Page 624 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Sean looked back and forth between Sydney and Buck. “So let me get this straight. You noticed that there were problems with the escape door, but you didn’t put it in your report?”

Sydney’s chest felt like lead. “I trusted Buck to take care of it. I assumed that he would.” The words trailed off.

Sean leveled a stare at Buck. “Is this true?”

Buck’s eyes shifted toward Sydney and then away. “No boss, it ain’t true.”

Sydney turned crimson.

“I remember that Miss Lassiter and I talked about the fall protection, but I don’t remember talking about no escape door.”

Sydney’s eyes could have burnt right through the snake in the grass. Liar! she wanted to scream.

Sean looked at Sydney. “So it’s his word against yours. Is that it?”

It was all she could do to keep from ripping Buck’s head off. “It seems to be the case.”

“I’m going to have to document this,” Sean said. “Lucky for us Crandall wasn’t seriously injured. If he’d been hurt badly—or worse, killed, OSHA would’ve shut us down.”

“How nice of Crandall to be so accommodating,” Sydney said.

Sean didn’t flinch. “Larry, thanks for coming in. That’s all.”

Larry stood and scampered out the door.

Sean looked at Sydney. “When OSHA does a follow-up inspection, we’ve got to be ready.”

She lifted her chin and her eyes met his. “Oh, we will be.”

“I trust that from now on any safety violations that you find will be written in a report.”

Sydney raised an eyebrow and looked at Buck. The coward. He still wouldn’t look her in the eye. “You can count on it.” She stood to leave.

A knock at the door caught their attention. Barb entered holding a large bouquet of red roses. She cleared her throat. “These are for Miss Lassiter.”

All eyes went to Sydney. Her face burned. She glared at Barb. “You should’ve put them on my desk.” Sydney reached for the bouquet.

“Uh-uh, not so fast.” Barb lifted the card and read it aloud. “‘Please forgive me. Kendall.’ How sweet.”

Sydney snatched the flowers and card from Barb, who then turned and left. Sydney glowered around the room. Her gazestopped at Sean. His eyes met hers and he motioned at the card she was holding.

“Lover boy has impeccable timing.”

Sydney jutted out her chin. Her humiliation was complete, but she’d be darned if she let Sean O’Connor know it. “If you’ll excuse me …”

Sean nodded.

Sean stoodand closed the door. He looked at Buck. “You wanna tell me what that was all about?”

Buck sat up taller in his seat and pulled his pants over his belly. “You ought to be thankin’ me, boss.” He stuck out his thumb and thrust it toward the door. “A couple more incidents like this and Miss Lassiter’ll be out of here.”

“Are you admitting that you sat here and told a bold-face lie?”

Buck shifted in his seat like a caged pigeon. “I’m not admittin’ nothin’.”

“I’m gonna ask you this straight out, and I want an honest answer. Did Syd—I mean—Miss Lassiter ask you to fix the escape door?”

“Syd, huh. I see how it is.”

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