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on other things and give her some privacy.
    “Don’t expect me until late. Real late,” she said, and then she shut off the cell phone and put it in her backpack.
    They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence. She was petite but matched his stride well. And her body size made him feel taller. He reminded himself to stay focused. He was off duty. It wasn’t a date; just following up, that’s all. After watching her get into the truck, he threw his jacket into the back seat of the Hummer, and then followed her to the auto repair shop.
    “Sorry about the gun and holster,” he said when she climbed into his passenger seat. “They can’t be left in the glove compartment. That’s against the rules of the department.”
    “Oh.” She shot him a quick glance. “You wear it even when you’re off duty?”
    “If it’s with me…yes…the gun is my responsibility.”
    ****
    Rachel took another bite of the bagel, and loaded up her fork with scrambled eggs. Okay, so no way this was a date or anything. Not if he wore the gun. She’d thought being an undercover cop he’d have kept it hidden.
    She looked around the diner. Maybe when he was here in Indio, he had to be Detective Michael. Undercover, he could be somebody quite different.
    They’d already talked about the Salton Sea while they’d ordered and waited for their meals, and she’d been acutely aware Michael had already done extensive research on the entire Coachella Valley. She watched him devour his breakfast. For a wiry guy he could sure pack in the calories.
    Is he really looking for information on the sea, or on the Copelands? He probably suspected her motives for being at the Salton Sea, and she was still being interrogated under the guise of friendship. She looked across the table and watched him slip a small piece of bacon to Ralph. The dog had even chosen to sit next to Michael’s chair. What a traitor.
    “This is fabulous,” Michael said, catching her gaze. He lifted a fork full of hash browns to his mouth. “I like José’s diner.”
    “Yeah, and they like us, don’t they Ralph?” She grinned at Ralph, and then realized she also liked watching Michael eat.
    He ducked his head, and continued with his breakfast.
    She liked him , which surprised her. With Grandpa missing, this was not the right time to become intrigued by a guy. But he had a beautiful mouth. He caught her in the act of staring again, and held her gaze for a second. His eyes were Siberian Husky’s eyes: clear, pale blue, and totally focused. She almost shivered.
    “This place is packed,” he said, waving his fork around.
    “It always is.”
    He stabbed another piece of bacon. “Not a vacant booth anywhere inside.”
    Rachel nodded. It had been an intense moment, looking so deeply into his eyes, and now they were back to small talk. Any moment now he’d say something about the weather. People always talked about the weather when they had nothing to say, or if they needed to fill an awkward pause in the conversation.
    She sat back, and looked around Jose’s patio. The diner had become popular with the local workmen, crews like landscapers, exterminators, repairmen, and they’d all stop in early. When they left, the mothers would arrive after having dropped the kids at school. The sliding door opened, and a harried looking woman dragging one young whining kid, and one blubbering toddler propped on her hip, walked out and searched the patio for a table. Rachel looked at her watch. She hadn’t realized it was so late in the day.
    “Henry was your maternal grandfather, right?” Michael asked.
    “Is,” she said with emphasis and narrowed her eyes, knowing they must reflect anger, and fear. What is it with everyone ? The entire PD acted like Grandpa’s disappearance had been a homicide. She put her silverware onto the plate making a bit of a racket, and then stiffened her shoulders. “There’s no proof he’s dead.”
    “Sorry. Look,” Michael said, with what seemed