deal, the insincerity of it. And the actual friendship this man offered.
“No,” I said. “Friendship.” He smiled as we shook on it. “I’ve got business to attend to. But if you’re staying in town, you should come see Connor’s town house. It’s beautiful, and there’s plenty of room for guests.”
* * *
* * *
For my next act, I would make more animosity disappear.
“You asked them to come,” I said, when I’d reached Theo and Connor. Theo looked back at me, a little smile tugging at one corner of his mouth.
“He did?” Connor asked, with a glint of appreciation in his eyes.
“Yeah. To stand up for me.”
“Since the truth is out and I couldn’t do this before . . .” Theo wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off my feet in a ferocious hug. “We missed you at the office this week.”
“That was entirely your doing,” I pointed out.
“Actually, it was my doing.”
We turned back, found Roger Yuen walking toward us.
“You missed the action, boss,” Theo said, putting me down again.
Roger smiled. “Nah, Gwen let me monitor from the CPD van, just in case you wanted more assistance. But I had the sense you’d want to handle this one on your own.”
“I did. But thanks for keeping an eye out.”
“You’re welcome.” He paused, added, “I considered it a job interview, actually.”
Everyone looked at me. “A job interview?” I asked.
“For a full-time position with the OMB. You showed bravery, creativity, and when it came to the wire, decency. I’ll apologize once again for putting you on leave. It’s the cost, unfortunately, of transparency.”
“I know. I don’t like it, but I know. The job?” I prompted.
“Full-time,” he said again. “You’d be an Assistant Ombudsman.”
I watched him for a moment. “With an actual badge?”
His lips curled. “With an actual badge.”
“And Theo is my partner.”
Roger looked at Theo, who nodded. “Done,” Roger said.
My final demand involved a rumor. Whispers in the darkest corners of the Internet, but never seen in real life. “I want a Leo’s Coffee titanium card.”
Theo snorted. “Free coffee for the lifetime of the holder? Total myth. And even if it weren’t, you’re immortal. There’s no way they’d agree to that.”
I’d taken a chance for exactly those reasons, with the hope of negotiating down to Leo’s Coffee in the break room.
But Roger smiled with a knowing cant that said he had skills we hadn’t even considered. “Also done.”
“It’s real,” Theo quietly said, wonder and hope in his voice. “The titanium card is real.”
“Big day for you,” Roger said, squeezing Theo’s arm. Then he held out a hand to me. “Welcome aboard, Ombud Sullivan.”
We shook on it, and the deal was done.
Theo leaned toward me. “I want in on that card.”
I snorted. “Dude, you do your own negotiating. My card, my coffee.”
“Not a good way to begin a partnership,” he said with amusement, then looked at Connor. “We good?”
“We were always good,” Connor said, squeezing Theo’s shoulder. “Doesn’t mean I won’t be an ass if she’s in trouble.”
“Same goes.”
They shared one of those manly backslapping hugs that looked more painful than friendly, but whatever. My boys were friends again.
* * *
* * *
My parents were last; they’d waited for me away from the crowd. I looked at my father, who curved his fingers into a little heart.
Sweet and mortifying, both at the same time.
“Come here,” he said, and opened his arms.
I obeyed, and worked very hard not to cry. Even as an adult, that look of love—all-encompassing and all-forgiving—made me weepy.
“You made your own path,” he said. “It’s not the path we would have chosen, but we’re very proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“As for your handling of the AAM . . .” There was deep satisfaction in his chuckle. “You are very much my daughter.”
My mother snorted. “As if there was any doubt.”
He shifted, looked at Connor. “I won’t tell you to take care of her, because I know she can take care of herself. But you’ll help her. You’ll care for each other.”
“We will,” Connor said.
EPILOGUE
The next evening, there was one bit of work that needed to be resolved.
I went to the NAC building, was told Miranda was in the garage, and walked toward it, but then I stood outside the closed door for a moment and thought.
We protect each other.
That had become our creed, a kind of operating principle for our relationship. And now it was time for me to do my part, to protect what I could.
I opened the door, found her alone and working at one of the counters