LITMIR.BIZ

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Tension filled her. Did he intend to mention that night once they stepped out of the station and were all alone? She didn’t want to talk about it. She didn’t even want it mentioned. It had been an anomaly and had nothing to do with who she was or had been.

      He led her to the back door of the building that would open up on the parking lot. “Have you gotten settled in okay here in town?” he asked as they stepped outside and into the late August heat.

      “I’ve rented one of the renovated places along the swamp, and, yes, I’m settled in just fine.” She walked briskly toward her car.

      “Have you had a chance to look around town?”

      “Not really, although I did meet with Mayor Frank Kean yesterday and he assured me his full cooperation while I’m here. I’m hoping to do some sightseeing in the next day or two.” They reached her car and she opened the passenger door to allow him to set the box inside.

      “The Lost Lagoon Café is a great place to eat, but I’d stay away from the diner. George’s Diner is actually just a hamburger joint, but if you want really good food then I’d recommend Jimmy’s Place. It’s a bar and grill that serves great food.”

      “Thanks for the information, but I will probably eat at home most of the time.”

      He placed the box in the passenger seat and she closed the door and hurried around to the driver door. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she said and before he could say anything else she slid into the seat and closed the door.

      As she pulled away, she glanced in her rearview mirror. He stood in the same place, a tall, ridiculously handsome man watching her leave.

      She’d been instantly attracted to him when they’d met in the bar and she was surprised to realize that after all this time she was still attracted to him.

      She squeezed the steering wheel more tightly. No matter how attracted she was to Daniel and he to her, nothing would come of it. There was too much to lose.

      Her tension eased the moment she pulled into the short driveway in front of the small bungalow-type house. It was painted a bright yellow, not only setting it off from the green of the swamp land behind it, but also making for a bit of cheer among the row of ramshackle and deserted shanties that lined the street. Only a few of the shanties had been renovated and appeared like gems among the others.

      She got out of the car and went around and grabbed the box from the passenger seat. She hadn’t even made it to the door when it opened and her mother smiled at her.

      Rose Christie had been a godsend over the last couple of years. Olivia had always been close to her mother, but their relationship had deepened when Olivia’s father had died of an unexpected heart attack seven years ago.

      Rose opened the door wider to allow Olivia to walk into the tiny living room that held the futon where Olivia slept, an upholstered rocking chair and a small television.

      The kitchen area was little more than a row of the necessary appliances with room for a small round table and chairs.

      Olivia had just set the box of files on the top of the table and taken off her gun belt, which went on the top of one of the kitchen cabinets, when a squeal came from one of the two bedrooms. Olivia crouched down and braced herself as a dark-haired, green-eyed four-year-old came barreling toward her.

      “Mommy, you’re home!” She threw herself into Olivia’s awaiting arms.

      Olivia pulled her daughter close enough that she could nuzzle her sweet little neck. “Ah, nothing smells better than my Lily flower.”

      Lily giggled and hugged Olivia tight. “Silly Mommy, Nanny’s sugar cookies smell better than a flower.”

      “Not better than my Lily flower,” Olivia said as the two broke apart. “Come sit and tell me what you did today.”

      Olivia and Lily sat side by side on the futon while Rose bustled in the kitchen to prepare dinner. “I played dolls and then Nanny and I watched a movie.”

      As Olivia watched and listened to her beautiful daughter relay the events of her day, her heart swelled with love.

      Unexpected and unplanned, Lily had added a richness, a joy in Olivia’s life that she’d never expected to have. She was bright and more than a little precocious, and now Olivia couldn’t imagine her life without Lily.

      By eight thirty dinner had been eaten, Lily’s bath was complete and she was in bed in one of the two bedrooms. Olivia’s mother had retired to the other bedroom, leaving Olivia alone with a box of files and conflicting thoughts she’d never believed she’d have to entertain.

      She’d never thought the day would come when she’d meet the man who had fathered Lily. She’d never considered what she might do if she did run into him again.

      Daniel.

      She was his boss and he was the father of her child. Should she tell him about Lily or should she keep the secret to herself? What was the right thing to do for everyone involved?

      She didn’t know the answer.

      Hoping the right answer would eventually present itself to her, she opened the box of files and pulled out the first one.

Chapter Two

      Daniel had spent a restless night plagued by dreams of New Orleans and the passionate woman who’d come with him back to his hotel room from the bar. He’d finally awakened before dawn and after a shower and two cups of coffee, he thought he was prepared to face the woman who was now his boss.

      Lily had only been a dream, but Olivia Bradford had already shown herself to be a formidable figure. Daniel wasn’t afraid of her digging into his professional or personal life. He’d never even taken a free cup of coffee from the café in his position as deputy and as temporary sheriff. He had nothing to hide, but there were several deputies he knew who didn’t hold themselves to the same standards.

      Olivia appeared to be the type who would leave no stone unturned both in her internal investigation and any others that might present themselves, due to Trey Walker’s dictatorial style and lack of real investigations during his reign as sheriff.

      Daniel arrived at the station at six forty-five ready for roll call at seven o’clock. He was unsurprised that Olivia was already in the office. He had a feeling that she was the type of woman who wouldn’t abide anything but strict punctuality.

      Apparently, the men knew that, too. Even the deputies who had often been stragglers to roll call were all present, uniforms neat and eyes clear.

      Five deputies worked the day shift and then five worked the evening shift until midnight, then five more were on duty from midnight until eight in the morning. The extra four worked shifts when the others had days off.

      Daniel had worked the night shift until he’d become sheriff and then had changed to the day shift. He assumed he would continue his day shift even now that Olivia was here.

      At precisely seven the five men working the day shift were in the conference room and Olivia walked in. Today she was clad in a pair of black slacks, a crisp white short-sleeved blouse with her badge pinned to the blouse’s pocket and her gun belt around her waist.

      Her hair was pulled back and her makeup minimal. She held a file in her hand. “Good morning,” she said. “The first thing I’d like for you to do is stand up one at a time and state your name.”

      Daniel stood up first, followed by Josh Griffin, Wes Stiller, Ray McClure and Malcolm Appleton. Daniel and Josh were particularly close, having been friends for years, and they had worked together to bring down Trey and Jim.

      Once they had all introduced themselves, Olivia held up the file in her hand into the air. “I spent most of the night going through criminal file records for the last five years and one in particular captured my attention.”

      Daniel knew

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