St. Charles Avenue
Noon
Chief of Police Ted Peterson parked in front of the house that had been his home for more than half his life. He’d brought his young bride here forty years ago—they’d share life’s joys and tears in this home. After her illness began he’d taken care of her here...until he was no longer capable of adequately providing for her needs.
This grand old historic house had been Sarah’s dream home. She’d worked for years to restore it to its former glory. Though they hadn’t been blessed with children of their own, that sad fact never stopped Sarah from hosting graduation parties, wedding showers, baby showers and too many other events to recall in this big old house. Now she was gone. He’d laid her to rest in the place she’d chosen before the Alzheimer’s stole her from him completely. He’d ensured she was dressed in the pale pink two-piece suit she’d picked out when they were first married. Money had been so damned tight but she’d fallen in love with the suit that was reminiscent of her favorite first lady’s style and he would have sold his soul to buy it for her. The matching gloves and shoes completed the ensemble that had been her favorite. She’d worn that dainty hat and those elegant wrist-length gloves to church once a year, to celebrate their anniversary, every single year of their life together. The pink suit she’d worn only on very special occasions, like to Bobbie’s wedding.
His sigh filled the emptiness in the car. Now it was time to sell the house to a new family. To others who would love and cherish the memories they built here as he and Sarah had. It was time, as his wife had told him on one of her rare lucid days, for him to move on and start making new memories.
Yesterday, Joanne, his Realtor and Sarah’s sister, had posted the for sale sign. Ted’s heart still felt heavy. It was the right thing to do. He was almost sixty-three. He no longer had the time or the desire to take care of this big old house and the three-quarter-acre yard.
It was time to let go.
Dorey’s car pulled up behind his and Ted smiled. He watched as she exited her vehicle and strode toward his. His pulse sped up. She was so beautiful. They had worked together for years. As the commander of the Major Crimes Bureau, Lieutenant Eudora Owens was as tough as she was beautiful. Their affair had started from afar but many months passed before they became lovers. Those stolen moments had deepened into the kind of relationship he’d thought he would never again have.
She opened the passenger-side door and got in. “Sorry I’m a little late. So—” she gazed out at his home “—you listed the house.”
Ted smiled, still feeling a little sad about the decision. “I did. Joanne says it will sell quickly. She’s already had numerous calls.”
Dorey searched his face, her smile understanding. “It’s a lovely home. I’m not surprised at the interest.”
The quiet settled around them as she fastened her seat belt. Ted started the engine and pulled away from the curb. He pushed the bittersweet past away and looked forward to the future.
“I close on the Lockwood Place town house next week.” He rested his arm on the center console and tried to relax. The next subject he intended to broach was a sensitive one. He’d been waiting for the right moment to speak with her about their future. This morning he had decided he wasn’t waiting any longer.
“I think you’ll be very happy with your choice.” She placed her hand on his. “It’s a charming place. Manageable and comfortable.”
He glanced at her and squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I love the outdoor fireplace. The courtyard is so private. I can imagine sitting by a roaring fire with a glass of wine.” She nodded. “Very nice.”
“If your calendar is clear next Saturday, you could help me with the artwork choice the interior decorator has prepared.”
The gesture was slow in coming, but she finally nodded. “I can do that.”
“Good.” His courage slipped a bit. God knew they had a lot on their plates at the moment. Three dead, two missing. But even cops had to eat. “I thought we’d have lunch downtown today.”
“We can discuss the homicide and abduction cases.” She shrugged. “Make it official business. Apparently Agent Hadden was just as in the dark about the things Weller said to Bobbie as we were.”
No one was more annoyed at the news than Ted, but he didn’t want to talk about any of that right now. Dorey, on the other hand, always looked for a proper explanation for their time together in public. He wanted that to change. Now. “I don’t want to discuss business.”
Her hesitation lasted far too long. His chest ached with insecurity. He was far too old to feel this uncertain in the presence of the woman he loved.
She shifted in her seat so she could look at him. “What’re you saying, Ted?”
“I’ve decided to retire.”
His heart stumbled as the words echoed in the car. He had been thinking about it for months now. He hadn’t worked up the courage to take the necessary steps. It wasn’t until this moment—when she came up with a legitimate excuse for their lunch—that he made the final decision.
“Are you certain that’s what you want to do?”
Though her tone was firm, it wasn’t about her not being happy with his announcement. He knew Dorey too well. What she didn’t want was for her happiness to be the compelling reason for his decision.
“I’m certain. I want to get on with my life. I can’t do that and remain chief of police.”
“I could transfer,” she offered. “Sheriff Young could find something for me.”
Dorey had made this offer before. He would not have her sacrifice her career for his. His career had reached its pinnacle and he could retire with the knowledge he had accomplished all he could possibly hope to. He had the necessary time in grade, he was set. Dorey, on the other hand, was still climbing. She was immensely intelligent and hardworking. Hell, she was still young, just fifty-two. She had earned the right to rise in her career in the years to come. She deserved the very best and he intended to see that she achieved her heart’s desire, personally and professionally.
“Absolutely not.” He shook his head to emphasize the words. “I’m ready to retire.” The fact was he’d been ready for a while now. “I’ve made no secret that I’m considering that step. Stella says she’s ready to do the same.”
Stella Jernigan had been his administrative assistant since he took the office of chief. She had turned seventy this year. She swore she was only waiting on him to retire so she could. She claimed she couldn’t trust anyone else to take proper care of him. Ted was lucky she’d stayed on all these years.
“Why don’t we talk about it more tonight,” Dorey suggested. “You should consider what you’ll do next before making such a monumental decision.”
Her insistence on playing devil’s advocate irritated him. “I plan to fish and play golf and maybe a little volunteer work with troubled kids, but my primary focus will be on enjoying my life and my wife.”
The catch in her breath sent a thrill through him. Though he’d suggested they should make their relationship official on numerous occasions, he had never formally asked her to marry him. He supposed today was as good a time as any.
“Ted,” she said, her voice trembled just a little, “you buried your wife of forty years last month. You need to breathe a little before you decide to marry again. There are steps that need to be taken.”
“I don’t want a prenup.” She’d mentioned that before, too. “What’s mine is yours.”
“You have Bobbie to think about,” she argued. “She has always been like a daughter to you and to Sarah. Sarah would want you to ensure Bobbie benefited from the prosperity the two of you enjoyed during your marriage.”
He didn’t have an argument on that one. She was right. He hadn’t stopped to consider the full implications of not taking certain legal steps before remarrying. Of course he wanted to contribute to the financial strength of Bobbie’s future. God knew she was more alone in the world than he was. At least he had Dorey. Bobbie had no one. “I’ll draw up a new will. That’ll take care of Bobbie.”
His goddaughter would be the first one to say she wanted no part of his estate. She was fine. James had left her well cared for. That was her stock answer for every damned thing. The ache in his chest deepened. For the past forty-eight hours he’d struggled with not posting another surveillance detail on Bobbie. She reminded him often that she could take care of herself, that she should never be treated any differently than any other cop in the department. More often than not Dorey backed her up. Then he’d learned that she’d left out a significant portion of her conversation with Randolph Weller. As had LeDoux. Ted had called the bastard first thing after Dorey gave him the news. LeDoux had insisted he hadn’t been authorized to pass along that part of the conversation.
“I think drawing up a current will is a good idea,” Dorey agreed, prompting his attention back to the present.
“What about marrying me?” He braked for the intersection and set his gaze on hers. “I’m serious, Dorey. I want you to be my wife.”
“If you won’t take some time,” she reasoned, “then give me some.”
“Are you saying you don’t want to marry me?” He hadn’t intended for the words to sound so harsh.
A horn blasted behind them.
“The light’s green, Ted.”
He clamped his jaw shut to hold back his frustration. Had he misread her? How could he have been so certain and be so wrong?
“I didn’t say I didn’t want to marry you,” she said, releasing his heart from a stranglehold. “I said I need some time to consider the plan you’ve made.”
“Very well.” His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “My decision is made.” He had spent the past two years watching his wife die a minute at a time. Last year he’d gone to a crime scene and identified the body of his goddaughter’s husband as well as her child. Two months ago he’d buried one of his best detectives and dearest friends. Life was too short. He wasn’t going to waste a single day of whatever time he had left. “I’m retiring at the end of the year.”
If he was lucky, Dorey would agree to a wedding on some tropical island where the ugly things one human could do to another were someone else’s problem.