“Harper knows this guy. Don’t make that face. He’s new in the area, a podiatrist in Harper’s clinic. A real looker.”
“I don’t need a man to make my life complete, Becca. I’m not you.”
“Ouch, and unnecessary.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s been two years, Cole. When do you move on? If you need a challenge, go back to school. With your five years of law enforcement experience, you could get into law school like that.” A snap of her fingers accompanied the thought.
“I doubt it. There’s the little thing called the LCAT.”
“Which you passed once.”
“It’s been years since I cracked a textbook.”
“Okay, not so easy—but once you graduated, you could do something important. Instead of chasing the bad guys, you could make certain they went to prison. That’s where your talents are needed, where you can make the biggest impact. D.A. Jameson. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Any Tom, Dick, or Jane with a badge and a gun can arrest perps.”
“Suspects. We call them suspects. You watch too much TV.”
“You know what I mean. You told Mom and Dad you didn’t intend to stay in law enforcement, you just needed a breather after college.”
Cole sighed. She had told them what they could handle at the time. “After I’d worked summers for the sheriff’s department between college semesters they should have guessed I was interested in law enforcement.”
“They hoped you’d be interested in law without the enforcement part.” Becca pointed the tines of her fork in the general direction of her sister’s weapon.
Cole rolled her eyes. “This is one point that we won’t agree on, okay? I love being a cop. Hugo and I do important work every day. We help people and protect people. Sure, we chase the occasional bad guy. But a month ago, we helped locate an Alzheimer’s patient who’d gotten away from her caregiver. We make a difference. Now we’re being asked to step up to something even more important.”
“Tell me more about it. Maybe you can make me believe it’s a good idea.”
Actually, what she was about to say was guaranteed to do the opposite. Time to confess. “Scott called me.”
Becca’s final forkful of salad paused halfway to her mouth. “What? When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Three weeks…” Becca stared at her so long Cole began to feel a blush creep up her neck. “Your anniversary. That’s the day he called?” Becca dropped her fork back into her plate. “What did he say?”
“He said wrong number and hung up.”
“The bastard!” Becca’s usually mellow voice lost all tone. “I can’t believe even he has the nerve…”
“Isn’t it my place to be the one upset?”
On a roll, Becca didn’t pause. “… after all you tried to do for him, defended him against the family, and his family, and everything. For him to betray…”
Her sister sputtered to a stop as Cole’s gaze narrowed. “Right. We can’t talk here.” Becca glanced around to signal for the check.
A few minutes later, they were walking toward the park where Becca had scheduled a mid-afternoon dog obedience class.
“So what, exactly, is going on? Why did you wait to tell me about Scott’s call?” Becca’s head turned back toward Cole. “DEA task force. Hah! There’s more to it than you’re telling me.”
No moss growing on her sister. “When I went in for the initial interview Scott showed up. He’s part of the team.”
“He’s what?” Becca paused momentarily on the sidewalk, uncaring that they upset the park traffic of strollers, runners, and lunch-hour walkers. “Scott calls you out of the blue and then just happens to be part of this DEA business? That’s just a little too convenient. He’s up to something. This is a trick.”
They were so in tune it was scary.
“It’s what I thought at first. But my sergeant got a visit this morning from a DEA representative. It’s been cleared through my department for me to go. I have this lunch hour to think it over and say yes or no.”
“Say no.”
“As my big sister, you’re supposed to tell me that I shouldn’t let a great job opportunity slip through my fingers just because there’s a bump in the road.”
“Bump? Scott Lucca is an axle-busting deal breaker. The last time you saw him, he was screwing another woman.”
Cole winced.
“Okay. You’re right. I’m sorry. Picking a scab.” Becca embraced her sister’s waist and leaned her head against Cole’s as they continued walking. “I saw what Scott did to you. You fell so hard, when you landed there were scarcely enough pieces left to collect to put you back together. I’ll never forgive him for that.”
“It wasn’t all Scott’s fault.”
“No. You should have known better than to get involved. He had bad-to-the-bone written all over him.”
“Then why did you point him out that night?”
“Come on, Cole. It was a game. Find a hot guy. Turn him on. Then turn him loose. You were supposed to know better than to take it seriously.”