A woman significantly younger than the rest of the minivan’s occupants disembarked looking a little shell-shocked. She wore a wool coat over a simple black pantsuit. No nonsense, professional.

“Right this way, lieutenant,” Granny Louisa said, opening the police station door with a grand flourish.

“Lieutenant?” Cassidy hissed. “You kidnapped a state trooper?” She looked a little pale.

“We did no such felonizing,” Gram-Gram snorted. “She wanted to come with us.”

“Scout’s honor,” Estelle said, making an x over her heart.

“Come on,” I told her and led her into the station at the end of the elderly parade. The rest of the crowd slowly filed in.

“Cass!” Bex threw herself at Cassidy and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I just heard from Sybil. She said to tell you Melly is a-okay and you’re an angel.”

Cassidy’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Oh, thank God,” she whispered.

“What the hell is going on here?” an angry voice snapped out over the general din. Connelly, looking six shades of pissed off, poked his head out of the conference room door.

“Exactly what I’d like to know,” the woman in the suit said coolly. “It’s come to my attention that your investigation has been less than exemplary here.”

“Lieutenant Garza,” Connelly said with a nod. “There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding.”

“When six members of a community you are supposed to be serving show up at my precinct with a laundry list of complaints regarding your behavior, you better hope there’s a misunderstanding.”

“I want to be her when I grow up,” Cassidy whispered in my ear. She had hearts in her eyes.

Connelly was sputtering, and I saw Sheriff Tucker’s mustache twitch as he fought a smile.

“Let’s take this into the conference room,” the lieutenant suggested. “Ladies and gentlemen, Detective Connelly, Sheriff Tucker, and I would be happy to listen to your complaints one at a time.”

“He’s turning that eggplant color again,” Fanny Sue said gleefully, nodding at Connelly’s face.

They trooped into the conference room and closed the door.

Dazed, Cassidy turned to me. “Did you somehow orchestrate all this?”

But her friends and fans demanded her attention. She was pulled from my arms and passed from person to person for hugs and handshakes. For congratulations on our relationship and kudos for everything from her lifesaving skills to her neat handwriting on traffic citations. There were fifty bodies squashed inside with more waiting out front.

One by one, citizens entered the conference room and faced down Connelly, addressing their concerns and complaints. All standing for one of their own.

I loved this weird and wonderful town, and for the first time since Callie’s sweater showed up, I felt like I belonged again.

“I feel dizzy,” Cassidy said, wrapping her arms around my waist. She’d been passed clear around the station.

“I’ve got you,” I promised her.

“I can’t believe you did this for me,” she said, her voice cracking as she looked at the line of people waiting to tell their tales on Connelly.

“We did it for you,” I insisted. “You think I would have come up with the elder council kidnapping a lieutenant on my own?”

Cassidy laughed and squeezed me tighter. “I’m so happy I could burst.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Me, too, Cass. Me, too.”

The conference room door opened, and Connelly burst forth. His face was a mask of rage. He zeroed in on Cassidy and pushed his way through the crowd. I stood next to her, my arm around her shoulder so she knew I had her back. I wanted him to do something stupid so I could break his fucking face. It had been a long time since I’d punched anyone over Cassidy.

But he just glared, nostrils flaring. Cassidy was cooler than an ice cube under his gaze.

“That will be all, detective,” Lieutenant Garza said from the conference room doorway.

One more flare, a twitch of his right eye, and he was pushing out of the station, barking at people to get out of his way.

Cassidy vibrated under my touch, and I knew her well enough to know it was cold fury, not fear that had her clenching her hands into fists.

The lieutenant weaved her way through the crowd to us.

“Deputy, I’ve never known someone so young to command so much respect in their community. It would be a travesty if you weren’t back at your desk immediately.” She held out Cassidy’s service weapon and badge. “Please accept my formal apology for Detective Connelly’s behavior.”

Sheriff Tucker stood behind the lieutenant, looking downright verklempt. Nadine slipped up next to him and wrapped her arm around her husband’s waist. I saw what they had together decades into their partnership and I wanted it fiercely.

“Thank you, lieutenant,” Cassidy said, accepting her gear like it was an autograph from a country star. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

The lieutenant cracked her first smile. “Tomorrow’s Christmas. Why don’t you take the day? We’ll see you on the twenty-sixth. I have a forensics lab to talk to about a car.”

Cassidy nodded and then kept nodding. “Thank you, sir. Ma’am. Lieutenant.”

“It looks like you’ve got some fans,” the lieutenant said, nodding toward the windows.

There were faces of all ages pressed up against the glass.

“Guess I’m calling the window cleaners again,” Bex joked.

“Go on, Cass,” Sheriff Tucker said. “Tell ‘em the good news.”

Cassidy tucked her holster into the waistband of her pants and held her hand out to me. “Comin’, Bow?”

I took her hand and followed her outside. The clouds were heavy with snow yet to fall, but the cold couldn’t fight its way through the crowd.

Without saying a word, Cassidy held up her badge, and the crowd lost its damn mind hooting and hollering.

She looked over her shoulder at me, and I couldn’t not be kissing her for another second. I pulled her to me and brought my mouth to hers. It sounded to me that the din of the crowd got even louder.

This was right where we belonged. Surrounded by Bodines and Tuckers and Bootleg. I saw my brothers and sister in the crowd celebrating right along with the rest of them. This was the beginning of something beautiful, something forever.

“I love you, Bowie. This sure beats a pair of pajamas.”

I grinned down at her. “I’d do anything for you. I love you, Cassidy Ann. And someday not too far into the future I’m going to put a ring on your finger.”

“I’ve loved you since forever, Bowie Bodine. We’re gonna make one hell of a team.”

The snow fell soft and quiet, and I kissed her hard and hungry.

“Did y’all see Scarlett hit that Shelby with a snowball?”

“One second we’re all standing there, watching Cassidy and Bowie makin’ out, and then Scarlett’s yelling ‘Back away Jonah! You’re fraternizing with the enemy!’”

“Poor guy. That Shelby flirted him up good.”

“Never would have guessed that sweet thing was a journalist. Just goes to show you, you can’t trust a friendly stranger.”

“Have to admit, she held up real well when Scarlett tried to scratch her eyes out.”

“That Devlin’s got quick reflexes when it comes to his girlfriend. He caught Scarlett mid-air.”

“Rumor has it Shelby didn’t move out of the B&B. In fact, she ordered room service. I think she’s planning to stick around.”

“Takes guts.”

“Wonder where Jonah will live now since the lovebirds will probably want to spread out in their nest?”