“I’m sure it will be. I’m looking forward to seeing the princess again.”
She glanced over at him. “The princess?”
“Yes. That’s what the guys who served time with Shep and I in prison call his daughter. Shep’s youngest son, Dalton, calls his baby sister Wild Child. To everybody else, she’s Ava.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
“Ava was named after Shep’s mother. It’s still hard to believe. There is nearly a thirty-year difference between Ava and Shep’s youngest son Dalton. Who would have thought, after having three grown sons, that Shep would remarry and start another family? All he used to talk about was one day becoming a grandfather, not a father.”
“Sometimes a person’s desires change, Drew.”
He had nothing to say to that. Sure, that might be true for some people, but not for all. Although he hated admitting it, he doubted his desire for her would ever change. But that was his problem, and he’d have to deal with it. But the last thing he’d do was let Toni into his personal space again, regardless of how much he wanted her there.
“We’re here,” he said, pulling into the restaurant. This conversation couldn’t end soon enough for him.
“NICE PLACE,” TONI SAID, glancing around. There was a large lunch-hour crowd, but they didn’t have to wait long for a table. It was obvious Drew was a regular. She later found out he was friends with the owner. “Nice to have connections.”
“I guess you can say that, although we met under unpleasant circumstances. Norm and I were the detectives on a case involving the murder of his son. He appreciated the way we handled things, and told us we would always have a table at his restaurant whenever we came in, no matter what.”
She nodded. “It’s nice to be appreciated.” She then pulled the menu card out of the rack on the table. “So, you think they have good chicken salad sandwiches.”
He shrugged massive shoulders. “I’ve never had one. Like you, Norm loves chicken salad sandwiches and swore by them. That’s all he ever ordered.”
“Then I’ll take Norm’s word for it and order one.”
The waitress who came to take their order was all smiles, and it was obvious the owner wasn’t the only one who appreciated Drew’s visits. After the waitress had left, Toni glanced over and saw Drew staring at her. “Is there something wrong?”
“Yes. I want to know why you are here. In Alexandria. And don’t hand me that ‘it’s complicated’ BS.”
She dropped her gaze and studied the pattern on the tablecloth. She really didn’t want to discuss this with him—it really wasn’t any of his business. But then, the last thing she wanted was for him to think her move here had something to do with him. He needed to know that she really hadn’t had a choice.
After a few minutes of deliberation, she decided she would tell him. “Do you remember me telling you I was a hostage negotiator when we met?”
“Yes.”
“Well, a situation came up six months ago that didn’t end well. A man who’d suspected his wife was cheating killed her at her place of employment. Then he left the scene of the crime, went home and told the nanny to leave. When the police arrived to arrest him for his wife’s death, he threatened to kill himself and his two sons, ages three and five.”
She paused a minute, remembering that day. “I was called in to talk him down. And for a few minutes, I thought I had. He’d opened the door to send the two kids out. Then...I don’t know what made him change his mind, but he did. He killed those little boys and then turned the gun on himself.”
“Damn.”
“Yes. It was bad. Everyone told me it wasn’t my fault.”
“Of course, it wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could do.”
“Tell that to the man’s father. He tried bringing charges against me.”
“What the hell! You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I wish I was. Of course, I was protected by the law since I’d only been attempting to do my job. But the man’s father, Thomas Gilmore, who is a county commissioner in Miami and a wealthy businessman, is also an asshole. He felt I didn’t work hard enough to talk his son into surrendering.”
“That’s a bunch of BS. He doesn’t know how things would have gone down.”
“Well, he thinks he does. He started making my life a living hell by calling for my resignation. The department backed me and told me to ignore