Fatal Series 01 - Fatal Affair

them.
    “Sergeant,” Stahl said. “I’d like an explanation for what you were doing at the home of a material witness—overnight.”
    “Yes, sir, Lieutenant, I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”
    “How about we add a rap for insubordination to your growing list of problems?” Stahl retorted.
    “Lieutenant,” Captain Malone said, the warning clear in his tone. To Sam, he said, “Your injuries were minor?”
    “Yes, sir. Bump on the head, bruised sternum.”
    “And your companion?”
    Sam gave him a rundown of Nick’s injuries. “Was anyone else hurt?”
    “No. The street was deserted. Luckily, it was a weekend.”
    Yes, luckily , Sam thought, feeling a tremble ripple through her as she realized how truly lucky she—and Nick—had been. “Has Explosives gotten anything on the car?”
    “They’re there now. Our people are bumping heads with Arlington. The chief was on the phone with their chief asking for some latitude when I left.”
    “I’m sorry to have caused all this trouble, sir.”
    “You start down that path, you’re gonna piss me off.”
    “What were you doing with Cappuano?” Stahl asked.
    This time, Malone didn’t bail her out. Rather, he watched her with wise gray eyes that she knew from experience didn’t miss a thing.
    “We’re friends,” she said haltingly. “We met at a party six years ago. I hadn’t seen him again until the, ah, until the senator was murdered. Cappuano has been cleared of any involvement and has been a tremendous asset to the investigation in a civilian capacity. Sir.”
    “I’m taking you off the O’Connor case, effective immediately,” Stahl said, puffed up with his own importance.
    “But—”
    “Not so fast, Lieutenant,” Captain Malone said.
    “This is my call, Captain,” Stahl huffed. “She’s my detective.”
    “And I’m your captain.” Malone dismissed Stahl by turning his back to him.
    The foul look Stahl directed at Sam would have reduced a lesser woman to tears. Fortunately, Sam wasn’t a lesser woman. She directed all her attention and focus on the much more rational captain.
    “Sergeant, I’m disappointed in the judgment you’ve exhibited by getting involved with a witness,” Malone said.
    “Exactly—” Stahl sputtered.
    “Lieutenant!” the captain roared. “Get back to your squad.” When Stahl didn’t budge, Malone added a fierce, “Now.”
    With one last hateful glance at Sam, Stahl stalked out of the emergency room.
    “As I was saying,” Malone continued, “you’ve shown poor judgment with this involvement, but in the more than twelve years you’ve been under my command, I’ve never once had reason to question your judgment. I know you, Holland. I know how you think, how you operate and have had many an occasion over the years to appreciate your high ethical standards. So, the way I see it, the only way you hook up with a witness in the midst of the most important case of your career is if it’s serious.”
    Sam might’ve swallowed her tongue—if she could’ve opened her mouth. “Sir?” she squeaked.
    “Are you in love with this guy? Cappuano?”
    “I…ah…I…”
    “It’s a simple yes or no question, Sergeant.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I’m not in love with him,” Sam sputtered, but the words rang hollow, even to her. Apparently, they did to him, too.
    Looking satisfied, he studied her again, long and hard. “I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt. I’m going to assume you’ve done nothing to compromise this investigation, that when you say Cappuano has been invaluable to you, you’re being completely aboveboard with me.”
    “I am, sir.”
    “In that case, for now you’re to have no comment to the press about your relationship with him. We’ll let the media folks spin it. I’ll take care of that.” He sat and gestured for her to take the chair next to him. “As for the bombing—”
    “If you take me off O’Connor, you’re going to have to take my badge, too.”
    “Sergeant, there’s no need for ultimatums. You’ve been through a traumatic thing.”
    “Yes, I have, and by tomorrow morning, everyone in the city will know who I’m sleeping with. They’ll know Destiny Johnson meant it when she said she’d get even with me for what happened to her kid. They’ll know I’m no closer to a suspect in the O’Connor case today than I was the day it happened. They’ll know all that, and then they’ll hear that my own command didn’t have enough