Finding The Road Home. Tina Radcliffe

      “Got it,” Daisy said.

      “That’s for you to take home to your kids,” Henna said.

      Daisy’s eyes rounded. “How did you know? I mean, about the kids.”

      “My sister works at the elementary school. Unlike me, she can’t keep her mouth closed. I heard you registered three of them for school and one for preschool in the fall.”

      “Yes, but it’s not a secret or anything,” Daisy said with a smile. She opened the box and looked inside. “Donut holes. Thank you.”

      “Welcome to Rebel,” Henna said.

      Mitch silently observed the interaction. He’d known from the first interview that Daisy would fit right in. Then again, Henna got along with everyone. The last hurdle would be introducing her to his curmudgeon deputy. He glanced at the clock. Who was running late, per usual.

      A half hour later, the door buzzed and then opened yet again. Roscoe McFarland stepped into the room. A Rebel Police Department ball cap that rested on the back of his bald head completed his uniform. The senior officer who bore a passing resemblance to the cartoon character Popeye nodded in acknowledgement when he spotted Daisy standing just inside the door.

      “Roscoe, meet Officer Daisy Anderson,” Mitch said. “Daisy, this is your partner, Roscoe McFarland.”

      Mitch wasn’t sure whose eyebrows shot up faster—Daisy’s or Roscoe’s. He hadn’t told either that they’d be riding together since the decision had only been made late last night as he mulled the fact that Daisy was the sole guardian to five children. No doubt both would not like the plan, but occasionally there were perks to being the boss.

      “Not today.” Roscoe adjusted his hat and grabbed a donut. He took a bite, chewed and swallowed before he met Mitch’s gaze.

      “Excuse me?” Mitch crossed his arms, looked pointedly at Daisy and then stared Roscoe down.

      The senior officer had the good sense to appear embarrassed. “Beggin’ your pardon, ma’am. Pleased to meet you.” He turned back to Mitch and held up a bandaged thumb. “I’ve got an appointment to get my stitches removed. Then I’m headed to the county office to discuss my retirement portfolio.”

      Mitch took a deep breath, determined not to let the crusty deputy push all his buttons before noon. “We discussed this last week. If your appointments aren’t on the calendar, they don’t exist.”

      “I’m sorry, Chief Rainbolt, but my thumb and my pension are mighty important. I’ve got questions regarding my IRA and my insurance benefits that can only be addressed by a professional.”

      “Gallegos has already headed out to patrol the lake.” Mitch shot a glance at the calendar and then to Henna. “What about—”

      “No, sir,” his desk officer said, reading his mind as usual. “He’s on vacation until next Monday.”

      Nothing like being undermined by his senior officer in front of the new hire on a Monday morning. Mitch turned his gaze to Roscoe, clearly communicating his displeasure. Yeah, it was all downhill from here.

      “Officer Anderson, you and I will monitor traffic in Rebel today,” Mitch said. “We leave in fifteen.”

      “When he says fifteen minutes, he really means ten,” Henna said. She nodded toward the back room, and Daisy followed.

      “Been thirty years without a partner,” Roscoe grumbled once the female officers left the room.

      “I plan to use the wisdom of those years to get Officer Anderson fully acclimated to Rebel. For now, you’re her field training officer.”

      Roscoe gave a slow shake of his head. “FTO? Bad enough you got me handling traffic citations and parking meters ever since that incident last year. Now you’re sticking me with a new recruit,” Roscoe said. He snagged a second donut before he turned and headed to the door. “I don’t like it.”

      “You don’t have to like it,” Mitch said to his retreating form. “And she isn’t new. Just new to us.”

      “Same difference,” Roscoe muttered.

      Mitch downed his coffee and poured another cup, rethinking the decision. He was supposed to be up an officer when he hired Daisy. But with the information about her five children, he had amended his plans and the schedule for now.

      His new officer had inherited a family. What would those kids do if they lost her? Images of his own childhood flashed through his mind.

      Nope. Mitch didn’t want to find out. He had two other day shift officers who could handle the heavy tourist areas around the lake. For the interim, he’d keep Roscoe and Daisy working together and stationed where they were least likely to run into serious offenders.

      Of course, once again that made him the relief officer. It was the only plan that would ease his conscience and let him sleep at night. All he had to do was keep them from figuring out what he was doing.

      When Daisy entered the department lobby in uniform eight minutes later, Mitch offered a pleased nod at her spit-shined appearance. If only all his officers took such care in the details of the uniform.

      “Why do you look like you have a question for me?” she asked as she climbed into the Tahoe’s passenger seat and pulled the seat belt into place.

      “Not at all. I was just noting that a twenty-pound duty belt doesn’t seem to slow you down.” He fastened his own seat belt and looked at her. “Did Henna provide you with the information and password for the online training webinars?”

      “Last week. It’s been reviewed twice and completed.”

      He blinked. “Wait a minute. This is your first day and you’ve already completed the training?”

      “Yes, sir.”

      “It took half my department two days to figure out how to access the internet and register.”

      “Maybe they need computer classes.”

      “Yeah. I guess so.” He shook his head. “You took the exam too?”

      Daisy nodded.

      Mitch looked over his shoulder, signaled and changed lanes. “The county requires an eighty percent pass rate, or a retake is required. After two retakes they’ll recommend a class. It’s free. No cost to the officer.” He adjusted the rearview mirror. “It can be a challenge with the different county and city laws to keep straight, so don’t feel bad if you have to retake.”

      “I got a one hundred percent.”

      “What?” His brows shot up. “I...um. Wow. Nice work.”

      “Is there something else?” she asked when he was silent for several moments.

      “The firing range. You’ll need to qualify yearly.”

      “Completed.”

      He looked at her.

      “I passed. No worries.”

      “I wasn’t exactly worried, though you did take me by surprise. I spend a good amount of my time around here herding cats. I hadn’t realized that I’ve unconsciously lowered my expectations.”

      “After nine years in uniform, I’m accustomed to being underestimated.”

      Mitch jerked back. He’d insulted her when the truth was she was the most competent hire to come along in years. “Is that how it sounded?” he asked. “No offense was intended. It has nothing to do with you being a woman.”

      “None taken.” She met his gaze, her eyes revealing nothing. “Tell me about Officer McFarland.”

      Mitch took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Thirty years on the job next summer. He tried retiring at twenty, but got so bored he asked for his job back. Now he’s going