“Snitches get stitches,” he said with a shake of his head, “besides, your mom’s green beans were good. And you would’ve slashed the tires on my bike if I’d told.”
“I was savage, I know,” I said with a smile, but I shifted gears. “But I’m not here to capitalize on the relationship between our families. I want to interview for Ray Shaw’s old position. I have my degree in criminal justice, was top of my class at the academy, and in my four years in Charleston I earned two promotions and several commendations from the mayor. You’ll find all of it here.” I slid my resume to him.
He glanced at it. “I know your impressive qualifications, Laura,” he said. “What I’m concerned about is employee retention.”
“You think I’m going to quit?”
“I don’t know how firm your plans are going forward.”
“I plan to remain in Rockford Falls permanently,” I said. I wasn’t sure I’d said that aloud yet, even to myself, but I knew it was true, like steel in my spine. “Working in the city was a great experience, and I liked it a lot. But it feels right to be home. I missed my family. I’m here because I want to be.”
“I’m not questioning your plans because you’re a woman. I’m questioning them because your dad is sick,” he said.
“You’re asking me if I’m going back to Charleston if my dad doesn’t make it,” I said, the breath whooshing out of me. “The answer is no. I’ve come back home. And I’m a cop. The same way my dad and Damon knew they were firefighters. It’s who I am, and this is an ideal fit for me. It’s home, and I’m invested in this community. I know you have to be looking for a hometown boy to fill the spot Ray’s leaving. So here I am. I’m not a boy, but my roots are in Rockford Falls, no question.”
“I’m not looking for a man specifically. I’m looking for an officer who can deal with everything from shoplifting and property disputes to domestic disturbances without shooting someone in the process.”
“My marksmanship is excellent, but I’m trained in de-escalation techniques for high stress situations, and I’ve had trauma training as well. I don’t spook easily just because some pissed off, drunk husband doesn’t want me on the scene. I’m not going to discharge my weapon needlessly. My record speaks for itself,” I said.
My voice sliding into the detached, matter-of-fact tone I used in my line of work. All traces of warmth had drained from his face, and he had—intentionally or not—let me know that the hiring process wasn’t an easy one for him. It was up to me to convince him that I was the answer to that problem.
“I’ve also found,” I said, my voice softening a little, “that as a woman in a man’s job, men on the force, especially older ones, tend to be easy to deal with for me. They think of me as a daughter or something maybe. Anyway, I had three different partners on the force in Charleston—one of whom landed on desk duty after a traffic stop turned into a shootout—and never had trouble getting along with any of them.”
“Obviously you were good at your job. Your chief sent me an email when I inquired yesterday. It sounded like he’d lost his star, like everyone was heartbroken and everything might go to pieces without you there. He actually mentioned how well you got along with the other officers, how you had a way with messed up kids that they picked up all the time for the same offenses. It was a pretty glowing recommendation.”
“That’s good to hear. Jim was a great boss and a dear friend.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I have to accept a character reference from your old boss, and go on what Damon’s told me, I reckon. The fact is, I wonder what happened to your smart mouth. You always had the comebacks, the—if you’ll excuse the language—shit-talking.”
I laughed, “Oh, that’s still me. But I can maintain professional boundaries, and while I joke around with the people I work with, I wouldn’t show disrespect to you or anyone else in a position of authority.”
“Laura—”
“Yes?” I said, lifting an eyebrow. Something in how he looked at me made my whole body go warm, my skin feeling hot and a restless.
“It’s not as much money as you made in the city,” he said.
I wanted to do a victory dance, because I knew that meant I was hired.
“It’s less expensive to live here. Did you know bacon is only five bucks here?”
“Yes, I did. But I didn’t think your daddy could eat those things.”
“He can’t. I didn’t buy any, I just looked at it longingly,” I shrugged. “And if you have a problem with my attitude, all you have to do is say something. We’re adults. I wouldn’t be much of a cop if I couldn’t handle correction from my chief.”