Page 12 of Fighting for Brielle
A woman, seventy years old, Justice guessed, approached them, smiling. “Oh, you must be our new chief! Youarea handsome devil, aren’t you? Come with me, Chief McQuaid. I need to take your measurements.” Sally winked at Linda as she led him into her inner sanctum. “I promise I’ll be gentle with him.”
* * *
Linda heard her chortle as she turned away and found Officer Nash Carson staring at her. A shiver crawled up her spine. “Is there…something you want to say, Officer?”
He shook his head. “No, ma’am. I’m just here to drop off my uniform. I lost a button. I guess Sally is busy with the new chief.”
“She is.”
“That’s okay. I’ll wait.”
“Suit yourself.” She studied him a moment before she excused herself.
Remember.
Chapter 4
Sally cooed as she measured Justice’s broad chest, his long muscular arms, and his slim waist.
“Oh, you are afinespecimen of a man, Chief. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I have to measure your, um, inseam now.”
Justice grinned as she knelt in front of him. “Careful, Sally. I may have to arrest you for being inappropriate with an officer.”
She laughed in delight. “I’m old enough to be your grandmother.”
“You’re not a day over twenty-five.”
“Handsomeandcharming. That’s a lethal combination. Let’s find a uniform to wrap all that goodness in.”
She wouldn’t settle for anything less than the crispest, newest pants and shirts on the rack in Justice’s size. First, she fitted him with his dress uniform. Even though he was wearing black dress shoes, Sally brought him a pair that looked like the rest of the officers’, and then checked to make sure the length of his pants was perfect. When he slipped on the jacket, he noticed it bore the stripes indicating his rank.
“I haven’t earned these stripes,” he remarked in a soft voice. “I’m not worthy of them.”
Sally tsked. “I’ll bet your Navy dress uniform is covered in medals and stripes.”
“It is,” Justice admitted. He was never one to boast, but he added, “Would you like to see it?”
“Yes, I would.”
Justice rummaged through his pants lying on the fitting room bench and pulled out his cell phone. He scrolled through his pictures until he found one taken at the awards ceremony a few days earlier.
He showed it to her and she smiled. “Impressive.”
“I just did my duty to my men and to my country.”
Sally straightened his jacket. “That’s why you’re going to make a great chief of police.”
“I hope so.”
After she placed two everyday uniforms in a garment bag, she said, “You can pick these up after you’re sworn in.”
“Will you be there?”
“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it. When you come to get your uniforms, I’ll give you a hat and a T-shirt.”
Justice grinned. “Sure.”
“It’s five-fifteen. You’d better join Chief Ferguson.” Sally paused. Her expression grew serious. “Linda is a great cop. We’ve known each other over twenty years, but…but she’s grown complacent. She’s allowed things to slip by her, lost control of her men and women to a certain degree. Don’t get me wrong. She’s had a great run. But it’s time for a change. You’re going to be good for us.”
