Promises to Keep by Maegan Beaumont

a shake while saying something about how nice it was to meet her. Her eyes touched his for a moment—the quiet gray of them seemed a bit darker than she remembered but just as beautiful. His hair was longer and styled. His face was calm, passive even. It was a look she remembered well.
    The part of her that wanted to bolt from the room reared its ugly head for just a moment, but she walled it off. Pulling her hand back, she dropped it in to her lap and looked at her captain. “Shall I start?” Mathews grunted at her; she took that as an affirmative. She started talking, filling them both in on the case. They listened. Michael asked a few questions and she answered him, surprised at the tremor-free sound of her own voice.
    When finished, Sabrina sat back in her seat and let the two of them talk it out. She was too busy concentrating on keeping herself in her seat to participate in what they were saying. The creak of Mathews’s desk chair drew her attention. He sat up in his chair and placed his hands, folded, on top of his desk. A sure sign that he was about to say something that would piss her off.
    Instinctively, she clamped down on her temper in an attempt to cut Mathews’s mouth off at the pass.
    Looking at Michael, he said, “I feel I should mention that I have deep reservations concerning Inspector Vaughn’s ability to lead an investigation of this magnitude. Not only is she newly returned from a fifteen-month stint on SWAT, she’s rash and unpredictable.” Mathews looked at her, and she saw herself lunging across the desk to bitch-slap him silly. “Vaughn’s been instructed to provide you with full cooperation and to assist you in all matters of this investigation,” he said, even though he’d informed her of no such thing. “But in the interest of transparency, I’ll admit that she’s not the inspector I’d have chosen for this assignment. If at any time, you feel like you would prefer a different liaison, don’t hesitate to say so.”
    Never one to disappoint, Mathews hit every nerve Sabrina had and it took everything she had to keep her mouth shut. Egotistical, overblown son of a—
    â€œI’ve been fully briefed on what you view as Inspector Vaughn’s shortcomings, Captain Mathews. I’m also aware that, despite where she’s been for the past fifteen months, she’s the best investigator you’ve got.” Michael/Agent Payne stood, looking down at Mathews with a mix of amusement and contempt. “As for her being expected to comply—if I wanted someone to follow me around and lick my shoes, I would’ve asked for a dog. Inspector Vaughn is expected to speak her mind, ask questions, and follow the evidence. If that leads her in a different direction than the one I’m heading, I’ll welcome and appreciate any insight she can provide.” He delivered the last of his statement directly to her.
    Mathews turned and gave her a look that would’ve killed her if looks were capable. “Get out.”
    â€œYes, sir,” she said quietly, unable to scrape away the smirk that’d plastered itself to her face. Easing herself from the chair, she stood and managed to get through the door without giving voice to the myriad smartass comments that were doing the Super Bowl Shuffle around her head.
    She started toward the bullpen but pulled up short. Strickland was sitting at his desk, going over witness statements to make sure they hadn’t missed anything from the canvass. Michael was less than twenty yards away. More than a year and he’d finally come back—but as usual, he hadn’t come for her.
    On impulse, she grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair and pulled it on.
    Suddenly this was the last place she wanted to be.

Twenty-Two
    Michael shouldn’t have opened his mouth. He should’ve listened to the crap Mathews spewed, nodded, thanked him for his time, and left.