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“You bet you will.”
“Hey, if I’m wrong, you and your lady friend can go to the steakhouse on me, all right?”
“We’re ordering the most expensive items on their menu. Be prepared.”
The CSI arrived within ten minutes. Seth relaxed when he saw Cloris, his favorite CSI tech. The grandmother was as good at her job as anyone he’d ever worked with. “Cloris, my love, have you decided to throw Harry to the curb and run away with me?”
The blond-haired woman chuckled as she set down her kit. “Honey, as tempted as I am, nobody holds a candle to my Harry. You’re 35 years too late and out of luck.”
“Doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying.”
“Wasting your time, my friend. Now, I hear you got yourself into a spot of trouble this morning.”
He grimaced. “Yeah. Twenty stitches worth of trouble. Does that earn me any sympathy?”
“Enough to get a batch of cookies when you return to work.”
“Score.”
Cloris laughed. “All right, Noah. What do you need from me?”
“GSR test for the lady. Cloris, this is Teagan.”
“How are you, sugar?” Her curious gaze took in Seth’s hand wrapped around Teagan’s. “Looks like you’ve been holding out on me, Seth. Are you going to break my heart after all?”
“She’s second to you. I’d throw her over in a heartbeat if you agreed to run away with me.”
“Now you know I’m too old for you, son. You should give this one a real chance. She looks like a keeper to me.”
Seth smiled at Teagan, whose cheeks were pink. “You’re right. She is. I already planned to keep her. If you have advice to help me do that, I’d love to hear it.”
Cloris opened her kit. “Easy. Treat her with respect and look for ways to spoil her. Treat Teagan as though she’s the only person in the world who matters when you’re together, and spend as much time as possible with her. Be there for her, no matter what happens.”
He stared at the grandmother as she swabbed Teagan’s hand for GSR. Although he hadn’t expected a serious answer from his friend, Cloris’s advice echoed what he’d seen between his own parents. “Is that Harry’s secret to keeping your heart?”
“You bet, sugar. When I’ve had the best man in the world for so many years, why would I settle for second best?”
He grinned. “Ouch.”
“Sorry, Seth, but you asked.” Cloris stored the swabs. “Anything else I need to do?”
Seth released Teagan and extended both hands to Cloris. “GSR test for me as well.” The test may be the only thing to keep him out of jail once he was released from the hospital. Seth knew he hadn’t shot Pico, but how did he prove that to his coworkers when the murder weapon was likely his Glock?
Cloris swabbed both his hands for GSR. “I’ll let you know the results of the tests, Noah. Seth, take care of yourself. Do what the doctor tells you to do so you can get back to work as fast as possible.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m glad to meet you, Teagan.” Cloris picked up her bag. “Take care of my friend and yourself, all right?”
“Yes, ma’am. I will.”
Cloris glanced at Seth. “I like this one. Don’t screw this up.” With that last parting comment, the crime scene investigator left the room.
Noah turned to Seth, his expression grim. “Pico didn’t give you any indication of who the turncoat cop might be?”
He shook his head. “All I know is he didn’t recognize the cop, and he was scared out of his mind that he’d attract the wrong attention.” Seth sighed. “Turned out he was right. I promised to protect him, and I failed.”
“Not your fault, partner.” Noah closed his notebook with a snap and slid it into his pocket. “The lieutenant will be here soon, so make sure you stick around.”