She squirmed under the heat of his stare. In a rush of words, she said, “I’m sorry I lied to you about Nick. But I was so afraid you’d take me off the case, and after Johnson I needed it. You know I did. I tried to fight what was happening between us, but he was just there for me, every step of the way and I, um… Why are you smiling?”

“In some ways, you’re exactly the same as you were at twelve, you know that?” He took a step closer to her, the smile fading. “But if you ever, ever lie to me again, Sergeant, I’ll have your badge. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” she said, swallowing hard. “Sir.”

“Get O’Connor cleaned up—and fast. I don’t want any more bad publicity for you or the department.”

“Yes, sir.”

He called out his good-byes to Skip and Celia before donning his coat.

“Chief? Thank you for understanding why I have to do this.”

“I would’ve done the same thing myself. In fact, your dad predicted your little speech almost down to the last vowel. We were ready for you.”

“Well, sheesh,” she huffed. “Here I was thinking I’d handled you, and I’m the one being handled?”

“You gotta get up a lot earlier in the morning to get one past a couple of crusty old vets like us. Truth is, we would’ve been disappointed if you’d done it any other way. You’re a chip off the old block, Holland.”

“Thank you, sir. You couldn’t pay me a higher compliment.”

“I know.” He glanced toward the kitchen. “You think about what it would do to him if something happens to you. It’d be the end of him. You think about that.”

“Yes, sir,” she whispered as she watched him go down the ramp.

Chapter 23

With Nick outside on the phone, Sam went into the kitchen where her dad was reading the bill.

She bent to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for the help. I hate feeling like I’ve totally missed the point on this one.”

“Don’t know for sure yet that you have. Just because it’s taken a few twists and turns doesn’t mean you aren’t on the right path.”

“That’s true.”

“Seems like a nice kid.”

“Who? Higgins?”

“No,” he said grinning. “Nick.”

“Oh, right.” She wasn’t ready to go down that path with him just yet. “So, hey, I hear you’ve been keeping secrets.”

“You’re one to talk, and which secrets are you referring to?”

Sam raised an eyebrow as she slipped into a kitchen chair.

“Oh. Celia.”

“Uh huh,” Sam said, delighted by the faint blush that appeared on his ruddy cheeks.

“Well, I was going to tell you.”

“Except you were too chicken so you got her to tell me.”

“Something like that.”

Sam laughed. “I’m happy for you.”