Protecting Her Son. Joan Kilby

He opened his office door and flung his bag in the corner. “What can I do for you?”

      “I wondered if you’ve heard anything from District Headquarters about my application to detective.”

      It was too early to be asking about a promotion but chances were Moresco would revert to his old ways. She didn’t know if she’d be allowed to work on any case that involved him but if she was, she wanted to be ready. This time she would take him down for good. She couldn’t do that sitting on the side of the road working a radar gun.

      “I reviewed your application when you joined Summerside,” John said. “Your qualifications are excellent.”

      She studied his face, trying to decide if he genuinely supported her career ambitions or if he was like her previous commanding officers, letting her put in time till she could be sent on her way. “But?”

      “All promotions are on hold due to budget cutbacks.” His expression was open and frank. “Funding cuts have been looming for some time but the memo came yesterday afternoon. The economy dips and the government tightens up on new spending. I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.”

      Paula struggled to hide her disappointment. She believed him about the budget cuts but she’d been burned before and she wanted to know where she stood with him. “This knockback doesn’t have anything to do with my past, does it?”

      “I know very little about your past.” John’s gaze was steady, inviting her to open up to him.

      The silence stretched. Sounds of the outside office filtered through the door. Her fists balled on her thighs. What did he expect her to say? Did her future at Summerside depend on whether she told him her history right this minute? It sucked that her career still hung on one stupid choice she’d made years ago.

      She could see his point of view. John didn’t know those days were over, but she’d be a fool to expose herself in case he had some discretionary spending or the economy turned around. He sure as hell wouldn’t be in a hurry to promote her if he knew what she’d done. But she wouldn’t whine that she’d learned her lesson. She would have to bust her hump and prove to him she deserved her detective stripes. If that meant taking Nick down on her own time, so be it.

      Speaking of Nick, should she tell John that Moresco had contacted her? Not yet. Not till she knew what Nick wanted. She was in no hurry to associate herself with that loser. No, the past was still a closed subject.

      “I should go finish my report before shift.” She rose. “Boss.”

      Paula walked over to the coffee machine, nodding at bleary-eyed officers from night duty on their way home. Third-time lucky? Ha. She’d been dreaming. She stirred cream into her cup and took a sip, taking a moment to collect herself.

      She checked the big wall clock over the copy machine. Almost time to hit the locker room—a daily ordeal she hoped would pass if and when she became accepted. The station was so small she was the only female cop. That in itself showed how far she’d dropped since she’d been part of a big bustling city station, in charge of her own vice unit and leading a major undercover drug investigation. Add in the fact that she had to share locker space with the guys and Summerside P.D. started to look more like a boys’ outdoor camp than a fully fledged police department. Mind you, she would never say such a thing to John who was proud of his little band of brothers.

      But she was a big girl; she could handle the arrangement. It was the guys who seemed to have a problem with it. Whether they resented her for disrupting their routine or they simply didn’t like her, she had no idea.

      Take the issue of changing into their uniform at work. Jackson was on the pudgy side and self-conscious. He waited until she left the room to get dressed. Crucek grumbled and turned his back as he quickly shucked his civvies. Delinsky obviously worked out and thought he was hot stuff. He liked to parade around bare-chested, flaunting his sculpted body at her. In your dreams, mate. She didn’t go for that over-developed look. Or the leering attitude.

      Riley was the odd one out. Every morning he was there when she arrived, already fully kitted out. She might have thought he slept in his uniform except that it was always immaculately cleaned and pressed.

      Sighing, she set her dirty cup by the sink. Time to man up.

      “Morning, gentlemen,” she proclaimed loudly as she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

      “Morning.” Riley was seated at the table, shining his already spit-polished shoes.

      Despite the fact they hadn’t exactly hit it off the first week, he was a prime example of a good cop. Always professional, always smartly decked out, every detail of his uniform top notch. He was good looking, too, since she was noticing. His shoulders filled out his shirt nicely and the fabric of his pants stretched over long thigh muscles. Smarten up, Drummond. Mind on your job. The last time she’d given in to an inappropriate attraction it had cost her her career.

      Instead of greeting her, Delinsky, Jackson and Crucek retreated to the far side of the room and began whispering like teenage girls. Normally she ignored their behavior—she had bigger things to worry about than guys acting goofy—but since Nick’s phone calls her control was stretched thin.

      She twirled the combination lock. “So much for my high hopes of working with men instead of boys.”

      More giggles.

      It sucked being the new person. But she was damned if she would let the guys think their treatment bothered her or that she was going to kiss their collective asses.

      Paula swung her locker door open. A plastic bag containing white crystals fell onto the floor. She jumped. In the background excited whispers rose in volume. Slowly she bent to pick up the ziplock bag. Her stomach turned over.

      “Hey, watcha got there?” Crucek swaggered forward and took the bag from her hand. “Lookie here, guys. Our new constable is into drugs.”

      “Don’t be an idiot!” She made a swipe for the bag but Crucek whipped it out of her reach, holding it high so she would have had to jump to get it.

      Delinsky and Jackson crowded around. “Does Sergeant Forster know about this?” Jackson said, eyes wide. “Maybe we ought to get him in here. Let him know what his new constable has been up to.”

      “Screw you.” What the hell was this about? Were they teasing? Was this a lame joke because she was a woman or because she was new? She should laugh it off but she couldn’t find her sense of humor.

      “We know about you,” Delinsky crowed.

      How could they know about her past? That was supposed to be a secret. Was she imagining the menace in Delinsky’s voice? Were they trying to get rid of her? Whatever they knew, or thought they knew, would they tell John? If so, there went any hope of her promotion, if not her job.

      “Nothing to know.” Her voice was too loud, bouncing off the pale green walls. “Piss off, jerks, and let me get ready for work. Shift is about to start.”

      “We think there’s plenty to know, don’t we guys?” Crucek glanced around for support and received grunts of assent and nodding heads.

      Had Nick gotten to them? No, that was plain paranoid. She swallowed. Wasn’t it?

      They had her surrounded, Crucek and Jackson in front, Delinsky’s hot breath on the back of her neck. These men were supposed to be her coworkers, her support system. Yet at this moment she felt that if she showed any weakness they would tear her apart like a pack of wolves.

      “Back. Off.” She spoke more forcefully, spinning to snap at Delinsky. “You, too, hotshot.”

      Jackson took a step closer. As if by agreement, the others did, too. “We don’t like bent cops.”

      “Do you know what happens to bent cops?” Crucek sneered.

      Paula scowled, adrenaline rushing through her body, making her feel sick. Her heart was beating so loudly she could barely hear them. She had a crazy