“I am,” he said. “I keep thinking though about how I could have lost you.”
“It’s our jobs.”
“I know that and I know it goes both ways,” Josh said.
Maya thought about how she’d almost lost him the past spring. “I know how you feel, though. But it’s also why we’re so good together. We have each other’s backs and we understand the job.”
“That and I love you more than anything,” Josh said. He leaned over and kissed her. Maya returned the kiss,her lips tingling and suddenly wishing they weren’t in her patrol vehicle at the sheriff’s station.
When they parted, she said, “And I love you more than anything.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he said.
“You ever doubt that?”
“No.”
“Good,” Maya said. “We better go in before I take us home and we lock ourselves in the bedroom.”
“I actually would be okay with that,” Josh said with a smile. “But I know. We have some things to do.”
“We do,” Maya said, reluctantly opening the door and getting out of the vehicle.
They headed into the front entrance. The sun had set and the sky was dark, but the smoke was less. She could see some stars shining brightly.
“Nana always told me as a little kid that one of the stars was my mom proudly looking down,” Maya said, stopping to stare up and better appreciate the night sky. “I’d like to think Nana is also there with her.”
“You know they both are,” Josh said. “And even though I never met them, I know they are proud of you.”
“Thanks,” Maya said, taking his hand and holding it as they headed inside to the lobby. “I know Abigail being shot and Ross being arrested won’t bring them back, but I do feel like it’ll help me move forward and bring some more closure. I still don’t really know what closure means, but maybe it’s simply getting answers.”
“In that case, who do you want to talk to first?” Josh asked.
Maya saw Kessler coming down the hall from the interrogation rooms. He appeared frazzled, but also more relaxed. She figured he too was letting down knowing that Abigail was no longer a threat and he knew who her partner was. Although Maya also knew he had to be disappointed that Agent Ross had been Abigail’s partner. There was nothing worse than someone you looked up to letting you down. Maya figured it had to sting.
“Hey there, Kessler,” Maya said, greeting him with a handshake. “How are you doing?”
“Don’t ask,” Kessler said, then adding, “But not bad. Ross has been picked up already and sent to the federal detention center. I told them he had to go to max security. The last thing I want is to have to chase him down. And he should have a cell to himself, so maybe he’ll survive the night.”
“I figured there would be people in there that wouldn’t be happy to see him,” Maya said. “I’m sure some of them would love nothing more than to give him some retaliation.”
“You’re right, there’s a couple prisoners he put there. I’ll admit, though, I’m so upset with him that there’s a part of me that wouldn’t mind letting them be in with him, but I know I shouldn’t say that.”
“We’re all human,” Maya said. “You’re tired and he betrayed you. I think you have a right to feel that as long as you don’t act on it.”
“Thanks, Thompson,” Kessler said.
“I have a couple questions though if you have time,” Maya said.
“Sure, right now I’m just finishing things up here and then I’ll get on the road and head back to Denver. I want to go talk to Agent Bernardo’s family... tell them he was a hero and died trying to save a teenage girl. I know nothing will ever bring him back, though.”
“I know that will be hard,” Maya said. Death notifications were the toughest part of their job. And even worse when it was another officer.
“What’s your questions?” Kessler asked.
“I’m curious about Ross. The gal Josh interviewed said Abigail’s partner was a marshal. Was he ever with the marshals?”
“No,” Kessler said. “But I had just received everyone’s files when you and Hope were being pursued by Abigail. I was looking through them and discovered Ross had been deputized as a marshal when he was up in Montana.”
