took a swift inhale of air. One of the men was on a cell phone and both were still eyeing him intently.

  “We need to leave,” he said, suddenly anxious. He began to gather his papers.

  “What’s going on, Paul?”

  “I don’t think we’re safe, Simone.”

  “What do you mean we’re not safe?” she snapped, her teeth clenched tightly. “Why are we not safe?”

  “I’ll explain, but I think we really need to leave.”

  Simone took a deep breath and held it, watching as he repacked his belongings into his briefcase.

  “We’re not going anywhere until you explain,” she started and then a commotion at the door pulled at her attention. She turned to see two of her brothers, Parker and Armstrong, and two uniformed police officers standing at the entrance talking with Jacob. Their chatter carried through the room, the conversation casual. They all appeared to be old acquaintances greeting each other warmly.

  The two strangers suddenly began eyeing each other nervously. Their earlier bravado seemed to be momentarily eliminated. Simone shot Paul a look but said nothing. They continued watching and another quick minute passed before the duo finally rose from where they sat at the bar and moved toward the exit door. Sighs of relief seemed to billow throughout the whole room.

  The Black brothers were slowly moving toward their table, both eyeing the other two men as they passed each other. Parker acknowledged them with a nod of his head but there was no response. As the two men exited the building, the uniformed cops followed behind them.

  Detective Armstrong Black greeted them with a wide grin. “Well, well, well. Isn’t this a pleasant surprise!” he said. He extended his hand in greeting and the two men bumped shoulders. “How’s it going, Paul?”

  “It’s good to see you, Armstrong.”

  Armstrong winked an eye at his baby sister. “Simone.”

  “Armstrong.”

  Parker shook his head as he leaned to kiss Simone’s cheek. He and Paul shook hands. “Everyone okay?”

  Simone nodded. “You two didn’t need to come. You could have just sent a patrol car.”

  “We just wanted to make sure everything was good.”

  “You two just wanted to be nosey.”

  “That, too!” Parker said with a chuckle. His phone rang, pulling his attention as he stepped away to answer the call.

  Armstrong took a seat at the table with them. “So, one of you want to tell me what’s going on? Why the concern?”

  Simone turned toward Paul, folding her arms over her chest. Raising her brows, she gave him a questioning look.

  He heaved a deep sigh, closing his eyes for a split second. “I made a mistake. I should never have called Simone. I just...well...” He paused. Then shrugged, as if unable to find the worlds to answer the question being posed.

  Simone rolled her eyes skyward. “It’s nothing,” she said. “Those two just looked sketchy and I didn’t like how pushy they were being. I was worried that something might jump off and figured we were better safe than sorry.”

  Armstrong looked from one to the other, perhaps sensing a half-truth and a blatant lie being told. Before he could question them further, Parker rejoined the conversation.

  “My guys ran their license plate. It’s a rental car that came back to a man named Thomas Donald. That ring any bells?”

  Paul and Simone both shook their heads.

  Parker continued. “We didn’t get a hit on anyone named Thomas Donald and we don’t have any reason to hold either of them.”

  “What about the gun I saw?”

  “He had a valid FOID.”

  “What’s that?” Paul questioned. “FOID?”

  “Firearm Owners Identification card. It makes it legal for him to carry a concealed weapon,” Simone answered.

  Parker nodded. “They’re gone now, so I wouldn’t be overly concerned. I think you may have just overreacted.”

  “Simone? Overreact? Not my little sister!” Armstrong said facetiously as he pressed his palm to his broad chest. “My little sister never overreacts!”

  “Don’t you two have someplace to be?” Simone said, annoyance painting her expression.

  Armstrong shook his head. “Nope. We’re officially off duty!”

  Paul chuckled, a moment of amusement washing over him. It passed quickly but Simone was the only one who noticed. She met his eyes and held the gaze a second longer than necessary before turning back to her brothers.

  “You’re intruding on my date.”

  “So, it is a date?” Parker asked, his grin widening.

  “Mom will be very excited. I can’t wait to tell her,” Armstrong added.

  Paul laughed out loud. “How is your mom?”

  Simone tossed him another look. “Please don’t entertain them. If you talk to them, they won’t go away. And they need to go away!” She looked from one brother to the other.

  “My feelings are hurt, Simone!” Armstrong said. He pushed his full lips out in a full pout.

  “Mine, too, but the hint is taken,” Parker said. He rose from his seat, adjusting the jacket of his navy-blue suit.

  “I need to get home anyway,” Armstrong added. “I have a wife waiting for me!” He grinned smugly as he waved his ring finger, like they needed to be reminded that he was a newlywed, having recently married another detective on the Chicago police team.

  Parker laughed. “I have someone waiting for me, too, but she’s not a wife.”

  “Not yours anyway,” Simone quipped.

  Laughter rang around the table.

  “It was good to see you guys again,” Paul said, the trio shaking hands one last time.

  “Good luck,” Armstrong said, his voice dropping to a loud whisper. “She’s still mean as hell!”

  “I heard that!” Simone exclaimed, her eyes rolling skyward.

  The brothers grinned, both leaning to kiss their sister’s cheek one last time.

  “Stay out of trouble, Simone,” Parker said.

  “Please,” Armstrong echoed.

  The couple watched as the two men strolled back toward the door, pausing briefly to chat with an elderly couple who sat near the front of the room.

  “I see things haven’t changed much,” Paul said casually.

  “You don’t
get to do that,” Simone snapped. “You don’t get to pretend nothing’s wrong when clearly something’s not right. Now spill it! Why did you call me? Why are we not safe, and who were those two men?”

  Contrition furrowed Paul’s brow. “I shouldn’t have called you, Simone.”

  “But you did, so tell me why. What’s going on, Paul?”

  Jacob interrupted the conversation, dropping two drinks onto the table. “Courtesy of Captain Black,” he said, smiling brightly.

  Simone shook her head. “What is this?” The beverage was a beautiful shade of pink, topped with a fluff of cotton candy and skewered raspberries.

  “We call it the Honeymoon Special.”

  Paul laughed again, relieving the tension between them. “Your brothers have a keen sense of humor.”

  “They really are not funny,” Simone responded, though she felt the slightest smile pulling at her mouth.

  “Are you ready to order?” Jacob asked.

  “I think we’re going to have to take it to go, Jacob,” Paul said. “I hope that’s not a problem.”

  “Not at all, Dr. Reilly. Your usual?”

  “Yes, sir. The Bad Burger with a side of fries, please.”

  “I’ll take the mac and cheese,” Simone said. “Also to go.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll put that order in for you. And I’d like to throw in a dessert on the house. We have a spectacular carrot cake tonight. I’d also highly recommend the vanilla brownie.”

  “The carrot cake sounds good,” Simone said. “Thank you, Jacob.”

  “And for you, Dr. Reilly?”

  “Whatever the lady is having sounds good to me,” Paul said.