Perfect Fit (Serendipity's Finest) - By Carly Phillips Page 0,38

Monday, was in uniform, back on patrol; Erin was also dressed professionally in a skirt and blouse.

“Not that I mind meeting you guys, but you sounded upset,” Mike said to his sister.

Erin’s hazel eyes met his. “It’s about Mom.”

“Mom?” Sam and Mike asked at the same time.

“Not Dad? I thought you’d be concerned about Dad,” Sam said.

Mike agreed.

“Except Dad’s doing well enough, all things considered. Mom’s jumpy.”

“Erin, honey, wouldn’t you be if you were her?” Sam asked. “Look at all she’s been through with Dad.”

“It’s more,” she said firmly.

“I think you’re overreacting,” Sam said.

Mike frowned at his brother. Erin was one of the most compassionate and insightful people he knew. If she said something was wrong with their mother beyond the obvious, he believed her.

“What makes you think there’s more?” Mike asked her.

“After she overreacted to the whole Facebook conversation last week at dinner, I tried to talk to her. She clammed up. Didn’t say she was fine, didn’t say she was overreacting, she just pursed her lips and said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’ That’s not Mom. At least, not how Mom is with me.”

“That’s true.” Ella was close to Erin and never shut her out. She rarely shut anyone out.

“Sam?” Erin asked. “You’re going to hang with Dad tonight, right?”

He nodded. “Can you talk to her? Or at least just keep an eye out and tell me if you notice anything…different?”

“Sure,” he said, giving in, though from his tone of voice Mike could tell he thought Erin was nuts.

“How do you think everyone took the changes that I want to implement at the station?” Mike asked Sam.

Erin raised an eyebrow. “You mean changing everyone from partnering up to singles except on the night shift?”

“Word spread as far as the D.A.’s office?” Mike asked.

Erin shrugged. “We have to have something interesting to talk about.”

“Makes downtime more boring, but everyone’s okay with it,” Sam said. “Especially since we got guys retiring in June and you’ll be able to add shifts to the rookies’ schedules.”

Mike nodded. “Good.”

Before they could change subjects, the waitress came with their meals and they all got distracted, important subjects off the table.

No sooner had he arrived back at his office when his cell rang. A quick glance told him Lauren was calling. Hopefully she had information on the open case. Something that would put his father out of the running on any issues that cropped up. But Mike’s gut told him he wouldn’t get so lucky.

In the week since she’d been home from the city, Cara’s life had returned to normal. Normal meant she worked, she visited Havensbridge when she could, and she didn’t see Mike unless they were at work. When they acted completely professional at all times.

Unless she thought no one was paying attention. Then she studied him, her mind taking her back to that night in Manhattan, and she wanted nothing more than to be with him that way again. But she was busy, so busy she barely had time to think. Until tonight when she was off for another two days. First Joe’s, and then she hoped she’d see Mike. Her place or his, she didn’t care.

Lost in thought, she was startled when Mike’s assistant called out that she was wanted in his office. She glanced around the room. Everyone was either busy at their desks or changing shifts, so there were a lot of people coming and going, and nobody seemed surprised that the chief had summoned her.

She headed for the private room in the back corner, pausing in the doorway for a calming breath. Hard to be calm when Mike sat at his desk, wearing a charcoal-gray suit and a deep lavender tie, looking sexy as ever.

Then his dark eyes lit on her. “Come in and shut the door behind you.”

Cara did as he asked and remained standing, not comfortable that he needed a word now. Here. “Something you need, Chief?”

“Have a seat,” he said, in a serious voice that made her stomach pitch uncomfortably.

She gripped the sides of her chair. “What’s wrong?”

He muttered something under his breath. “You think something has to be wrong for me to talk to you?”

“Well…We’re at work. So I figured it’s work related and something’s up.” They hadn’t discussed the case they were working on, and she’d figured he hadn’t had any word from his contact yet.

His cell rang and he frowned. “Hang on.” He glanced at it and held up one finger. “I’ve been expecting this,” he said, and took the