They all seemed to look at each other, no one speaking. She raised both eyebrows questioningly.

“Down…down there,” someone finally said, pointing. “Second door.”

“Thank you.” She headed in that direction, then turned back around. She gave another smile. “Relax, everyone.”

Nervous laughter followed and she mentally rolled her eyes. Men.

Lieutenant Mize’s door was ajar, and she knocked twice on the glass before pushing it open. Two men turned to look at her. One older, sixtyish she would guess, the other younger, a handsome man with sandy blond hair, perhaps in his early- to mid-thirties. They both stared openly, neither speaking. She turned to a woman who was seated. Dark, thick hair, parted on the side and swept across her forehead—Detective Jeremiah. The scowl on her face was only slightly less than the one in her photo. The eyes, however, were the same…the dark brown eyes that had drawn her in the first place.

“Judging by the idiotic looks on their faces, I’m assuming you’re Danielle Stevens.”

Dani nodded. “Yes. And you’re Detective Jeremiah.” She held a hand out. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Yeah.” The woman hesitated before standing and shaking her hand. She was taller in person than she’d appeared in the photo.

“Yes, I heard you weren’t thrilled when you accepted this assignment.”

“Yeah…that’s not exactly how it went down. You know, accepting it and all.”

Dani nodded. “I know. Your people told my people.”

“Oh? We have people?”

Dani smiled, so wishing she didn’t have people. “We do. And I’m sorry if this is an inconvenience.”

“An inconvenience? Yeah, I’m sure for my five rape victims, it’s an inconvenience that I’m being pulled off the case…you know, to babysit you for seven damn days.”

Dani was surprised by the hostility in her voice, and it must have pulled Lieutenant Mize from his trance. He came around his desk and held his hand out.

“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Stevens. I’m Lieutenant Mize. This is Detective Springer,” he said, motioning to the other man, who still hadn’t found his voice. “And I assure you, Detective Jeremiah,” he said, casting a glare in her direction, “meant nothing by that. We have her workload covered while you’re here.”

Dani shook his hand firmly. “That’s good to know, thank you.” She turned to Detective Springer and held out her hand to him. “Detective, nice to meet you.”

He shook her hand, holding it a second or three too long. “I must be in a dream,” he muttered as if to himself. “Danielle Stevens. Oh, wow. You’re…you’re—”

“Take a deep breath, Reid,” Detective Jeremiah said. “It’s okay, buddy.”

The man blushed and took a step back. “I’m sorry. It’s just…”