Page 10 of S.O.S. Billboard

O’Shea waved off those concerns. “Yeah. Fine. Sort of. Ever since the FBI’s house-cleaning, all the officials who were corrupt have been either jailed or disgraced, and those who remain standing have been squeaky clean. That’s great and everything, but with all the changes, and with the officers on the OPD moving up into new positions of authority, there’s currently no room for me to advance.”

Brigid commiserated. “I get it. You took the sergeant’s exam and passed, but now there aren’t any openings.”

“Right in one,” O’Shea sighed.

She’d worked so hard, studying and putting in her hours, figuring that once she had all her ducks in a row, there’d be a spot open for her. But in the huge department shuffle, thefinalnew sergeant had been appointed just weeks before her test results had come in, so she was in limbo. Unless she wanted to change jurisdictions…

In truth, the only place she’d really considered for relocation, was Boston. Sure, she liked her fellow OPD officers; Billy in particular had become a great friend after they decided their flirting felt creepy. But moving over a town or two didn’t exactly feel right.

Brigid would remember how hard it always was for O’Shea to make up her mind.

“You know the only one really keeping me in the Opeloosa area is Billy. He filled in the ‘best buddy’ spot after you left, but I miss the hell out ofyouBrigid.”

Brigid came in for another big hug, and O’Shea relished it. Other than receiving a rare squeeze from her brother Cedric who lived in Baton Rouge, it was almost an anomaly to be embraced.

Lord knows her dead-beat parents never inspired hugs.

When and if they called, it was always to ask for money or whine for some impossible favor they wanted regarding some legal trouble they’d incurred. Which was another reason O’Shea was thinking of relocating. She’d had it. Being within easy reach of her parental units, and always giving in to their needs was unhealthy. Cedric had managed to cut the pair loose, and constantly suggested she do the same. Was it possible she’d get up the guts to move? And if so, here?

Brigid took a seat at the small round table in front of a huge window that overlooked the skyline of Boston. There was a perfect view of the water in Boston Harbor sparkling in the late-day sun. O’Shea sat down across from her.

“Pretty swank,” Brigid teased, sending one arm sweeping toward the vista. “You’re paying for this on your patrolman’s salary?”

O’Shea grinned. “Nope. My brother is footing the bill. Once he found out I was coming, he said, and I quote, ‘no sister of mine is going to stay in a seedy motel. I’ll book you something nice.”

Yeah. Cedric was a peach. Which made her feel a little guilty. Shecouldmove closer to him, to Baton Rouge. But after serving two tours of duty in the Army, big bro was just starting his own family; twins on the way in less than two months, and she didn’t want to be any kind of burden to him while she floundered regarding her future.

“That was nice of him. He’s such a good brother,” Brigid mused.

Brigid had met Cedric, and they’d immediately hit it off. Before her brother had met his wife, Libby, O’Shea had thought Brigid and Cedric might get together, but that hadn’t been in the cards.

“He is,” O’Shea agreed. “So here I am for ten days, and I plan to take advantage of it. I’m going to cram everything I can into this time period.” There was no need, yet, to tell Brig she’d made inquiries to the Boston Police Commissioners office, seeing if she could get reciprocity here for her exam in Louisiana. The answer she’d eventually receive might sway her one way or another toward where she’d end up.

“As long as you don’t run afoul of the BPD again,” Brigid laughed. “Mizzay said she had to give some cop named Murphy a dressing down.”

O’Shea snorted, remembering the guy’s face as he’d talked to Mizzay. “Oh, she certainly did. I don’t know what exactly, she said, but it had him rolling over and showing his soft underbelly within seconds. I owe her, big time.”

“You owe her nothing. If I know Mizzay, she enjoyed the hell out of it. Shedidmention, however, that you talked about going out. That, my friend, is a no-brainer. Of course we’re going to hang with you while you’re here.”

“Even if it means doing touristy stuff?” O’Shea teased. She thought she’d see Old Ironsides, the Bunker Monument, Castle Island, and maybe even travel south of the city to gander at the famous Plymouth Rock, but she didn’t want to bore her friend.

“I’ll do anything you want,” Brigid told her. “But I, umm, might not be hitting any bars.”

O’Shea’s brows drew together. “You won’t? But you always—”

Light dawned and O’Shea leapt to her feet. “Oh, my God! You’re pregnant!”

Brigid beamed like a freaking beacon. “Yup. This week signaled the end of my first trimester. We told the SOS team, yesterday, and I was going to call you tonight.”

O’Shea went in for another hug. Bending to her friend, her eyes filling with tears. “Congratulations, Brig,” she whispered, her voice cracking. O’Shea knew the story of the baby Brigid and Sarge had lost when they were both young, and was filled with happiness for the couple. “So you’re due in…” She stood up and mopped her eyes.

“December. And I plan on making you the Godmother, if that’s okay.”

“Okay?” O’Shea chortled emotionally. “It will be my honor. And be forewarned. I plan on spoiling this little bean.” She laid a hand on Brigid’s abdomen. “Which means I’m going to buy out every baby store from here to Timbuktu.”

Brigid laughed. “Uh, huh. Sure. We’ll see what Sarge, myminimalisthusband has to say about that.”

“He’ll be… Oh!” O’Shea snickered. “I just thought of something. I can’t wait to see how your fastidious husband does changing diapers.”

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