They reached her car, and Nick took her keys to unlock it. As more flashes exploded around them, she looked up at him with a forced smile. “This is fun.”

His face was set in an unreadable expression. “I’ll call you. Good luck today.”

“You, too.” Without the kiss she would’ve liked to have had, Sam got into the car, and he closed the door. She watched him until he was safely inside his black BMW. Her cell phone rang. “Holland,” she said without checking the caller ID.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked.

“Fabulous. You?”

“Terrific,” he said with a laugh. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“All this attention. It’ll die down. Eventually.”

“I don’t think it’s going to.”

“You sound pissed,” he said.

“I’m more resigned than pissed.”

“When are you going to mention that you told me so?”

“I’m saving that for when I really need it,” she joked. The combination of his sexy voice and their teasing banter helped to restore her good mood.

“I’ll look forward to that,” he said. “See you later?”

“Yes, you will. Love you.”

“Love you, too, babe. Be careful today.”

“I always am.”

Sam navigated her way through rush-hour traffic and arrived at the public safety building fifteen minutes later. Her good mood once again dissipated when she found Lieutenant Stahl waiting for her in the office that used to be his.

“I need to call maintenance.” She flipped on the lights and hung her coat on a hook behind the door. “The rat traps they set in here clearly aren’t working.”

“You think you’re so funny, don’t you?”

The revolting wiggle of his double chin made her want to puke.

“Things not working out for you in the rat squad?” she asked, referring to his new post in the department’s Internal Affairs Bureau.

“Actually, I’m settling right in.” He bit a chunk of skin off his cuticle and spit it onto the floor.

Sam made a mental note to stay away from that corner of the office until it was fumigated.

“And you’re my first order of business.”

“I’m flattered.”

His beady eyes narrowed. “You won’t be so mouthy when your sordid affair with a witness gets you busted down to patrol.”

She leaned on her desk to look him in the eye. “Three words, Lieutenant: Bring. It. On.”

Fuming, he hauled his portly ass out of the chair. “Your wish is my command.” He slapped a piece of paper on her desk. “Administrative hearing next week. Be there, and be ready to explain yourself.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” she said, taking a shallow breath to short-circuit the pain grinding in her belly.