Heat Wave (Nikki Heat, #1)

by Richard Castle

resist. “Make you a deal,” she said. “I’ll watch my ass, you watch the crowd.”

“Someday you’re going to tell me what favor you did for the mayor to get this ride-along pushed through.” “Sorry, Detective Heat, I’m a reporter and that’s strictly off the record.” “Did you kill a story that made him look bad?” “Yes. God, you make me feel cheap. But you’ll get nothing more.”

“And how about switching to an Oxford?” added Ochoa. “Those polyester things you’re wearing go see-through when you sweat.” “Turning you on, Ochoa?” asked Raley. His partner jabbed back. “Much like your shirt, you see right through me.”

Behind every picture hides the true story. You just have to be willing to look.”

When Nikki came into her bull pen the next morning, after her meeting with the captain, Rook and Roach were waiting there for her. Ochoa was leaning back in his chair with his ankles crossed on his desk and said, “So. Last night I watched the Yankees win and had sex with the wife. Can anybody top that?” “Beats my night,” said Raley. “What about you, Detective Heat?” She shrugged, playing along. “Just some poker and a little workout at home. Not as exciting as you, Ochoa. Your wife actually had sex with you?” Cop humor, dark and laced with sideways affection

Rook approached Heat. “I’m surprised you came in this morning.” “Why? This is where I work. Not going to catch any bad guys at home.” “Clearly,” said Ochoa. “Nailed it,” Raley said to his partner.

“We’ll bag this bastard,” said Raley. “Spoil his day.” “Damn straight,” from Ochoa. “On top of the all-points, we’ve notified hospitals to be on alert for anybody whose face is only half-pressed.”

he said and paused to form his thought, “for the right woman?…I’d like to think I’d do just about anything.

For instance, what happens when that hard coating you’ve developed to protect the most vulnerable part of you becomes so impenetrable that that part can’t even be reached by you?

“We all try. And try as we might to control things, sometimes bad things get in and it’s not our fault.”

“I like to think science isn’t about right, it’s about thorough.”

“You sleep with me, then you make fun of my theories and steal all my friends.” Rook leaned back and crossed his arms. “Just for that, you’re not meeting Bono.”

“Cap sprung a team off patrol for me. We’re rolling to execute my search warrants.” When he stood up to join her, she said, “Sorry, Rook, we’re at a critical phase. This is police-only.” “Come on, I’ll stay in the car, I promise. It’s hot, but just leave the window open a crack for me. They say that’s dangerous, but I’m tough, I’ll bring water.”

“You screwed up everything, Detective, you know that? I wish Pochenko had finished the job on you.” Nikki’s eyes fluttered and a weight sank in her gut. “You did that?” said Rook. “Let it go, Rook,” said Nikki, struggling to let go of it herself. Behind her she heard F-bombs muttered by Raley and Ochoa. “You sent that animal to her apartment?” Rook’s nostrils flared. “You sent him to her home?” His chest expanded with each breath as his outrage grew more heated. “You son of a…bitch.” He spun his body away from the pistol, hurling himself. A loud gunshot echoed in the hall as Rook dropped hard to the floor.