Page 140 of State of Affairs (First Family 1)

“How sad I was at the possibility of you not being my boss anymore.”

“Well, you’re not getting rid of me yet.”

“Very glad about that, LT. We all are.”

“Let me know if I can help any more with the situation.”

“I will. You’ve been a big help. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“Follow your heart, Cameron. It won’t steer you wrong. I’ll be back.” Sam walked out of the pit feeling like she’d genuinely helped someone who wasn’t just a colleague but a friend. Green was one of the best detectives she’d ever worked with. He was always professional and gave a thousand percent to the job. She hoped he could resolve the issues that were weighing on him so he could find some peace of mind. Unfortunately, she knew all too well what it was like for personal concerns to get in the way of work.

Outside the morgue door, she signaled to Vernon, who was leaning against the SUV, that she was leaving. “Heading to Congress Heights in Southeast.”

“By yourself?” Vernon asked, looking around her for Freddie.

“I’m seeing the mother of a murder victim from fifteen years ago. Nothing dangerous.”

Vernon accepted her reply, but she could tell he wasn’t happy about it as he and Jimmy got into the SUV to follow her.

Could she have gone with them and saved everyone some gas? Maybe, but she wanted to continue to drive herself on the job, and if she gave in now, she might eventually lose that ability. She recalled something her dad once told her when she was first on the job. How you start is where you finish, or something like that. In other words, don’t do something today that you don’t want to have to do in a year or two. At least that was how she chose to interpret Skip Holland’s words of wisdom in this case.

Missing him had become a visceral part of her everyday life. So many times in the course of a shift, she wanted to call him to ask his opinion on something. Such as how to play what Morse had told her about Stahl and the Worthington case. The last freaking thing the chief or the department needed was more bad press, but there was no way she could sit on this info. Another of Skip’s pearls of wisdom was to never withhold something her superior officers should know.

Malone would take care of briefing the chief on what Morse had told them, and she’d fill in any blanks when she had more info.

Her phone rang, and she took the call from Freddie on the Bluetooth. “Hey, what’s up?”

“You won’t believe it, but I think the Mustang finally died.”

“Praise the Lord. It’s finally out of my misery.”

“That’s not nice. She was my baby.”

“I’m very sorry for your loss.”

“No, you’re not. Anyway, I’m waiting for the tow, and then I’ll be back to work. Sorry for the snafu.”

“No worries.”

“What am I missing?” he asked.

“Besides a free lunch?”

“No way.”

“Yep.” His appetite was a thing of legends. “I’ll eat your share.”

“Where’s this lunch taking place?”

“I’m going to see Lenore Worthington, and she offered to feed me.”

“That’s so not fair. No one ever offers to feed us when I’m with you, and if they did, you wouldn’t let me anyway.”

“I’m enjoying this far more than I should be.”

“Should I meet you at Lenore’s?”

“Not this time. I think I should do this myself, since she and I have formed a bond of sorts, going back to the first day when Calvin was shot, and I took the call. She may speak more freely to just me.”

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