Dead of Winter (Cold Case Psychic #15) - Pandora Pine Page 0,13

hours of sleep before getting back at it. You’re a family man now.”

“Look, Ten. All of us are fathers. We’re all happily married. None of us want to be working all hours of the night or sleeping in the office like in the old days, but sometimes it’s what the job calls for. We all know that too.” Fitzgibbon’s words were gentle as he eyed Tennyson.

“I understand.” Ten absolutely understood. He just didn’t want to be home with Everly while Ronan chased leads. Their daughter would miss him. So would Ten. On the other hand, there was a family who’d been waiting thirty-five years for justice. He couldn’t stand in the way of that.

“Listen,” Cisco rocked back on his heels. “I don’t mean to tell any of you how to do your jobs, but treat the Washingtons with kid gloves. They’ve been through so much for so long. Don’t promise them anything you can’t deliver.”

“You got it, Cisco,” Ronan agreed, eyeing his husband.

Ten knew why Ronan was shooting him the side eye. Out of the four of them, he was the softest touch. It would be up to him to speak with the parents and keep everyone’s expectations in line with reality.

7

Ronan

Never in Ronan’s law enforcement career had he been this nervous before an interview. Cassie had sent over sandwiches and salads, but Ronan had only been able to pick at his. Jude had finished off his turkey avocado club, while Kevin ate the rest of his salad.

He had no idea where this bout of nerves was coming from, especially since the others were treating this as just another case.

“What’s on your mind?” Tennyson said from behind him. “I’m not reading you, but I can tell something is wrong.”

Ronan had been standing in Jude’s workspace in the office, staring out the window at Conant Street. “I’ve been thinking some things over,” Ronan said, turning around to face Ten. “We’ll talk about it tonight when it’s just the two of us.”

Ten nodded. “How should we handle this interview? Should Kevin take the lead? Or you? Or me?” He gave his head a shake. “We’ve met with so many witnesses in the past, but this is the first time I’ve felt like I’m standing on uneven ground.”

“You hit the nail on the head. I’m feeling the same way. Kevin and Jude act like this is just an ordinary day. Another ordinary case.” Ronan nervously raked a hand through his hair.

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Ten’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“What are you talking about? You saw the two of them in the conference room snarfing down lunch like it was their last meal before walking to the electric chair.”

“That’s my point exactly,” Ten said. “Their body language reads nervous.”

Maybe Ronan hadn’t noticed because he’d been too busy worrying about himself. “My suggestion is to let the Washingtons lead the interview. Our most important job is to listen and take our cues from them.”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Fitzgibbon agreed. He was holding Ronan’s jacket while trying to slip into his own.

“I’m glad you feel that way.” Ronan took his coat and felt for his keys, remembering the Mustang was at home. It had been a while since he’d interviewed anyone with Kevin at his side. He hoped it was like riding a bike and it would all come back to him.

Five minutes later, they were piled into Kevin’s SUV with the heat turned on full blast. The temperature was in the low thirties, typical for December in New England, but the east wind off the ocean made the temperature feel twenty degrees colder.

Ronan had a hundred thoughts zinging through his mind, but he kept them all to himself. He could see the others were lost in their own thoughts as well. He stared out the window and watched Salem pass him by. Whenever he and Ten were on the road with Everly, he drove Ten’s SUV, thanks to the control freak in him.

Being a passenger was a different experience. He could see houses with Christmas wreaths on the front door and darkened holiday lights glinting in the cold sunshine. It would be fun to grab some cocoa and take Ten and Everly for a drive to see the holiday lights. Everly loved sitting in the living room, lit only by the multicolored lights of their Christmas tree.

“This is the street,” Fitzgibbon muttered.

Ronan sat up straighter. He took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm his racing heart and get his