An Unexpected Groom by Ruth Logan Herne

Author:Ruth Logan Herne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Love Inspired
Published: 2015-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Drew waited until Kimberly and Amy were out of earshot, put Rocky at ease, then faced the lieutenant. “I made sure I updated myself on command before coming into town.”

“And when one of my officers spewed your name last night because you annoyed him, I figured I better find out why you were here.”

“And?”

“I called Pete, he explained things to me and then I checked out your credentials. You’ve made quite a name for yourself in security, Drew.”

Drew wasn’t sure what he meant by that, because good security should be nameless and innocuous.

“It’s not easy running security for big firms these days, and politicians are worse. So Pete and I were talking.”

Drew waited quietly.

“He was wondering if you’d be interested in coming to work here. On the force.”

“I would not.” The words flew out before Drew had time to soften them. “I don’t do police work. I do security. Big difference.”

“A gun’s a gun,” Jandro argued sensibly. “And Pete told me your job description changes if Vandeveld gets elected. Why not resettle here if that happens? You grew up here, you know the geography, the townies, the layout by heart.”

A frisson of unease met an ounce of new possibilities at the base of Drew’s neck. “I’m not a cop anymore.”

“You’ll always be a cop,” Jandro pointed out. “Not much sense pretending otherwise. I didn’t mean to mess up your date,” he went on, and motioned to wear Kimberly and Amy were disappearing around the corner. “But our department’s looking at a series of unexpected changes. Pete thinks you’d fit in, and you have the experience to do a good job. I’d like you to at least think about it while you’re in town. See if it’s doable.”

Ludicrous, yes. Doable? No. “Jandro, I—”

“Something to think about,” the older man advised easily. “You’ve got two months before the wedding, plenty of time to give us a look-see and make a decision. Pete’s run a clean department for almost twenty years. We need someone like that to take his place. Not just smart but wise. I think that person could be you.”

Drew couldn’t have heard him right. He glanced around, then met Jandro’s eyes. “Are you talking about the chief’s job? You’re asking me to apply for the chief’s job?”

“Yes, what did you think?”

Drew hadn’t thought. He’d assumed they were talking about rejoining at the street-cop level.

“Just between you and me, if Pete beats this thing, he’s going to retire. He and Kate want time to travel, do the things they’ve put on hold for thirty years. My wife’s company is pulling her to State College, Pennsylvania, to head up the Eastern Region headquarters, so I’ll be leaving in fourteen months. It would be wrong of me to apply for a job I know I’m qualified for but won’t be here to do.”

“That’s an upright thing to do, sir.”

“That’s how we’ve always run things, and how we intend to see it stay,” Jandro replied. “But that leaves us without a head man once Pete makes his announcement.

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