Perfect Fit (Serendipity's Finest 1)

Cara headed for the stairs. Pausing, she turned to her partner. “Thanks, Sam.”

“That’s what friends are for. Hey, have I told you that you look like hell?”

She frowned at him. “Gee, thanks.”

“Just calling it like I see it.” He tipped his head toward the stairs.

“I’m going.” But she paused. “Sam, have you…” She trailed off, wanting to ask how his brother was doing.

Had Sam spoken to him? Was he suffering like she was? Or had he gone back to his lifestyle, and women like Lauren, as if the interlude in Serendipity and with Cara had never happened?

“I haven’t spoken to him,” Sam said, reading her mind. Because that was what a good partner did. And really, what else would Cara possibly want to know? “He’s not answering when I call. I’m sorry.”

Cara nodded, the lump in her throat that she’d been fighting all week returning as big as ever.

“He spoke to the mayor before he left town,” Sam said, surprising her. “He laid out everything about the cold case and the money in the evidence room.”

Cara stared, stunned. She’d been so wrapped up in her personal drama, she’d completely forgotten about the case. “What did she say?”

“According to my father, because I didn’t hear it from Mike, the mayor uttered a few choice words that her voters wouldn’t be too happy to hear. Especially when she found out the extent of the people involved.”

“Is Simon in trouble?” Cara asked.

“I’ve gotta hand it to my brother. He managed to make it a burden for the mayor if she went public with the information.”

“How?”

“By reminding her that many of those who were mentioned in that black book, who’d visited the Winkler place, and who had been involved in the cover-up, were also her biggest campaign supporters,” Sam said with a grin.

Cara pulled her robe tighter, unable to hold back a smile of her own. “Brilliant.”

Sam nodded. “Added to that, the Winkler place had been shut down for years, so there was no point in bringing that up again. Everyone who was once involved appeared to be clean now, and the only person still in public offic

e was retiring.” Sam spread his hands wide. “So really, what good would it do to air the dirty laundry except to tarnish her loyal supporters?”

Cara leaned on the banister. “Case closed, huh?”

“Appears that way.”

“What about Rex?” Cara hadn’t seen him or heard about him since his near arrest. “Did he go back to Vegas?”

“He checked out of the hotel he was staying in after Mike made sure he knew his presence wouldn’t be tolerated anywhere in Serendipity.”

Cara exhaled slowly, surprised Mike had a one-on-one confrontation with his father. “At least he had closure,” she said, knowing how much Mike needed that to move forward in his life.

“Do you want some advice?” Sam asked.

Cara shrugged, knowing she couldn’t stop him. “Go for it.”

Sam met her gaze, his expression sincere and full of compassion. “Stop caring about him.”

Cara shook her head and laughed. “Do you think I haven’t tried?” she asked, storming up the stairs so she could shower. And then do her least favorite thing in the world: shopping.

Could her life get any more exciting than this?

The walls were closing in and this damned apartment didn’t feel a thing like home. Mike’s small place over Joe’s was more welcoming, and that was because he had more waiting for him when he walked outside than he had in New York City. A week had gone by and he hadn’t put out feelers at his old station or with the feds because he wasn’t ready to think about remaining in Manhattan.

But just a short week ago, he hadn’t been able to think about settling in Serendipity either. So he’d turned to his same M.O. and done what he did best.