by Joan Kilby
The truth was he didn’t relish attending the annual ceremony to honor Australian soldiers. He’d been out of the SAS for nearly a year. His injuries from the suicide bomb explosion that sent him home had healed. A reunion would mean an inevitable swapping of stories, reminiscing about the dangerous and difficult tour of duty in Kabul. Maybe one day he’d be open to that, but right now he wanted to forget, to enjoy his new life.
“So are you coming?” Gazza said. “The guys are all going to be there.” He paused briefly and his voice went quiet. “We’re worried about you, dude. After the bomb explosion you disappeared—didn’t answer anyone’s emails or phone calls.”
“I’m fine.” Riley didn’t need to force the note of contentment. “Don’t worry about me. I’m healthy, happy. Glad to be back here among friends and family. Got a great job. I’m living the dream.”
“Cool.” Gazza sounded doubtful. “But if you ever want to talk about stuff, I’m here. Kabul, the explosion, it’s a lot to process by yourself.”
“To be honest, I don’t remember much about that so it doesn’t worry me—”
The door to the locker room opened. Delinsky, Crucek, and Riley’s partner, Jackson arrived. Lockers clanged. Laughter and boisterous talk rang out.
“Gaz, I’m going to have to call you back sometime. Shift is starting.”
“Okay. But you think about ANZAC Day.”
“Sure.” Riley said goodbye and hung up. He turned his phone off and put it away. Then he strapped on his vest, adjusting it so the weight settled evenly over his torso.
“You’re always here first, Henning. Did you even go home last night?” Jackson, his partner, said good-naturedly. “What do you do with your time?”
Jackson was forty-three-years old and comfortably married with the beginnings of a paunch and a receding hairline. No doubt he spent his evenings happily watching TV with his family.
“I did some target practice at the shooting range last night, if you really want to know.” Riley closed his locker and spun the combination lock. “This morning I got up at six and went for a run. Early bird gets the perp. Anything else?”
“Guys, I’m starting a football pool.” Crucek straddled the bench with a clipboard in hand. With his large nose, carroty hair and mottled complexion, he was no male model. “Who’s in?”
“Put me down,” Riley said.
“Me, too.” Delinsky, who had blond good looks and a buff body Jackson and Crucek could only envy, was stripped down to his boxers. “The new cop starts today. I saw her in John’s office as I came in.”
“I wonder which of us lucky stiffs will get her as partner.” Jackson pulled on a starched navy short-sleeve police shirt.
“Better not be me,” Riley said. “I hear she’s trouble.”
Rumors had been flying about this woman for weeks that she was bent. Until her fall from grace seven years ago she’d been a hotshot detective at the Melbourne Police Department. Her infraction, related to her final investigation, a covert drug bust, was apparently so serious it was never made public. No one knew exactly what she’d done but they all agreed it had to be bad.
“I’ll take her.” Delinsky combed his hair in front of the mirror. “She’s a babe. You should see her ass.”
The door opened and Senior Sergeant John Forster entered. “Delinsky, I hope you weren’t referring to our new recruit in such crass manner. These walls aren’t soundproof.”
John Forster was tall, with a swimmer’s shoulders and sun-streaked blond air. He might look like a surfer dude but he commanded the men’s respect.
Delinsky wiped the leer off his face. “No, boss.”
“Listen up, men.” John looked to each in turn.
Jackson hastily tucked in his shirt. Crucek rose from the bench and put his clipboard with the footy pool in his locker. Even Riley, who’d been best mates with John since high school, came to attention.
“I want to go over the new roster,” John said. “Jackson, from today you’re partnered with Crucek. Delinsky, Stan Grant is switching from night shift to partner you. You boys okay with that?”
The men exchanged glances then nodded. But Riley knew no one liked a shake-up, least of all him. He was a little pissed, to tell the truth. Over the past six months he’d gotten to know Jackson, liked and respected him. He’d expected they’d be partners for a good long time. Now the stability and continuity he craved since getting out of the army had been ripped away.
John turned to Riley. “Come with me. I’ll introduce you to your new partner, Paula Drummond.”
A chorus of whoops and jeers from all but Riley met this news. John cleared his throat pointedly and the noise died down. “Dismissed.”
The men went about the business of getting ready to go on duty. Riley followed John out to the bull pen, an open area of desks, computers, photocopiers and filing cabinets. Over in Dispatch, red-haired Patty answered the telephone with her distinctive Irish lilt. A couple of admin staff were talking by the copier.
“Why me?” Riley asked as he and John wove through the desks to John’s office on the far side of the bull pen. “I’m the new guy on the block.”
“Our new recruit has had a rough road over the past seven years,” John said. “She’s had trouble fitting in. I picked you because you get along well with people. I want you to turn on the charm. Make her feel welcome.”
Riley was tempted to play the friendship card and ask to stay with Jackson. But he’d been trained to follow orders, to put on his soldier face and say yes, boss. Still, he couldn’t resist a dig. “So this is my reward for being Mr. Nice Guy? Thanks, mate.”
John glanced around to make sure they weren’t being overheard. No one was paying attention. “I also want you to keep an eye on her. This is strictly off the record. I know I can trust you to be discreet.”
Riley considered that. John trusted him with extra responsibility—good. But having to watch another cop for wrong-doing? Bad. Who wanted a partner who wasn’t straight up? “Are you afraid that whatever she did, she’ll do again?”
“I’m not going to prejudge her. But I have the integrity of this station to consider. My attitude is welcoming but cautious.”
“What’s the deal with her anyway? What kind of wrong turn did she take?” Riley didn’t have a lot of time for people who screwed up professionally. In the army, if you screwed up, people could die.
“I wasn’t given the details. She doesn’t talk about her past. She’s a single mum with a young son who wants to start fresh. We’re going to give her a fair go. You probably won’t be with her for long. She applied for detective and sat the exams at her last station. Most likely she’ll get the promotion and be out of your hair in a few weeks. Okay?”
“Who’s in charge, her or me?” Going from leading a platoon to being a beat cop meant Riley had taken a step down, career-wise. For the moment he was okay with that but he liked to know where he stood.
“She’s got years more experience. But you’ve been with the department longer.” John mulled it over. “Let’s just say you’re equal partners.”
“Suits me.”
Riley passed young rookie Simon Peterson seated at a computer laboriously typing out a report, and gave him a commiserating grin. The endless paperwork of police work was annoying. But the Summerside force was a good place—too small for corruption to flourish the way it did in some of the big city stations. Riley felt at home here. And he liked working with a small team of dedicated people who
believed in what they were doing.
Which begged the question, how was he going to believe in what he was doing partnered with a cop who might not be trustworthy? He and this woman were supposed to be equal and yet he was being asked to keep an eye on her. How did he do that and still develop the bond of trust he needed to do his job?
The more he thought about it, the more distasteful he found his situation. He didn’t blame John, who was only trying to do what was best for the station. No, it was Paula Drummond who had gotten herself in trouble. There was no smoke without a fire, as the saying went. And now he had to compromise his integrity for her.
Inside John’s office, a woman in uniform stood with her back to them, gazing through the partially open blinds at the main street of the village. She was tall and athletic-looking with her blonde hair pinned tightly back. Her stance appeared casual but for the rigid set of her shoulders and her white-knuckled grip on the window ledge.
Outside, the morning rush hour was in full swing. Riley guessed there must be, oh, four or five cars backed up at the town’s only set of traffic lights. It was a typical morning in late summer—shoppers going about their business, newly-liberated mums having coffee in the sidewalk cafés, seniors gossiping on the wrought-iron benches beneath shady trees. Nothing Riley could see that would cause the new recruit to be so tense.
Hearing their footsteps she turned. She had blue eyes with enough crinkle at the corners to suggest she’d seen everything yet still found humor in life, an assertive nose and full lips lightly glossed. Riley schooled himself not to react. Delinsky was right. She was hot. Put a dress on her, let her hair down, and she’d be right…kissable. Not that he’d ever get busy with a coworker. He happened to agree with the unspoken rule that cops didn’t screw their partners—in any sense of the word.
John made the introductions. A phone call interrupted and he excused himself to take it. His murmured conversation faded into the background.
Riley nodded to Paula, extending his hand. “G’day.”
Her gaze took in the rank on his uniform. “A rookie. Excellent.” Not, her blue eyes added silently. Her firm grasp brought a jolt of awareness, a primal zing of flesh on flesh he wasn’t expecting.
“An ex-detective,” he replied with subtle emphasis. He squeezed hard, feeling the softness of the skin on the backs of her fingers. “I’m sure you can teach me a lot.”
Riley had never gotten into a pissing contest with a woman before, especially not a woman this attractive. It kind of threw him. Those eyes that had his stomach in free fall contrasted oddly with a bone-crushing handshake. They were still eyeing each other warily when John finished his call.
“All acquainted?” John walked around his desk and headed for the door. “Let’s introduce Paula to the gang.”
“After you.” Riley gestured to Paula. Despite his good intentions his gaze dropped to the trim round butt encased in snug navy trousers. Again, Delinsky was right. She had a great ass.
Eyes front, solider. Paula Drummond would probably pull out her gun and shoot him if he made a pass.
John summoned Delinsky, Jackson, Crucek and Grant who were hanging around the coffee machine, waiting to go out on patrol. The guys checked her out covertly while they said all the nice things, like welcome and glad to have you aboard.
“Delinsky and Grant, follow up the liquor-store break-in,” John said, moving on to the morning debrief. “Jackson and Crucek, you’re liaising with Frankston P.D. on the new drug task force. Detectives Leonard and Cadley will meet with you at ten o’clock. Drummond and Henning, you’re on traffic patrol.”
The crew began to disperse.
“Excuse me, boss,” Paula said. “I’ve had extensive experience in large-scale covert drug investigations.”
“I’m aware of that, Constable,” John said evenly. “The bend on the highway after you exit the village is a good spot to set up the radar.”
Paula’s wide mouth tightened. “I only meant, if the team wanted to make use of my expertise—”
“Thanks, we’ll keep that in mind.” John nodded a dismissal and went to his office.
At the counter in Dispatch, Riley signed out a patrol car. Patty picked the keys off the Peg-Board and tossed them in Riley and Paula’s general direction. Riley raised his hand to catch them. Paula snatched them out of the air.
“So, it’s going to be like that, is it?” Riley said, teasing.
“Like what?” She gave him a blank stare.
Hadn’t even been aware she was taking control. Okay, he could be magnanimous. “You can drive.”
* * *
PAULA PROPPED AN ELBOW on the car window ledge and stared at the highway. They were parked behind a large ti tree, radar gun mounted on the dash. Nearly two hours had passed without them collaring a single speeder. During that time her partner had chatted endlessly, trying to draw her out. Normally she wouldn’t be quite so uncommunicative. After all she had to work with this guy and she couldn’t afford to put anyone off—but she couldn’t stop thinking about Nick Moresco’s phone call.
Just to know you are there. What had he meant by that? Was he planning something? Did he know about Jamie? She hadn’t been showing when she’d given evidence at the hearing and by the time the case had gone to trial she’d given birth. But Nick had spies everywhere. It gave her shivers to think he might know where she lived, where Jamie went to school…
“How long have you lived in Summerside?” Riley passed her the thermos of coffee they’d filled at a local café.
“Sorry? Oh, less than a month.” She dug out her cup wedged next to her on the seat and filled it.
“You’re going to love it here. John said you had a kid. Boy or girl?”
“Boy.”
Riley crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back. “Summerside is a terrific place to raise children. Parks, the beach, trails through the bush…loads of places for your son to explore.”
Isolated areas where a small boy on his own could be snatched. “You don’t have children, do you?”
“Me? Nah. I’d like to someday,” Riley said. “I’ve been too busy till now but I’m ready to settle down. I’m moving into my childhood home this weekend now that my father and stepmother bought a unit close to the village. They haven’t done much to the old place over the years so I’m planning to renovate…”
Paula tuned out. He was probably trying to put her at ease but the constant stream of words was making her more uptight. What was she going to do about Nick? There was nothing she could do until he made another move.
If he made another move.
Riley had stopped talking. He seemed to be waiting for a response from her.
“Sorry, I missed that last bit.”
“You’re not one for chitchat, are you?”
“I’m worried about my son,” she admitted guardedly. “It’s his first day of school.”
“How old is he? My sister Katie teaches at the primary school.”
“He’s in grade one.” She’d met Jamie’s teacher briefly. Now that she knew Katie Henning and Riley were related she swiveled to study him more closely, noting his dark hair, dark eyes and rugged features. Her gaze lingered a moment on his sensual mouth. Something tugged deep inside, desires half-forgotten, wishes unfulfilled. Nope, not going there. “I can see a family resemblance. Your sister, huh?”
“There, you see? I knew we could find something in common.” Riley leaned against his door, as if
settling in for a long chat. “What’s your son’s name?”
“Jamie.” She lifted the cup to her mouth, conscious a second later she was exposing her bare ring finger. Sure enough, Riley had noticed—and quickly looked away. For crying out loud, it was the twenty-first century. If there was one thing in her life she wasn’t ashamed of, it was giving birth to her son. “I’ve never been married.” She hoped her cool tone would deter further questions.
Riley’s hand shot up. “Hey, it’s none of my business. Live and let live.”
“You’re older than most rookies,” Paula said, turning the conversation away from herself. “What did you do before you joined the police force?”
“I was a bouncer at a nightclub in Frankston.”
“A bouncer,” she repeated dubiously. Riley was tall and strongly built, in his mid- to late-thirties. His skin had the deeply tanned look of someone who’d spent a lot of time outdoors. Bouncers usually looked pasty, as though they’d crawled out from a cave. She doubted he’d worked nights long term. “Before that?”
He faced forward again, turning his gaze away from her. “Special Air Services Regiment.”
Her eyebrows rose. Impressive. “Were you deployed overseas?”
“I was in Kabul.” It might have been a trick of the dappled light flickering through the ti tree, but a shadow seemed to cross over Riley’s face.
Before she could ask another question, he smiled easily. “So, what sports do you like?”
Maybe they did have something in common. He didn’t like to talk about his past, either.
“I used to play basketball—”
A school bell chimed in the distance. She glanced at her watch. Lunch hour was over. She imagined the kids filing into class. Had Jamie made any friends? Had he eaten the sandwich she’d packed for him?
What if Nick showed up at the school?
Paula shifted restlessly. “I don’t know how much more of this thrilling police work I can handle.” She fiddled with the radar gun settings. “Is this thing even working?”