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“Thanks.”
“Are Mommy and baby healthy?”
“Very,” he answers.
“Did you have an ultrasound?”
He flips up a stack of papers and pulls out the printed photo stashed on the bottom.
I take it from him, my lips curling in delight at the black and gray shape of my new niece. Or nephew. I’m feeling niece, though.
“Well, that’s unfortunate,” I say.
“What?” he asks.
“We’re never gonna evolve away from this nose, are we?”
He laughs and snatches it out of my hand. “Anything new going on with you?”
“Oh, yeah. You know me. Party every night,” I quip. “Got a date later this evening, as a matter of fact. I’m gonna get all pretty, hang up my ankle holster, and have a good time.”
He smirks. “New bath bomb come in?”
I point a finger and wink. “It’s gonna be off-the-hook!”
“How’s work?”
“Eh, you know Boston,” I say, slurring. “Another day, another body.”
“Anyone I know?” he asks.
“Not unless you know Canon McGregor.”
He nods slowly. “I’ve heard the name.”
“The Shanks were the big dogs of Boston for a long time,” I say. “The McGregors and the Quinns were happy to linger in the wings until they went down. When they finally did, the bickering over who got the old Shank territory began, but it hasn’t gotten violent until now.”
Vincent shows some concern in his face. “Be careful,” he says.
“I will. Sally says hi, by the way.”
His face lights up. “I knew she’d miss me, eventually.”
I roll my eyes and stand up. “Gonna take the kid home. Is Evey at the bar?”
“Yeah — but don’t tell her I told you that stuff before,” he says quickly. “She wanted to tell you at dinner tomorrow night.”
I scoff in annoyance. “Vin...”
He shrugs.
Before Charlotte, I never really had an off-switch.
I was Anna Silva. The top homicide detective in Boston. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, I had my head in the game. I was only as good as my next closed case. I dedicated every moment to keeping the innocent people of Boston safe.
Then I had her.
My head is still in the game. Don’t get me wrong. Someday, I’ll make Captain. I still wake up with the drive to protect and serve. That dream isn’t over, but another urge grew in me, one that I couldn’t ignore.
