Fatal Reckoning (Fatal #14)(31)
She was about to get up to find Captain Malone when he appeared in her doorway. “What’re you doing here?” he asked.
“Last I checked, I work here.”
“You don’t need to be here today, Sam.”
“Yes, I do. I want to see what’s come into the tip line since Sunday.”
He eyed her warily. “We’ve assigned people to that.”
“You’re assigning my people, not just any people.”
“Sam…”
She held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t. Please don’t. You told me the other day to tell you what I need. I need this. I need to do something to make this right for him. Please don’t put up obstacles that don’t need to be there.”
They held each other’s gaze for a tense moment before he blinked and looked away. “I’ll get you a report.”
She pointed to the items he’d brought with him. “What’s all that?”
He placed two huge stacks of cards on her desk. “Condolences the department has received since your dad passed. We thought you’d like to see them.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re inundated with media wanting interviews with you.”
Sam shook her head. “I don’t have anything more to say.”
“They want to know how you are, Sam. People care. Can you give them five minutes?”
Though it was the last thing she wanted to do, she sighed in defeat. “Fine. Whatever.”
“I checked out your father’s files from Records and everything is in my office.”
“I’ll send someone over to get it.”
“You’re sure about this?”
“Never been surer about anything in my life.”
He continued to stare at her for a long time before he nodded. “Okay. We’ll do it your way, but I want to be involved as the official lead on this so there can never be any claims of conflict of interest or anything else that messes up the case.”
“I can live with that.”
Freddie came to the door. “Morning.”
Malone seemed surprised to see him. “What’re you doing here? You’re off until Monday.”
“I cut my vacation short. We’ve got things to do.”
Freddie’s fierceness matched Sam’s. He’d loved her father and would do anything he could to support her in this next phase of the journey to find the shooter.
He glanced at her. “What can I do?”
“Bring my father’s files from the captain’s office to the conference room?”
“On it.”
After Freddie had walked away, the captain seemed reluctant to leave. “I’m worried about you. We all are.”
“I’m okay.”
“That’s what worries me.”
“You’re worried because I’m okay?”
“I’m worried because I’m well aware that losing Skip is a big fucking deal to you, and you’ve been all calm, cool composure when I’d expect you to be a hot mess.”
Sam considered his words for a moment. “Maybe I’ll be a hot mess at some point in the future, but for right now, I’m trying to stay focused on justice for my dad and our family. That’s getting me through, as well as the thought of him being free from the difficulties of the last four years.”
Malone sagged against the door frame. “I give you credit. You’re handling this a lot better than I am. I’m just so fucking enraged.”
“As am I, Captain, despite how it might appear. We need to ride that rage straight to a suspect. If we can find the person who did this, then maybe we can find some peace for ourselves at the same time.”
He stood to his full, imposing height. “I’ll get you the info from the tip line.”
“Thank you for everything. You were a great friend to him.”
“He was a great friend to me, and we’re going to get this motherfucker if it’s the last thing we ever do.”
With a lump lodged firmly in her throat, Sam offered a small nod.
“Will you do one thing for me? Will you check in with Trulo?”
She rolled her eyes. “If I must.”
“The situation with Gonzales has me realizing we need to do better when it comes to PTSD and the other mental health concerns that go along with this job.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“All right, then. Carry on and keep me posted.”
“Will do.”
She decided to get the press briefing out of the way first so she could get on with the rest of her day. Though it went against everything she believed in to willingly address the media, she’d agreed to give them five minutes, and she would keep her promise. Steeling herself and buttoning down her emotions, she walked from the pit to the lobby, where she encountered the chief conferring with Malone.
What were the odds they were talking about her? High.
Seeing her coming, Chief Farnsworth waved her over. “The captain tells me you’re going to give the media a few minutes. I’ll go out with you.”
“Appreciate that, sir.”
“Shut it down if you need to. That’s an order.”
“I will. Let’s get this over with.”