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Sofia helped herself to water and got started. A couple of people she called seemed promising, even though she fudged the reason for her inquiries, letting them assume it was related to her role as a chem teacher. She smiled when she got to one name in her contacts. Jay had been her lab partner in college. He had been snapped up by the lab he’d interned in and was still there. She called his work number, but someone else answered.
“No, he’s left for the day. He doesn’t usually stay later these days,” the guy told her.
I guess he got a life.Jay had always been super-dedicated to his job, calling himself a lab rat because he was there so much. Good for him.
“Can I help?” the guy asked.
A little distracted by her thoughts, Sofia explained what she’d called about. “I’m inquiring into the possible production of MDMA. How easy it would be for anyone to either purchase from you the chemicals needed to make it, or to get their hands on them another way? Stealing them from you, I mean.”
“Are you law enforcement?” the guy asked, his voice sharpening.
“No!” Sofia found that amusing. “And I’m not a dealer looking to sell any on the market, either.” Perish the thought. “I’m an educator. I work with adolescents, and I’m concerned about MDMA in the community.” She paused. She didn’t feel easy explaining so much to a stranger she had no relationship with, unlike the calls she’d made to old contacts at the other labs. This would have been a lot simpler if she’d been able to speak to Jay.
“I see. Well, we wouldn’t sell those chemicals to unauthorized parties, and we carefully catalog all chemicals to ensure there hasn’t been any theft, as you can imagine. We have electronic forms that track what comes in, whereabouts in the lab it is, and so on. Every chemical is signed for at each stage and the signature signed off by the section supervisor.”
“And you’ve had no thefts, no overordering or oversupply?” Sofia bet he’d say no, just as the other labs had. Whether that was true or not, she couldn’t know for sure. But no lab was going to admit to mishandling dangerous chemicals.
“That’s right.” He paused. “But obviously I can’t speak for our suppliers. How about I email you our suppliers list? Could you tell me your name and contact details?”
“Fine.” Sofia gave her name, email, and phone number at his request. “Thanks and—”
“Bye.” The guy hung up abruptly, just as Sofia was about to ask his name.
Damn. She called back, but got the busy signal. Strange—she couldn’t imagine the lab being that busy at this time of the evening. Lips pursed in concentration, she scrolled further through her contacts. She’d keep herself busy, then she wouldn’t have time to brood on things between her and Ian.
* * *
“Think I’d better get another coffee. Want one? Ian?” Charlie waved a hand in front of his face. “The way you’re spacing out, I’d say you need caffeine.”
“Yes. Thanks.”
Charlie placed the second mug on the desk and took his place next to Ian again, cradling his own coffee. He took a sip and turned to Ian, his green eyes assessing. “You remember all the jokes you and the team used to make, about me being some sort of psychic, or mind reader?”
The question was so left-field it had Ian blinking in surprise, but he was quick to reply. “Sure, you always knew what we were up to, especially when we screwed up.”
“Well, I’m not psychic,” Charlie continued. “What I am is observant. Like just now, with Sofia and you. I could see the tension between you, man! You don’t have to talk to me about it, obviously, but if it’s something that could affect the case, or if you just want to get it off your chest—”
“Sofia’s pregnant.” Ian hadn’t known he was going to say it until he did.
“She’s—? How far along?” Charlie asked.
“Nine weeks.” Ian wondered how long it would take his former CO to put the pieces together.
“That was when you met her,” Charlies said at once. He raised an eyebrow. “So what you’re telling me is…”
“Yes.” Ian nodded. “We… Well. I don’t need to go into that.” Those memories were private. “But yes, I’m the father. We’re having a baby.” And damn if that didn’t feel strange to say. Good-strange, though.
“I see. And how do you feel about that?” Charlie laughed at his own question. “No, I imagine there’s too many feelings to name them all. So, to keep it simple: are you happy about it?”
Happy. Well, if the grin curling his lips at the thought was any indication… “Yes. I am.”
“Well, congratulations!” Charlie slapped his back and jerked his chin for Ian to pick up his mug so Charlie could knock his into it in a toast. “Good health to the three of you.” He took a sip, his eyes still on Ian. “So where’s the problem? You’re not exactly tapdancing with joy.”
“I’m just…” Ian stretched back in his chair. What was he? “Worried.”
“Only natural.”
“No, not about the baby, although that too.” Ian sought the right words. “I’m worried about how wrapped up I am in Sofia. My focus should be on the case, but I’m pulled toward her. All the time. It’s like…I loved Allison, right?”
