Page 21 of Saved By the Sergeant

“Baby.” I take her hand and kiss her palm. “You are my everything. You are not a problem. If I needed your help, would you think of me as a problem?”

“Of course not.” She blanches.

“Then why should I think of you that way?”

“I don’t know.” She stares at the floor and sniffles. “I guess it’s because I’m always used to being viewed as a nuisance. But you don’t see me that way.”

“No, I don’t,” I say, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. “You are a gift, Gennie. Don’t you ever forget it.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Sweetheart, you deserve the world. And one way or another, I will convince you that it’s true. I don’t know how long it will take, but I’m not giving up. Now let’s go talk to Mitch and Brock.”

“Donny Mason is nota lone wolf. He committed the robbery with other cops.” Mitch scoops up another spoonful of hamburger casserole.

“What?” Gennie drops her fork onto her plate. “They were cops, too?”

“Yes. They’ve been committing crimes for a while now.”

“How do you know?”

“Businesses are hit at just the right times. The cameras are always either broken or disconnected. There’s no DNA. No traces of evidence were left behind. The crimes are too clean.” Brock wipes his mouth with a napkin. “By the way, this is the best food I’ve ever eaten.”

“I told you she was a good cook.” I reach across the table to squeeze her hand.

“She’s not a good cook. She’s amazing.” Brock winks.

“What happens now?” Gennie asks.

“You let us continue to investigate. Then we’ll make a plan. Until we figure things out, you’ll stay with Archer.”

“But the storm’s over. I have to get my car and return it to the rental company.”

“Done.” Mitch pushes his plate back. “We had it towed to New York and returned to Hertz. They were told the car was found abandoned on the New Jersey Turnpike.”

“You guys are the best.” I raise my beer.

“So, I don’t have a car?” Gennie pales.

“I’ll get you a car, sweetheart. Don’t you worry about that. We didn’t want a trail that could lead back to you, to here.”

“Do you think he knows where I am?”

“No,” Brock declares. You can rest easy. But we know where he is. And we have eyes on him at all times. All we need is a little more time, and we’re going to have a rock-solid case to hand to the Boston District Attorney. He’s not going to get away with a thing, Gennie. Not one thing.”

“I don’t know.”

Her voice is so quiet and soft that it guts me. “You are safe, Gennie. I guarantee you that.”

Mitch nods. “Doll, if you’re in Archer’s orbit, you’re safe. No one will get to you. Not only do you have The Wall protecting you, but you also have us and all of Whiskey Creek. We’re family. We’ve got your back.”

Gennie cracks a smile. “The Wall?”

“Yeah,” Mitch grins. “Your boyfriend didn’t tell you his nickname?”

“No.” She bites on her bottom lip. “But it does fit. He is a pretty big guy.”

I breathe a sigh of relief as I listen to her banter back and forth with Mitch and Brock. I was worried I might have to tie her to me for a while to prevent her from running. But as I watch the color come into her cheeks, the light hits her twinkling green eyes, and I hear the sound of her laughter, I think she’s going to stay.

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