Blowout

old.”
    “Okay. You’re right, Ben, this could be big. Well done. Tell Callie she’s a princess. Oh yeah, did you guys enjoy Filomena’s?”
    “Probably as much as you intended us to.”
    “Well, that’s good.”
    When Ben hung up, he turned to Callie. “Savich said you were a princess. Does that make you proud?”
    Callie laughed, then sobered quickly. “All right. What are we going to do now?”
    “I’m taking you home. I think we’ve got enough for tonight.”
    “I agree. So there was a woman in Günter’s car. I suppose now Savich will find out where every woman involved in the case was last night. Oh, Ben, you will call me the minute you find out anything about Giffey?”
    “You got it.”
    He turned the Crown Vic around and headed toward Margaret Califano’s house on Beckhurst Lane.
    After about five minutes of staring straight ahead through the windshield, Callie said, “You know, you did look like a natural.”
    “What? A natural what?”
    “When you were holding Sean last night. You looked like a natural.”
    “Oh yeah, well, I got four nieces and nephews, two of each. I’ve changed a couple of diapers in my time.”
    Now she did turn to face him. “Really? You’ve really changed diapers yourself?”
    “It isn’t rocket science, Callie. What with the Velcro tapes, I’d bet you a baby could do his own diaper. Where’s this coming from?”
    She shrugged. “We did have a lovely dinner, didn’t we?”
    “I was salivating more over that dress of yours than I was the swordfish.”
    “It’s been just over a week. It doesn’t seem real.”
    He nodded, turned smoothly onto Caledonia Street and continued west. He wanted to ask if she’d like to neck with him, but managed to hold his tongue.
    “Hey,” she said, “Mr. Avery is something else, isn’t he?”
    “Yes, he is, and that little dog is a ridiculous little bit of fluff, but you know what? I liked him. Happy little critter. Can’t believe I’d say that about a poodle. A miniature poodle, for God’s sake. Thing is, I can see him crawling all over me at six in the morning, licking my face off.”
    As a matter of fact, Callie could picture it too, and that was a surprise. What wasn’t a surprise was that she could also see herself, lying next to Ben Raven, laughing, waiting for Luciano to leap over on her. Why did feelings and attachments have to sprout like weeds at a time like this?
    Ben shot her a look, but didn’t say a word. When they got to Margaret’s house, he walked Callie to the front door. The lights were all off except for the porch light.
    “Looks like your mom’s friends have gone for the evening.” He waited until she’d unlocked the door and stepped inside.
    “Callie, about this natural thing.”
    “Yes?”
    “Ah, forget it. Never mind. I’ll call you when I find out anything about Giffey.” She was bundled up in her black wool coat, a bright red scarf wrapped around her neck, but he could clearly picture that sexy little black dress beneath. No, it wasn’t the time, dammit. “Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.” He turned to leave when she grabbed his arm and yanked him back. Then she looked up at him and said, “Don’t go. Oh dear, am I an idiot or what? I forgot that my mom told me she wanted me to move back to my own place this evening. She said she was fine now, that she needed to be by herself for a while. I told her I would, that I’d see her for dinner tomorrow night. I forgot. I wonder what I should do.”
    “Check on her, make sure she’s okay, then I’ll take you to your apartment.”
    She nodded. “Okay. What will we be doing tomorrow?”
    “I have a meeting with Captain Halloway and Police Commissioner Holt at the Daly Building at eight-thirty, but I’ll call, let you know when I’ll be coming by to get you. Savich will have something for us to do, count on it.”
    “Come in with me. I’ll check on Mom, then we can have some of her fancy French roast coffee. Anything I’d have at home would be stale, probably growing mold. And Mom always keeps some croissants in the freezer. What do you think?”
    Ben wasn’t tired either. He was hyped. He could take on the world. The fact was he wanted to take her to bed, and that made everything even more intense. “Okay, a croissant sounds good. You got real butter?”
    “Maybe Mom does. You’ll have to take your chances.”
    She took him to the ultra-modern stainless-steel kitchen, gave him a bag of gourmet coffee, and