“The weapons find?” She stepped back from the whiteboard and took the seat beside him. “It makes sense to use that. Walk me through it.”
Since he’d already given her the key elements over dinner the day before, he focused instead on the evidence recovery and handoffs specifically.
“So your team brings it up, with the rules you follow when making a retrieval.”
“We do. There’s nearly always another handler on the police boat as well, who will take point on keeping track of everything and do a quick log as we’re bringing it up.”
He remembered that time well. Those early days of his training when he so desperately wanted to be under the water, but he had to pay his dues by learning the ropes and every single aspect of the Harbor team’s work.
“Do you bring the evidence in or does a team come to you?”
“It depends on what we’ve retrieved. We went out yesterday to recover a single weapon. If that was all we’d found, we’d bring it in and hand off to the team that does intake on evidence.”
“But in this case?”
“Because it’s so large and the recovery area needs photographing, too? A team comes to us.”
He watched, fascinated, as she considered what he’d shared. He could almost see her processing the information, working through the angles. But it was her next question that made him realize Sera wasn’t one to sit and wonder.
Instead, she was a woman of action.
“Can we go out with the evidence team? See how they’re handling what your team’s brought up?”
He glanced at his watch, but already knew they’d be in time. Kerrigan and Jayden had gone on shift about an hour before, and they’d likely be there until early afternoon.
“You sure the water won’t upset your stomach?”
“I’m sure.” She glanced down where she laid a hand over her ever-so-slightly rounded belly. “I think I could ride roller coasters and be okay. It’s the smell of food that seems to set me off.” She glanced up. “Or should I say, sets us off?”
What had started out as a simple question quickly turned profound as he realized it was his child beneath her palm. His child they were speaking of.
His child in the small space between them.
“The good news is there’s nothing in the way of food on the boats. I can’t promise you there aren’t any smells. It is the East River.”
“I’m willing to risk it. I really want to see the whole operation.”
Gavin allowed his gaze to linger another few beats on her stomach before turning to look at their work on the whiteboard. He reached for his phone to take some pictures, capturing their discussion, before erasing all they’d mapped out.
When he turned back, she’d already gathered her things, an eager look on her face.
“Let’s get out of here, Hayes, and go kick some task force ass.”
Chapter 7
Although she knew the Harbor team who worked out of Brooklyn were based out of the 86th Precinct, Sera had never realized how extensive the dock area was or appreciated their impressive setup.
She should have, she admitted to herself as Gavin led her out to the dock situated about five hundred yards from the precinct building. They’d stowed her personal items in his locker, and she felt a bit empty-handed, out on a workday with just her purse, a small notebook stowed inside.
But wow.
She really should have imagined this setup, she thought as she took in the array of boats and equipment, immaculately kept and all neatly ordered around the open-air structure. The Harbor team was a small unit compared to the overall size of the NYPD, but it was still a large operation, tasked with covering hundreds of miles of shoreline and waterway. Their equipment was testament to that.
“So this is where the magic happens.” She turned to Gavin, surprised to find him watching her closely.
“It all starts here.”
“It’s quite a set up. And a much bigger operation than I’d have ever imagined.”
“We have an incredible number of tools at our disposal. It’s a privilege to work on a team outfitted like this.”
While she’d never argue that point—and was beyond grateful there was an infrastructure in place to keep him as safe as possible—she also recognized the NYPD was exceptionally well funded for their work.
“I wonder if you realize how obvious it is on your face when your mind starts working.”
His statement was voiced in low tones, with an intimacy that went straight to her very core, as she stared up at Gavin.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s fascinating.” He reached out, tracing a soft line over one of her eyebrows before smoothing a flyaway piece of hair that caught in the breeze. “The way your forehead scrunches up a bit when you’re considering something.”
“Oh, lovely.” She meant it as a bit of a joke, but her voice came out sort of like a croak and her skin was all warm and tingly where he’d touched it.
“It is lovely. And incredibly cute.”
“Thank you.”
Thank you? Really, Sera? That’s the best you can do when a sexy man’s touching you at 10:00 a.m.?
