Perfect Fit (Serendipity's Finest 1)

In the week since she’d been home from the city, Cara’s life had returned to normal. Normal me

ant she worked, she visited Havensbridge when she could, and she didn’t see Mike unless they were at work. When they acted completely professional at all times.

Unless she thought no one was paying attention. Then she studied him, her mind taking her back to that night in Manhattan, and she wanted nothing more than to be with him that way again. But she was busy, so busy she barely had time to think. Until tonight when she was off for another two days. First Joe’s, and then she hoped she’d see Mike. Her place or his, she didn’t care.

Lost in thought, she was startled when Mike’s assistant called out that she was wanted in his office. She glanced around the room. Everyone was either busy at their desks or changing shifts, so there were a lot of people coming and going, and nobody seemed surprised that the chief had summoned her.

She headed for the private room in the back corner, pausing in the doorway for a calming breath. Hard to be calm when Mike sat at his desk, wearing a charcoal-gray suit and a deep lavender tie, looking sexy as ever.

Then his dark eyes lit on her. “Come in and shut the door behind you.”

Cara did as he asked and remained standing, not comfortable that he needed a word now. Here. “Something you need, Chief?”

“Have a seat,” he said, in a serious voice that made her stomach pitch uncomfortably.

She gripped the sides of her chair. “What’s wrong?”

He muttered something under his breath. “You think something has to be wrong for me to talk to you?”

“Well…We’re at work. So I figured it’s work related and something’s up.” They hadn’t discussed the case they were working on, and she’d figured he hadn’t had any word from his contact yet.

His cell rang and he frowned. “Hang on.” He glanced at it and held up one finger. “I’ve been expecting this,” he said, and took the call.

“Good to hear from you,” Mike said, looking pleased. He paused, obviously listening. “You two sure work fast.” His deep laugh rippled through Cara, bringing back memories of the two of them having fun together in New York, laughing, having sex…

“I’d love to,” Mike said into the phone. He listened, then, “Sure.” Some more listening, and he replied, “Am I bringing someone?” He met Cara’s gaze and held on tight. “Yeah, I am.”

Her stomach knotted with the intensity she saw there.

“Thanks. See you then and looking forward to it.” He hung up and shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Sorry about that.”

Cara shrugged off the apology.

He rose and came around his desk, propping himself on the edge, close to her chair, and leaned forward. “As it happens, I have news on the case we were working on. Lauren called.”

Cara leaned forward in her seat. “What did she find out?”

“Nothing helpful. All she knows is that at the time the Serendipity Police Department turned the information into the feds, six months had passed since the driver of the car with the drugs and the cash had been arrested there and released on bail.”

“How did that happen?” Cara asked. “Who gave bail to a guy with a carload of drugs and money in the trunk?”

“Judge Marshall Baine.”

Cara turned the name over in her head. “I don’t recognize the name,” she said at last.

“He’s retired now. But the guy must’ve skipped and nobody did anything about it. By the time anyone in Serendipity realized and contacted the feds, the perp had been hauled into jail in the Bronx for transporting cocaine over state lines. He was all too willing to make a deal in order to save his own ass and turn his suppliers over to the cops.”

“In other words, the feds had no interest in pursuing a small-town case,” Cara muttered.

“Exactly. Then somehow, the case went cold here, nobody dealt with it, and the money remained in the evidence locker in Serendipity.”

“So we talk to the guy who was arrested back then and see what he remembers,” Cara said, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. It was rare she got her hands on an old case that involved digging into the past. Despite its possible connection to Mike’s father, she found it fascinating.

“Can’t.” Mike burst her bubble of excitement. “He was doing twenty-five to life and was shanked by another inmate five years ago.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah.”