Page 65 of The Secrets She Keeps

“Send me everything.”

“Sure. Great bedtime reading material.”

“I’ll do what I can.” He wanted to erase that look from her eyes forever. No denying that, at least to himself. She had lived in fear for years. And men like Stillman and Winkler, both cronies ofhisown father, had done nothing to protect her. Because she wasn’t as well-connected back then? Because she was an incredibly attractive woman? Something else? “Did something else happen between you and Stillman to turn him against you?”

“Not that I can recall. Not before that first time Steve hurt me. We had a decent working relationship. I’d told him he was an asshole a few times, but, well, I was raised not to lie.”

“He is an asshole. I have known him my entire life. He’s disgusting.”

“No kidding.” She hesitated a moment. “Until…you know…never mind.”

“I can help, Heather. I promise. And I want to. I’m not like them.”

“I have heard that before.” She just looked at him. And looked. Her mouth firmed. And she didn’t believe him. It was in her eyes. “Men like Stillman, Newcomb, Winkler—they have power not on their own. At least, they don’t get it on their own at first. But because of their friends. The people who cover what they do. Men with that kind of power are dangerous. The rest of us don’t really have a chance.”

“You think I am like them, don’t you?”

The look in her eyes was all the answer he needed.

“What happened between you and my father?” The words just came out. But he knew he’d struck a nerve when her face tightened.

When she flinched. But she answered him. Eventually.

“Nothing much. At least not as much ashewanted. I’m not going to lie about it to spare your little feelers. I was assigned to the same unit when I first hired in. He liked what he saw. Offered to ease my way up the ladder if I gave him a few…favors…in return. On my back. He wasn’t the first tooffer.I didn’t play by those games back then, McKellen, and I don’t now. I told him that too. Pissed him off real good. Got myself transferred to a really rough part of Houston after that. I suspect your dear old daddy was the one filling in the blue ink on the transfer ‘request.’ Your daddy, Commander McKellen, is no better than Melvin Stillman or Joseph Winkler. Only he likes to play with the girlie rank and file while he’s at it. Theyoungerthat girl is, the better your daddy likes it. I was twenty-two.”

“I know. He’s even more disgusting than Stillman. I can’t stand him and never could. He’s the exact opposite kind of manI have always tried to be. I’m sorry for him. More than words can say. I hate that I even share a name with that man.”

“Sure. Change your name then. I need to go, boss. I need to have Frankie at the new speech therapist by three. You have any more questions, send it by carrier pigeon. Or go through Mig. I am not exactly checking my phone constantly right now. Considering.”

“I’m going to look into who is harassing you. As soon as I can.” He knew how it worked. She’d been in the news. She was a gorgeous woman. Some crazies—that was all it would take. But on the chance that it meant somethingelse,had ties to something with Major Crimes, he wasn’t going to just forget. But he had to prioritize.

He didn’t have enough manpower for this, damn it. He just didn’t. Kimball, Bell, and Costovia had been out of Major Crimes. With them gone, with Heather out—there just wasn’t enough bodies to go around. Not yet. Not until the chief could move people in to fill the holes. Even then, Daniel didn’t know that he’d trust them.

“Good luck with that, McKellen. Good luck with that. I’ve been trying to track them down for four years. And I’ve found nothing. I’m almost ready to stop trying. Except, well, a Coleson wasn’t raised toquit.”

Daniel hadn’t been either. He watched her stroll out of his office, walking like she owned the damned place. That woman—a man had to stop and watch her. He just did. There was just something about Heather Coleson that drew a man.

And apparently, drew thewrongkind of man too.

For a moment, he considered adding a guard to watch over her. To report back to him anything that was said. Anything that happened.

But he just didn’t have the manpower in the unit. He couldn’t make it happen.

He’d get ahold of Elliot. See if the chief had anyone to spare. But with Jarrod out with Haldyn right now and everything else that was going on, he just didn’t know if he could make it work.

There just weren’t enoughgood guysto go around.

42

Powell staredat the phenomenally beautiful woman sitting across the table from her and waited.

Zoey had a sleeping three-year-old boy on her shoulder, and the other woman was drooping. “I am so exhausted lately.”

“You don’t look it. You are almost…glowing?”

“Hardly.”

“Murdoch told me when he let me in that you are going to beglowingfor the next seven months.” Because all pregnant womenglowed.Well, Powell wasn’t so sure of that. She’d been having what she thought were hot flashes. While Zoey was going aroundglowing, Powell would probably just be sweaty. “I really hope it’s glowing, Zo.”

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