With his intention obvious to her, Sam acted before he could deliver the punch to her chief’s face. She took him down hard and had him pinned to the floor with a knee to his back before he knew what hit him. As she cuffed him, she looked up at the chief, who seemed shell-shocked by what’d taken place in front of him.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked him.

“I’m fine. You?”

“All good.”

“As always, Lieutenant, your timing is excellent.”

Sam smiled up at him and cranked the cuffs a little tighter. That’s what Springer got for trying to take a swing at her chief.

“You’re going to be very sorry you did that,” Springer said through gritted teeth.

“Guess what? I’m not afraid of you.”

“If you think you’re going to come after my son and try to pin mass murder on him, you’re going to find out what I’m capable of.”

“Was that a threat, Chief?” Sam asked.

“Sounded like one to me.”

Sam gestured for one of the wide-eyed patrolmen to come over to them. “Book him on attempted assault of a police officer and threatening a police officer.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’ll write it up for you,” Sam said.

“Thank you.” The patrolman hauled Springer off the floor and dragged him away, kicking and screaming the whole time that someone was going to pay for this.

“The guy is unhinged,” Sam said as she and the chief watched him go.

“I feel bad for him losing his youngest son the way he did, but he’s got to accept that he can’t protect Billy from what’s coming.”

“And how does he know what’s coming?”

“I’m still trying to sort that out. Captain Roback is waiting in my office to discuss what happened overnight. Would you care to join us?”

Sam had a sinking feeling as she nodded and followed him to his office. “I should ask Sergeant Gonzales to join us too.”

“Of course,” the chief said, still seemingly shaken by what’d just transpired.

“Could we get him a glass of ice water?” Sam asked the chief’s admin as she walked past the reception desk.

“Coming right up.”

“And please ask Detective Sergeant Gonzales to join us.”

“I’m fine, Sam,” the chief said when they were in his office. “Don’t fret over me.”

“You’re not fine. You’re pale and weird-looking in the eyes.”

“He took me by surprise. That’s all. I’m not used to people coming at me the way they used to when I was in the field. I’m out of practice.”

“What’s wrong?” Captain Roback asked.