Perfect Fit (Serendipity's Finest 1)

Sam mentioned they were going to Joe’s tonight—Sam, Cara, Dare and Liza, and the rest of their group of friends. Mike knew firsthand what happened when Cara went to Joe’s. Some guy ended up noticing and propositioning her, and that was something he wanted to avoid. Which meant it was time to talk.

“Hey, you’re late,” Erin said, tapping on her watch.

Her voice brought him out of his own head and back to his surroundings.

“We ordered for you,” she continued.

“No problem.” Mike didn’t care what he ate as long as he did. He was starving. “A phone call ran long and I stopped to catch up with Ethan Barron.” Mike settled in a chair next to Sam.

He glanced at his siblings. Since it was the middle of the week and a workday, Mike wore a suit. He’d spent the morning in meetings with the mayor—wasn’t she a pain in the ass—and then with other town officials who’d requested a face-to-face. Sam, who’d come back to work on Monday, was in uniform, back on patrol; Erin was also dressed professionally in a skirt and blouse.

“Not that I mind meeting you guys, but you sounded upset,” Mike said to his sister.

Erin’s hazel eyes met his. “It’s about Mom.”

“Mom?” Sam and Mike asked at the same time.

“Not Dad? I thought you’d be concerned about Dad,” Sam said.

Mike agreed.

“Except Dad’s doing well enough, all things considered. Mom’s jumpy.”

“Erin, honey, wouldn’t you be if you were her?” Sam asked. “Look at all she’s been through with Dad.”

“It’s more,” she said firmly.

“I think you’re overreacting,” Sam said.

Mike frowned at his brother. Erin was one of the most compassionate and insightful people he knew. If she said something was wrong with their mother beyond the obvious, he believed her.

“What makes you think there’s more?” Mike asked her.

“After she overreacted to the whole Facebook conversation last week at dinner, I tried to talk to her. She clammed up. Didn’t say she was fine, didn’t say she was overreacting, she just pursed her lips and said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’ That’s not Mom. At least, not how Mom is with me.”

“That’s true.” Ella was close to Erin and never shut her out. She rarely shut anyone out.

“Sam?” Erin asked. “You’re going to hang with Dad tonight, right?”

He nodded. “Can you talk to her? Or at least just keep an eye out and tell me if you notice anything…different?”

“Sure,” he said, giving in, though from his tone of voice Mike could tell he thought Erin was nuts.

“How do you think everyone took the changes that I want to implement at the station?” Mike asked Sam.

Erin raised an eyebrow. “You mean changing everyone from partnering up to singles except on the night shift?”

“Word spread as far as the D.A.’s office?” Mike asked.

Erin shrugged. “We have to have something interesting to talk about.”

“Makes downtime more boring, but everyone’s okay with it,” Sam said. “Especially since we got guys retiring in June and you’ll be able to add shifts to the rookies’ schedules.”

Mike nodded. “Good.”

Before they could change subjects, the waitress came with their meals and they all got distracted, important subjects off the table.

No sooner had he arrived back at his office when his cell rang. A quick glance told him Lauren was calling. Hopefully she had information on the open case. Something that would put his father out of the running on any issues that cropped up. But Mike’s gut told him he wouldn’t get so lucky.