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Whitney wasn’t sitting behind his desk, as was his habit He was standing, facing the single- that gave him his personal view of the city he’d served and protected for more than thirty years His hands were clasped behind his back, but the relaxed pose was negated by the white knuckles

Eve briefly studied the broad shoulders, the grizzled dark hair, and the wide back of the man who had only months before refused the office of chief to remain in command here

“Commander”

“It’s stopped raining”

Her eyes narrowed in puzzlement before she carefully made them blank “Yes, sir”

“It’s a good city all in all, Dallas It’s easy to forget that fro to reht now”

She said nothing, had nothing to say She waited

“I made you primary on this Technically, Deblinsky was up, so I want to know if she gives you any flak”

“Deblinsky’s a good cop”

“Yes, she is You’re better”

Because her brows flew up, she was grateful he still had his back to her “I appreciate your confidence, Commander”

“You’ve earned it I overrode procedure to put you in control for personal reasons I need the best, soo to the wall and over it”

“Most of us knew PA Towers, Coo to the wall and over it to find who killed her”

He sighed, and the deep inhalation of air rippled through his thick body before he turned For a , only studied the woe She was slim, deceptively so, for he had reason to know she had , slender body

She was showing soue now, in the shadows under her whiskey colored eyes, in the pallor of her bony face He couldn’t let that worry him, not now