Definitely time to try

Tiffany had Nicki wear one of her old uniforms... which got Rick thinking about whether he could talk Tiffany into wearing one next time they had some time alone. Maybe it was juvenile to fantasize about doing a sexy cop in her uniform but Rick didn't care. That sounded hot to him. He'd have to see if it sounded hot to Tiffany as well.

Rick didn't get a police uniform, he got blue coveralls that were the mark of a maintenance worker.

"Nobody looks at maintenance workers," Tiffany said. "So you should be invisible to any cops who got a Be on Lookout for you kidnapping Nicki."

"He didn't kidnap--"

Tiffany turned to Nicki. "Your job is to keep quiet unless Rick needs your help. Do you have that? Because if you don't, you're staying here."

"Got it." Nicki seemed even more subdued than Tiffany's words would normally make her. Possibly because she was going to be in the same building as the man who'd groomed her all her life and then went into her and changed up her body without her permission or knowledge. Or maybe she was just growing up a little. It was hard to tell.

Tiffany drove to the police underground parking lot, carded them into the building, then gave Rick a mop and pail and told him to entertain himself while she got things set up.

"What about me?" Nicki wondered.

"Follow me and don't meet anyone's eyes. And don't take your hat off. If you do, everyone will see that you're a twelve-year-old on dressup."

"I'm not--"

"Did I mention keeping your mouth shut?"

Nicki nodded.

"Good. Do it."

Rick mopped and paid attention to the cops, lawyers, witnesses and prisoners going by. Sure enough, nobody paid him any attention at all. From what he could tell, local sheriffs were wasting their time looking for jailhouse snitches. All they needed to do was equip some janitors with recording devices and they'd get all the evidence they needed.

Finally Tiffany reappeared, accompanied by another detective, a uniformed cop, and by Nicki who was doing a credible job looking as invisible as Rick was. Rick didn't think the cops were fooled but they seemed willing to play along with their teammate's plan.

"Okay," Tiffany said, "Chuck here," she gestured at the uniformed cop, "is going to bring the phone to Miss Hughes. She will open it, then bring it or have Chuck bring it to Rick. In the meantime, Detective Ralph Grunson and I will be interviewing Mr. Hughes. Rick, you'll be watching and listening through the one-way mirror. You'll be equipped with a microphone connected to my earbud and you'll let me know when Hughes is lying or when you have an idea of what I should ask him."

Detective Grunson glared at Rick. "O'Sullivan says you're one of those nonverbal communications experts. I personally think that's bullshit but I'm willing to go along for now. Don't make me regret it."

"Got it, sir."

"All right."

"Hughes should be here soon," Tiffany said. "Rick, follow Grunson. He'll show you where to wait. "Nicki, you'll be in our shielded electronics room. I'll take you there and Chuck will bring you the phone there. Any questions?"

There weren't anyone and Rick followed Detective Grunson who led him into a closet-like space then slammed him against the wall.

Rick had been anticipating that move and went with it rather than resisting.

"O'Sullivan is all right," Grunson growled. "And I have a feeling she's fucking up her career because of you. So, if you're playing games here, let me just say that there are a lot of cops who feel like I do and who wouldn't mind doing a beat-down to some creep who's jerking her around."

"Understood and commendable," Rick said. "I'm honestly trying to help bring in the evidence to solve the Olivia Hughes murder case."

"I don't give a fuck about the case," Grunson said. "I care about O'Sullivan. So, don't fuck her up."

That was a lot of 'F-Bombs.' Apparently Grunson really wanted the message to get through.

"Got it."

"All right." Grunson gestured at a table equipped with a microphone and an old-fashioned set of earphones. "Listen in. Don't say anything unless it's important. Hughes shouldn't be able to hear you but he'll see O'Sullivan is listening and that'll make him suspicious."

"Will do and thank you," Rick said.

"You can thank me by keeping O'Sullivan out of trouble."

Rick wished he could do that. He suspected, though, that Tiffany was already in too deep.