“In two weeks, we’ll be on our honeymoon.”
“Exactly. So I have to drive to Brunswick, play basketball while discussing the case, and try to get back here before my shift. If I’m late again, Abby and Seth will never let me forget it.” Abby and Seth. Pete let what was left of his slice drop back into the box. “Dammit.”
Zoe looked at him, puzzled. “Something wrong with the pizza?”
“I was supposed to call Abby.”
“Why?”
“Trouble in paradise.” When Zoe gave him a blank stare, he explained about his junior officer’s request.
Zoe remained silent after he’d finished relaying what his secretary had told him. Finally, she asked, “What are you going to do?”
“Talk to Abby.”
“And say what?”
“I figure I’ll start with ‘hello’ and go from there.”
Zoe rolled her eyes at him. “Men are so clueless.”
“I would take offense at that if it wasn’t so true.”
“Let me talk to her. It’s easier to discuss relationship problems with another woman. One who isn’t her boss.”
He leaned over and kissed Zoe’s forehead. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
“No, I don’t believe you have.”
Pete picked up his half-eaten slice of pizza. “I just did.”
“You’re such a romantic. Another reason I should be the one to talk to Abby.”
Time to change the subject. “I stopped at the garage today and talked to Melvin. Your truck should be ready by tomorrow evening.”
Zoe shoved the last of her slice into her mouth rather than respond. Her over-twenty-year-old Chevy Silverado had been a bone of contention between them for years. He’d been after her to sell it and buy something more reliable. She argued she needed it for the farm. Lately, the old beast spent most of its time at Bud Kramer’s Garage. Wiring, rotted gas lines, and now, problems with the transfer case.
Pete looked around at the mountains of boxes. “Since we’ll have your truck back on the road, is there any chance you can ask your brother if he’d like to drive down from Erie to help us move this weekend?”
She didn’t lift her gaze from her pizza. “I’ll call him.”
“Don’t pressure him. He offered. But if he can’t or doesn’t want to, we’ll still have plenty of manpower.”
Zoe’s half-brother had issues with law enforcement. Understandable considering his son—Zoe’s nephew—was currently sitting in the Monongahela County Jail awaiting trial on a number of charges. Parents always wanted to believe their kids were misunderstood angels. At least Scott was making the effort to accept having a cop as a brother-in-law.
Seven
Zoe shivered in the pre-dawn chill at the locked front door of the Police Department and pressed the buzzer. Nancy wouldn’t be in to man the front desk for another hour, but the Vance Township cruiser parked in the lot told Zoe the graveyard shift officers were inside working on their end-of-shift reports.
The lock clicked and the vertical blinds blocking Zoe’s view swayed as Abby pushed open the door. Dark circles shadowed her tired, but concerned, eyes.
“Zoe? Is everything okay?” Abby glanced over Zoe’s shoulder. “Is the Chief all right?”
“He’s fine. He’s in Brunswick playing basketball with an old friend.” Zoe stepped inside. “I wanted to catch you before he gets here.” She looked down the hallway toward the bullpen. Lights shined from the rear of the building but no sign of Seth. “Can we talk for a few minutes? Just us?”
“Sure.” Abby led the way to the conference room and flipped the light switch.
Once they were both seated at the long table, Zoe swiveled her chair to face the young officer. “How’s it going?” She kept her tone light in case the “issues” had already been resolved.
Abby lowered her eyes, indicating such was not the case. “Great,” she said flatly. “Just great.”
Zoe studied her. “I heard you wanted to change your shift.”
“Did the chief send you to talk me out of it?”
“I offered to talk to you, but not to talk you out of anything.” Zoe gave her an understanding smile. “What’s going on?”
Abby picked up a pen from the table. “I’ve always known getting emotionally involved with a coworker is a bad idea.”
“Because if things go south, you’re still stuck with them.”
“Or you have to quit a job you love to get away from them.”
Abby’s threat startled Zoe. “You’re thinking of quitting?”
“No. Maybe.” Abby examined the pen as if it held all of life’s answers before once again looking at Zoe. “No. I just need a different shift. I’m ready to go out alone without a partner babysitting me.”
Zoe opened her mouth but didn’t verbalize the thoughts tumbling through her head. She liked and trusted Abby and knew Pete did too. He hadn’t partnered her with Seth because he felt she needed a babysitter. Abby might be young, but she had a good head on her shoulders. And growing up with a goofball like Wayne for a brother, she was quite capable of taking care of herself. “Pete knows that. And he doesn’t want to lose you. If a different shift is what you need, I’m sure that’s what you’ll get.”
Some of the tension drained from Abby’s face. “Good.”
“Between us girls though, what happened? I thought you and Seth were such a great couple. And I don’t mean on duty.”
Abby’s jaw tightened again. “I thought so too. Apparently, he needs more space than he’s been getting.”
Zoe tried a smile. “Too much of a good thing?”
It didn’t work. “Just ‘too much.’”
“Oh.” Maybe Pete needed to have a man-to-man talk with Seth. “Guys can be such…men,” Zoe said.
This brought a laugh, although it sounded more like a sob. Abby shook her head. “Ain’t that the truth.”
Footsteps in the hall silenced them. Abby wiped a sleeve across her eyes before Seth appeared in the doorway. “There you are.” His voice held an edge until he spotted Zoe. “Oh. Hi. Is the Chief here?”
“Nope. He’s in Brunswick meeting with a friend of his from the FBI. I stopped in to let you know he might be a few minutes late.” The partial lie
