Page 107 of Shadow of Justice
“I’m pretty sure. She admitted her lost weekend needs to be over. We need her back in the game.”
“Hmm. Well, that’s interesting. And encouraging. But you didn’t really answer me. And so I’m clear. It’s not that you need my permission to make a choice like that.”
“Don’t I?” I said, quicker than I meant. A stab of fear went through me.
Sam took my hands in his and brought them to his lips. “That came out wrong. What I meant to say … you know you would have had my support. Whatever you decided to do.”
“Sam … we’ve talked about this plenty. Me as prosecutor and you as sheriff. It could cause issues for you. That was absolutely part of my thought process.”
The crease between his eyes softened. “I’m glad. Because …” He looked over his shoulder. Will had a pair of earbuds in as he stirred his chili. My stomach growled.
“Sam, there’s another issue with what Cutler said. I told you. I’ve discussed running for prosecutor with very few people. You. Kenya. Caro and Hojo. And those last two really briefly. Mostly trying to gauge if Hojo really didn’t want it. Cutler got his information from somewhere.”
“Or he didn’t,” Sam said. “He just took a wild guess and said it to rattle you. And it did. Here we are talking about it.”
“And Ihavemade a decision,” I said. “I mean it. I want to stay where I am.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Mara, I just don’t like the idea that it was because of me.”
I took a breath. Sam met my eyes. I thought of everything we’d been through in the last few months. He’d been a solid source of support. Never putting more pressure on me even though part of my job had added more stress to Gus. And there was Will. Somehow, Sam had found a balance with him. Not a replacement father. But a mentor. Someone Will knew he could trust.
“Yes,” I said. “Part of my decision was because of you. I’ve been honest about that.”
“Mara …”
“Let me finish. It’s important what we do. The county needs you. You’re my sheriff too. I’ve seen good ones. I’ve seen lousy ones. I know how bad lousy ones can be. I think you’re heading toward being a great one. That matters to me. You matter to me.”
“You matter to me, too.”
“And I liked what you said. As much as the county needs a good sheriff, they need someone good at that prosecutor’s table, too. I think that’s me. I think I can do more good where I am than dealing with union contracts and the county commissioners and all the administrative stuff that comes with Kenya’s job. And it’s not like it pays all that much more than what I’m doing now. So, Kenya’s going to run. She’ll win. And we’ll get the band back together the way it was.”
He smiled. “As long as it’s really what you want.”
“It is.”
“Sam, will you just do it already?” Will shouted. He was way too loud on account of his earbuds. I gestured toward my own ears. Will pulled one out.
“Did you do it?” he asked Sam.
Sam’s face lost a little color. “Uh … we were kind of talking about something else.”
“You want me to go back to the kitchen until you’re done?” Will asked. “It’ll be okay. She’s gonna say yes.”
I felt a jolt of adrenaline. What had the two of them been plotting?
I looked back at Sam. He’d subtly shifted his posture. He had one leg on the couch and the other slid down so he rested on his knee.
His knee. He was positioning himself down on one knee.
“Sam …” I said.
Will’s face dropped. “Oh. Sorry. My bad.” He quickly turned and went back to the kitchen.
“Well,” he said. “You can see I’ve got a bit of a co-conspirator. Maybe that’s okay. Maybe that’s perfect, actually.”
