by Marie Force
She gave him her best “yeah right” look. Did he actually think any cop saw him voluntarily?
“You know what I mean. This process is on your schedule. When you’re ready, make an appointment. I’m here for you whenever you need me.”
With the lure of freedom in her reach, Sam began to stand.
“Before you go, though…”
Foiled, she sagged back into the uncomfortable hardback chair.
“I want to say one thing.” Tucci cleared his throat and seemed to force himself to look at her. What was that about? “I read the report on what happened that day at the Springers’ house, and I just want to say… I’ve been doing this for a long time, and what happened to you… Well, it was bad, Sam. Really bad. And there’s no shame in admitting that you’re traumatized by it, that maybe you’ve lost your taste for the job, that—”
“No,” she said, leaping to her feet. “Whatever you’re going to say, just save it. I’m fine. I haven’t lost my taste for anything except for this meeting. Some people don’t feel the need to air out all their shit in some touchy-feely room where it’s supposedly safe to spill their guts. We aren’t safe anywhere. That’s the lesson learned here.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” he said with a small, satisfied grin that infuriated her. “Call me when you’re ready to talk about why you don’t feel safe anywhere.”
Pissed with herself and with him, Sam stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her. She was on her way to a clean escape when Captain Malone waylaid her, taking her by the arm and escorting her into his office where she shook him off. “You need a refresher in sensitivity training if you think you can manhandle your female officers that way.”
“So report me.”
“What do you want?”
“Nice to see you, too, Lieutenant. We’ve missed your charming self around here.”
Sam rolled her eyes. Charming. Whatever. “Is there something you need?”
“Have a seat.”
“I prefer to stand.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
Since he so rarely pulled rank on her, she dropped into the chair he pointed to and crossed her arms again, keeping with the mulish theme of the day.
“How’ve you been?”
“Great. You?”
“I’m down one of my best officers, so things have been a little hectic, especially since someone is going around killing people with a hunting knife. But we’re coping.”
She refused to feel guilty about sitting this one out. Her team was highly trained, and they’d figure it out. They always did. “Glad to hear it.”
“How’s it going with Tucci?”
“You’re not allowed to ask me that.”
“Add it to the report you’re going to submit on my bad behavior.”
“I have been attending the appointments as required. Would you like me to tell you what we talk about in there? It would only take a minute. Probably less than a minute.”
Malone sat back in his chair, exhaling loudly. “So you’re not cooperating.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Don’t you want to get back to work?”
Sam shrugged. “I’m kinda enjoying the time off. I like taking my kid to school, even if the Secret Service has to butt into our time together, and taking my dad to his appointments and hanging out with my husband and cleaning my house.”
Malone sat up straight, his eyes wide with alarm. “You’re cleaning your house? What the hell is wrong with you, Holland? You’d rather be cleaning your house than chasing down murderers? Things are worse than we thought.”
“We? Who’s we?”
“All of us! We’re wondering what the hell is going on with you and why you don’t seem to have any desire to come back to work. Every other time something crazy has happened, we’ve had to practically lock you to your sofa. But not this time. This time something’s different.”
Sam made a conscious effort not to squirm as he stared her down, looking for answers she simply didn’t have. She didn’t know why she had no desire to go back to work. She didn’t know why she felt dead inside or why she wondered if she would ever again be able to trust her own judgment when it had failed her so dramatically. She didn’t have the answers they all wanted so badly, and until she did, they weren’t going to let her come back. So she’d decided to enjoy the unexpected time off. What else could she do?
“Sam, this is me.” He’d been her mentor and friend since the day she made detective. “Talk to me, will you? Tell me what you’re thinking.”
His concern touched off another wave of guilt at knowing she had caused him—and others—such dismay.
When she remained silent, he said, “I want you to know… We… all of us, from the chief on down, we failed you in this situation with Stahl. It never occurred to us that he would take it as far as he did, and that’s on us.”
Sam rose to her feet. “I gotta go, Cap. It was good to see you.”
“Sam, wait.”
Before he could make it around his desk, she was out the door and headed for the morgue and the closest exit. She burst into the frigid January day and took deep breaths of the cold air. Her eyes darted around the parking lot, on the lookout for enemies. After fourteen years on the job, she’d made more than her share of them. Now she knew they weren’t afraid to come after her, to try to take everything from her. She’d learned to be wary and more afraid than she’d ever been before.
When Nick accepted the president’s offer to become his new vice president, he’d declined Secret Service protection for her so she could continue to do the job she loved. That she was actually thinking about requesting a detail was indicative of how screwed up everything had gotten since Stahl attacked her.
She got into her car and drove home, the one place she felt safe these days, surrounded as they were by Nick’s detail and Scotty’s. The house was like a fortress, and she liked it that way. No one could get to her there.
Preorder Fatal Frenzy, out September 15, 2015, now!
Other Books by Marie Force
Romantic Suspense Novels Available from Marie Force
The Fatal Series
One Night With You, A Fatal Series Prequel Novella
Book 1: Fatal Affair
Book 2: Fatal Justice
Book 3: Fatal Consequences
Book 3.5: Fatal Destiny
the Wedding Novella
Book 4: Fatal Flaw
Book 5: Fatal Deception
Book 6: Fatal Mistake
Book 7: Fatal Jeopardy
Book 8: Fatal Scandal
Book 9: Fatal Frenzy (September 15, 2015)
Single Title
The Wreck
Books from M. S. Force
The Erotic Quantum Trilogy
Book 1: Virtuous
Book 2: Valorous
Book 3: Victorious
Contemporary Romances Available from Marie Force
The Gansett Island Series
McCarthys of Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 1-3
McCarthys of Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 4-6
Book 1: Maid for Love
Book 2: Fool for Love
Book 3: Ready for Love
Book 4: Falling for Love
Book 5: Hoping for Love
Book 6: Season for Love
Book 7: Longing for Love
Book 8: Waiting for Love
Book 9: Time for Love
Book 10: Meant for Love
Book 10.5: Chance for Love
A Gansett Island Novella
Book 11: Gansett After Dark
Book 12: Kisses After Dark
The Treading Water Series
Treading Water Boxed Set
Book 1: Treading Water
Book 2: Marking Time
Book 3: Starting Over
Book 4: Coming Home
The Green Mountain Series
Book 1: All You Need Is Love
Book 2: I Want to Hold Your Hand
Book 3: I Saw Her Standing There
Book 4: And I Love Her
Novella: You'll Be Mine in the Ask Me Why Anthology (July 7, 2015)
Book 5: It's Only Love (November 3, 2015)
Single Titles
The Single Titles Boxed Set
Georgia on My Mind
True North
The Fall
Everyone Loves a Hero
Love at First Flight
Line of Scrimmage
About the Author
With more than 4 million books sold, Marie Force is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 contemporary romances. Her New York Times bestselling self-published Gansett Island Series has sold 2 million e-books since Maid for Love was released in 2011. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling Fatal Series from Harlequin’s Carina Press, as well as the New York Times bestselling Green Mountain Series from Berkley Sensation, among other books and series. Marie’s new erotic Quantum Trilogy was released under the name of M.S. Force in April 2015, and all three books were New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. The trilogy is now set to become a series.
While her husband was in the Navy, Marie lived in Spain, Maryland and Florida, and she is now settled in her home state of Rhode Island. She is the mother of two teenagers and two feisty dogs, Brandy and Louie.
Join Marie's mailing list for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Twitter @marieforce and on Facebook. Join one of Marie's many reader groups. Contact Marie at [email protected].
Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Excerpt from Fatal Frenzy
Other Books by Marie Force
About the Author
