Wahlman laughed. “So you’re a social worker, too?”
“Nope.” Clancy got right in his face. “I’m a cop. And as a cop, I am always looking out for public safety and the integrity of our legal system.”
Wahlman’s face fell. He was about to respond, but decided against it. The congressman marched back to the helicopter.
Clancy shook his head and watched him go, and Deon sidled up next to him. “What was that all about?”
“Maybe someday I’ll tell you the whole story.” He slapped Deon on the back. “Right now we’re late for shift change.”
* * *
The sun was still bright when Evelyn saw Clancy’s Jeep pull up the gravel drive. She jumped from the chair and quickly checked her reflection in the mirror over the fireplace. She looked as worn-out as she felt. There was no way around it—her face advertised stress and exhaustion and it was time to admit that the Brigitte Nielsen look didn’t work for her. Of course, being attractive hadn’t exactly been at the top of her list for the last couple months. It still wasn’t. But with Clancy around, it was now at least on the list.
She watched him exit the Jeep and pull the seat forward. Two large Labrador retrievers, one black and one chocolate, tumbled onto the ground and began an out-of-control dance of happiness. They were so cute! On closer inspection, it looked as if the black dog was missing a leg. It sure didn’t seem to slow him down any. The dogs went running along the side of the house and headed toward the backyard.
Christina’s head popped up from her coloring project. “That him? That the guy?” Mercifully, Evelyn had found some markers in the kitchen junk drawer and printer paper on a living room bookshelf, and set up her niece at the dining room table. The activity had kept her busy for at least a half an hour, which was a half hour during which Christina didn’t obsess about the pretty mermaid—she just would not let it drop.
“Yes, that’s him. He brought his dogs, too. So let’s be gentle and give them a chance to smell us, okay?”
“Okay!” She flew off the chair and ran toward thedoor.
“And remember how we decided to be polite and call him ‘Officer Clancy’?”
She nodded, wiggling with excitement. “Yep!”
The door opened, and Clancy stuck his head in tentatively, as if he was unsure what he would find in his own home.
“Hi, Sir Clancy!”
His attention snapped to Christina and then to Evelyn. He burst out with a surprised chuckle. “Finally—the recognition I deserve!”
He bent to give Christina a pat on the head. “And hello to you, fair maiden . . . er, I mean knight.”
“I am Pirate Jellybean!” Christina began hopping up and down.
“You look more like a jumping bean to me.”
Unfortunately, Christina interpreted that as an invitation to bounce around his house. “We’re going to see the pretty mermaid! We’re going to the Save Heaven! She lives there when she’s not under the sea!”
“Yikes.” Evelyn hurried over to where Christina had hopped too close to an antique curio cabinet. “Sorry.” Evelyn glanced up at Clancy, still standing by the front door with an amused look on his face. “I think she needs some play time. She’s a little, well, pent-up.”
“I know the feeling well.”
Evelyn straightened, holding her niece’s hand, and mirrored the slow, teasing smile that broke over Clancy’s face. Oh, my. She couldn’t wait for her next fifteen minutes alone with him.