Valerie Hansen - The Rookie's Assignment

The Partner’s Secret

Law enforcement in Fitzgerald Bay is full of Fitzgeralds, from the chief of police to brand-new detective Keira Fitzgerald. Are they tampering with a murder investigation to protect one of their own? Internal affairs detective Nick Delfino is sent undercover to investigate the powerful clan. Yet the deeper he digs, the more Nick comes to admire the Fitzgeralds…especially his rookie partner, Keira. When a killer targets Nick, can he maintain his cover, catch his attacker and protect Keira while the looming danger closes in?

The Rookie’s Assignment

Valerie Hansen

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Consider it pure joy 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 1:2–4

I never participate in a series without thanking my fellow authors. In this case, they are Shirlee McCoy, Rachelle McCalla, Stephanie Newton, Lynette Eason and Terri Reed. I’d also like to thank retired officer and author Lee Lofland for steering my fictitious police officers out of trouble as much as possible.

And thanks to my husband Joe and friend Karen for proofing. Any mistakes left after their reading are probably ones I made later!

Special thanks and acknowledgment to Valerie Hansen for her contribution to the Fitzgerald Bay miniseries.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

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 1:2–4

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 Douglas’s desk.

“What’s going on? I haven’t heard this much grumbling since the Minutemen lost their last football game.”

Captain Douglas Fitzgerald raised his blue eyes—a familial trait he shared with Keira—and arched his brows. “You’d better go find out for yourself. The chief is waiting.”

“For me? Why?”

“I’ll let him tell you.”

“Hey, I thought big brothers were supposed to look out for their sisters.”

“Believe me, Keira, if there was anything I could do to get you out of this, I would.”

“Out of what?” 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 father’s closed office door.

“Okay, okay. I get it. I’m going.”

She smoothed her short, dark hair and checked every aspect of her neatly ironed blue uniform before knocking on Aiden Fitzgerald’s door and peeking in. “Morning, Chief. You wanted to see me?”

“Yes,” Aiden said. “Come in. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Keira was duly impressed the moment her gaze swept over the man standing beside her father. Probably about thirty, he wasn’t 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.

“This is Keira Fitzgerald, the officer I was telling you about,” the chief said. “Keira, Nick Delfino.”

Smiling slightly she extended her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Although Nick accepted her overture with a firm grip he didn’t return her smile. “My pleasure.”

“Welcome to Fitzgerald Bay.” 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. “Sorry. I just came in. It’s freezing out there.”

“Nick is from Boston. He’s used to our climate,” Aiden said. He cleared his throat. “He’s been reassigned here to temporarily assist us in our investigation of the murder.”

“The Olivia Henry murder,” Nick added.

So that was what was bugging Douglas and the others. Their expertise was being challenged. No wonder she’d sensed so much tension in the air this morning. Nobody liked having their work questioned—especially not by some supposed hotshot from the big city. Then again, maybe they did need help. They hadn’t made much progress on that case in the month since the body had been discovered.

Poor Olivia had been working as a nanny for Keira’s brother Charles Fitzgerald, taking care of his young, motherless twins when she’d been murdered. The town was still reeling over her death and the senselessness of the killing, not to mention the undercurrent of unrest that lingered due to their inability to solve the case.

When her father didn’t elaborate, Keira felt compelled to rise to his defense. “That’s the only murder investigation we’re working on. I assure you, Fitzgerald Bay is not a bit like Boston.”

“I see.” One corner of Nick’s mouth twitched as if he might be laughing at them on the inside, even if he was too polite to let it out.

Aiden cleared his throat and Keira could tell that he was deeply troubled. It was natural for her father, as police chief, to take any serious crimes personally. She just wished they’d get this particular file closed—for everybody’s sake.

“I’m teaming you up on the Henry case, at least for the time being,” the chief said, looking from one to the other. He finally settled his gaze on Keira. “Nick is a highly experienced detective, which is the main reason I agreed to let him help us out. I had already talked to an old friend in law enforcement about bringing in fresh eyes so I didn’t hesitate when I got a call from the State Police recommending we utilize Nick. I’m sure he can teach us plenty.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped. “But…”

“No buts, Keira. I’m speaking as your chief and as your father. When I partner you with any of our regular officers, especially with your brothers, I worry that they’ll risk their lives to protect you.”

“Of course they would. I’d do the same for them,” she insisted, frowning and embracing Douglas’s defensive mood more fully by the second.