ONE
Consider the joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2â4
Eager to get to work, rookie officer Keira Fitzgerald paused on the stoop behind the Main Street police station just long enough to stomp snow off her boots and fill her lungs with the crisp, clean sea air of the Massachusetts coast.
The moment she stepped inside the building she sensed an undercurrent of discontent that nearly stopped her in her tracks. Something was definitely not normal.
Stripping off her gloves, hat and jacket she headed straight for her brother Douglasâs desk.
âWhatâs going on? I havenât heard this much grumbling since the Minutemen lost their last football game.â
Captain Douglas Fitzgerald raised his blue eyesâa familial trait he shared with Keiraâand arched his brows. âYouâd better go find out for yourself. The chief is waiting.â
âFor me? Why?â
âIâll let him tell you.â
âHey, I thought big brothers were supposed to look out for their sisters.â
âBelieve me, Keira, if there was anything I could do to get you out of this, I would.â
âOut of what?â She sent a comical grimace his way, hoping that teasing would loosen him up. Instead, he merely shook his head and jerked a thumb toward their fatherâs closed office door.
âOkay, okay. I get it. Iâm going.â
She smoothed her short, dark hair and checked every aspect of her neatly ironed blue uniform before knocking on Aiden Fitzgeraldâs door and peeking in. âMorning, Chief. You wanted to see me?â
âYes,â Aiden said. âCome in. Thereâs someone I want you to meet.â
Keira was duly impressed the moment her gaze swept over the man standing beside her father. Probably about thirty, he wasnât taller or more muscular than her brothers, and his hair was brown instead of Fitzgerald black, yet there was something extremely formidable about him. Maybe it was the way he studied her, his hazel eyes seeming to change to the sea-green color of his pullover sweater.
âThis is Keira Fitzgerald, the officer I was telling you about,â the chief said. âKeira, Nick Delfino.â
Smiling slightly she extended her hand. âPleased to meet you.â
Although Nick accepted her overture with a firm grip he didnât return her smile. âMy pleasure.â
âWelcome to Fitzgerald Bay.â Keira had to stop herself from nervously wiping her hand on the side of her uniform pants as soon as he released it. Not only had his handshake been firm, his warm touch had sent tingles zipping through her fingertips. She clasped her hands together. âSorry. I just came in. Itâs freezing out there.â
âNick is from Boston. Heâs used to our climate,â Aiden said. He cleared his throat. âHeâs been reassigned here to temporarily assist us in our investigation of the murder.â
âThe Olivia Henry murder,â Nick added.
So that was what was bugging Douglas and the others. Their expertise was being challenged. No wonder sheâd sensed so much tension in the air this morning. Nobody liked having their work questionedâespecially not by some supposed hotshot from the big city. Then again, maybe they did need help. They hadnât made much progress on that case in the month since the body had been discovered.