“We need to have eyes on him at all times when he’s not inside your home,” Brice said.

“Surely we can work something out as his mother is a police officer.”

Toni shook her head, making her ponytail bob. “All times.”

“Fine,” Sam said with a huff of exasperation. She understood about having a job to do and how often it could be inconvenient for everyone involved. “But don’t get in the way.”

“We’ll do our best to be unobtrusive,” Brice said.

Sam was walking back to her car when Nick called. “Hey, babe.”

“What’s wrong with the boy?”

“A fight in school.”

“What? What the hell?”

“My questions exactly.” She relayed a quick synopsis of the incident at school to her husband.

“How does that happen when he has a detail?”

“Apparently, they weren’t close enough to stop a situation that escalated quickly.”

“But that’s their job.”

“I think they walk a fine line between keeping him safe and allowing him a normal school experience. Don’t worry. I ripped them new ones over it.”

“I’ll bet you did,” he said, chuckling. “So where is he now?”

“With me for the afternoon. He’s going to help me figure out who killed Willie.”

“Do you have time for that?”

“Of course I do. He’s my son.”

“Yes, he is.”

“It was kinda weird just now.”

“What was?”

“Getting a call from school that he was sick and that he’d asked for me to come get him. And then the chick at the desk calls the nurse and says ‘Scott Cappuano’s mother is here to pick him up.’ I got a little misty over that.”

“Aw, babe. That’s so sweet. You’re a mom now.”

“Finally.”

“I wish I could give you a hug.”

“That’d be nice. Rain check?”

“You got it. I have a thing after work, but I shouldn’t be too late. I could use a hug too. This has been kind of a crappy day all the way around.”

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked, surprised to hear that. He was so endlessly upbeat and cheerful.

“I’ll tell you when I see you. Love you. Tell my boy I love him too, and I’ll beat up the kid that hit him if he wants me to.”

Smiling, she said, “I already offered and was politely rebuffed.”

“Maybe at the next school function you could do that thing you do with your hands on your hips with the badge and gun showing. Make sure the kid knows who he’s screwing with.”

“I believe I’ll do just that, Senator. I like how you think.”

“I feel like we should do something.”

“I might give the kid’s parents a call.”

“That’s a good idea. Make sure you say ‘This is Lieutenant Holland with the Metro PD, and I’d like to talk to you about your son the bully.’”