Lights flashed in his rearview. Danny glanced at the mirror, then down at his speedometer. Nope. Not speeding.

Turning the stereo volume down to nothing, he pulled over and rolled down the window. A stocky cop in a tan-and-brown uniform stepped up to the side of the car. He removed his mirrored sunglasses and hooked them in his chest pocket. Under regulation short hair, small blue eyes glared down from a mean face. Danny bristled. He remembered this jerk from his last visit. Steroid Steve, aka Lieutenant Doug Lang, had been nasty to Danny’s sister. Sullivans didn’t forgive or forget when their siblings were concerned.

The cop leaned a veiny forearm on the open car window. “Heard that you were in town.”

Danny glanced down at the badge pinned to the cop’s shirt. It still read POLICE LIEUTENANT. Despite the death of the former police chief, the town had chosen not to put Lang permanently in charge. Good thinking on their part, but it still had to sting.

“Just for a couple of weeks.”

“Staying at Reed’s place?”

Danny hated it when people asked questions when they already knew the answers. “Yeah.”

“Heard that, too.”

Danny waited. Cops like Lang rubbed him rawer than a fresh blister. Small-minded men exploiting their power.

Danny breathed. Green grass and pretty girls. His mantra had gotten him through two tours in the desert and one year of complete hell. Surely it could stand up to one giant asshole.

The cop flexed an oversize bicep. “Where were you this morning?”

“Just running an errand.” Did Lang know where Danny had been or was he fishing for information?

“You wouldn’t be thinking about digging into Nathan’s case, would you?”

“How the hell would I do that?” Danny flexed his sore hand. “The entire state of Maine can’t find him. No one even knows who he was sleeping with.”

Surprise flickered in the lieutenant’s eyes, but he blinked it away in a second. “Well, I’m not done with my own investigation, and I won’t tolerate any interference.”

Danny would bet a hundred bucks this was the first Lang had heard about Nathan’s unknown girlfriend. “I doubt I’d be any threat to your case. I hardly know anyone around here, right?”

Lang’s brows knitted. He tapped the window frame. “I just want to make sure I’ve made myself clear.”

“Crystal.” Danny nodded. “Are we done?”

Lang’s face pinched. “I suppose.” He stepped away from the car. “Just remember what I said.”

“How could I forget?” Danny swallowed his annoyance. Green grass and pretty girls might not cut it today.

Lang walked away, and Danny rolled up the window.

He turned Guns N’ Roses back to full volume and wished it was warm enough to put the top down. A little sunshine on his head wouldn’t hurt.

The cop car pulled out onto the road and drove off.