The newspapers had practically crucified the department for what it declared to be their "gross negligence."

Nobody wanted a repeat performance, not in body count, not in printed words.

Martinez waved the two men out of his office.

"All right, go earn your pay."

Jeffers obligingly retreated.

In the doorway, Graham slanted a look at his superior.

"I thought we just-did, listening to you."

Martinez muttered something unintelligible under his breath, then waved Graham out of his office.

Terrific.

Caitlin's guardian angel.

Just what he needed.

Jeffers was lingering at his desk when Graham reached it.

Concern was written into the younger man's features.

"You want me to go back to the captain and ask to be assigned to the

Cassidy woman instead of you?"

He wasn't about to ask for preferential treatment after Martinez had dismissed the mere suggestion.

He laughed shortly, though the underlying humor in the situation escaped him at the moment.

"That obvious?"

"Hey, I could have toasted marshmallows in the fallout yesterday."

He shoved his hands into his pockets and studied Graham's profile.

Tension made it even more rocklike ii than usual.

"You any more in the mood to talk about it now?"

He knew curiosity was eating Jeffers up.

Ben read mysteries starting with the back page first.

But he was good at keeping secrets.

Graham dragged a hand through his hair, as if that could somehow loosen him up inside.

He felt tight, wound up, like he was going to explode at any minute.

"We were almost married once."

Jeffers wasn't exactly sure what he had expected to hear, but it wasn't

that."Wow. What happened?"Graham looked idly through the folders on his desk."It didn' I t work out," he said off handedly."It was a long time ago." That much was obvious, Jeffers mused." No amiable parting, huh?

" A dry laugh echoed in his throat." No amiable parting.

Sympathy tugged at Jeffers.

"Sure you don't want me to-?"

He jerked a thumb in the direction of Martinez's office.

Graham shook his head.

"Thanks for the offer, but there's nothing here I can't handle."

He'd made up his mind to that a long time ago.

He picked up his sports jacket and slung it over his shoulder.

"I'll check in with you later."

He glanced at his phone.

"Oh, and if I get in any calls, have them transferred to the number at

the shop."

Jeffers wondered if Graham was working on something he hadn't bothered

mentioning to him.

Gray had a habit of going out on his own.

"Sure. Expecting anything?"

"Yeah," he said quietly.

He saw interest flicker in Jeffers's blue eyes.

Looked as if it was a day for sharing.

"Celia wants Jake."

Jeffers's jaw dropped.

"Oh, heR."

That about summed it up, Graham thought.

"My feelings exactly."

With a nod at his partner, Graham walked out the door.

It had been a busy morning at Naughty But Nice.

This was their first lull in over an hour.

So when the bell softly rang, announcing the entrance of another

customer, Kerry looked up reluctantly from the display she was arranging.

For a second her heart stopped.

Reaching over, she nudged Caitlin, who was on her knees behind the

counter, looking for the last box of sachet.

"Uh-oh, storm warnings at six o'clock," Kerry whispered, her eyes riveted on the woman entering the store.

Caitlin rose, confused by the sobered expression on Kerry's normally

animated face.

She still felt jumpy after yesterday morning, though she had vehemently denied it when Kerry mentioned it.

"What are you babbling about-?"