Love by Association

“Can I spend the night here tonight?” It was a bold move.

Harris seemed to need them. Or maybe it was just that he did.

“I haven’t changed my sheets in almost a month.”

He got her drift. She was the housekeeper here.

“You haven’t slept in them much, either.” She’d either been at the hotel or in his bed. He knew because he’d been with her.

“I’m not going to be a rich man’s plaything.”

“I don’t see myself ever being married to a cop. One more night. That’s all I’m asking. To say goodbye.”

“At least we understand each other.”

He nodded. So did she. And then she asked what he wanted on his pizza.

He didn’t dare tell her he had no idea.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

HE WAS HER “MAX.” Chantel had known that weeks ago. He wasn’t going to stay with her. She knew that, too.

And understood.

Just like she couldn’t be Johnson for him.

But he was her happiness. And she was going to hope that they’d always at least be friends.

He stayed at her place Sunday night. In a mixture of Johnson’s clothes and her own—she left her hiking boots at home—with her hair down, the fake nails off, but a little bit of makeup on, Chantel spent Monday night with Julie and Colin.

Just one more night. To ease out of things and into friendship.

They talked about David Smyth Jr. and about Leslie’s shocking revelation, which had been kind of lost in all of the drama of Saturday night’s shooting and arrest.

“James told me something, today,” Colin said as the three of them sat over a game of cards that Chantel and Jill used to play with some of the other recruits.

He was looking at Chantel but not with a lover’s gaze. And she knew it was beginning—the real-life part. She drew. Played a couple of cards and had to discard without making much progress. “What’s that?”

“He checked with Paul Reynolds and found out that his sealed juvenile record had been accessed.”

Julie’s gaze darted between the two of them. It was her turn. She wasn’t taking it.

“We were investigating a potentially dangerous, high-risk situation, Colin. It was not only well within our rights, but if we hadn’t done so, if we’d blown off the reports that were coming in and something had happened to either Ryder or Leslie...” She was spitting her words out. She wished a little more of Johnson’s decorum had worn off on her.

“Hey.” He held up his free hand. “We are all extremely glad that you went to the lengths you did.”

“You have no idea,” Julie said. “I no longer have to live with the fact that the bastard got away with what he did to me. I’m going to be free to attend all of the social functions I’d love to go to. But you also just gave me back a huge sense of security I hadn’t even realized I’d lost. I feel like I can trust the police again. I know that I am protected...”

“Never doubt that we are extremely grateful to you. Or think that we aren’t aware of the sacrifices you made...”

She wished Julie would just take her turn and that Colin would, too. But since they didn’t, Harris just blurted right out, “It’s fine, you two, really. Now either let it go, or I’m out of here.” Were they being friendly because they thought they owed her?

She’d gather her things and leave. She wasn’t a charity case. She didn’t need handouts. Of money or friendship. Colin had already written her a check to cover the time she’d been undercover. She’d ripped it up and thrown it back at him.

He’d had a good dose of Harris then.

Julie’s horrified expression made Chantel ashamed of herself.

“I only brought it up because I wanted to tell you that he told me about what was in that report,” Colin said, switching her attention to him. “He said he’s actually relieved to have me know, to have someone know, after keeping his secret all these years.”

“What’s in the report?” Julie asked. And then said, “Oh, wait, you can’t tell me, right? Either one of you?” She looked at Chantel. “Because you’re a cop.” And then at Colin. “And James swore you to secrecy.” She took her turn.

Colin nodded. And said to Chantel, “He said that the pressure of the false allegations from Ryder’s school was really getting to him. Because what happened in the past...was a total accident. A couple of kids playing. He’s lived not only with the guilt of that his entire life, but with the knowledge that he could hurt someone. He’s always taken such extra care to be gentle with Ryder and Leslie, and yet it seemed to be blowing up in his face, anyway...”