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gave me an affectionate hug. “Not to worry, my dear, there is no woman that will tear me away from my beautiful wife.”
    I loved him more than I realized. Or accepted. Supposedly, it’s impossible to love more than one person deeply at the same time, or so I thought. But then I’d met Michael, and that’s when it got screwed up. I knew Eric had a hard time getting over what happened between us, and he tried not to show his feelings. I respected him for that, and didn’t want to hurt him any more. I could not let Michael come between Eric and me again, no matter how frightened I was of the possibility.
    Now was as good of a time as any to bring up Michael’s return, so I braced myself and hoped for the best.
    “Eric, there’s something I need to tell you.” I put my wine down on the table, turned toward him, and took his hand. “Kincaid called the FBI in today over the Hanna Parker case. Sheriff’s orders…”
    “I figured she would,” he said, setting his beer on the table and suddenly looking at me with suspicions. Eric was smart, he knew me, and knew something else was coming.
    “That’s not all.” I paused. He was staring at me now, waiting. “One of the agents coming is Michael.”
    He yanked his hand from mine. He stood up and walked into the middle of the room, evidently trying to get as far from me as possible.
    “I goddamn knew it!” He shook his head. “I knew that’s what you were going to say!”
    There were five very long minutes of silence as he stood in the middle of the room, just staring at the wall. I didn’t know what to say, so I kept quiet. This wasn’t exactly the reaction I expected, and I finally blurted it out.
    “Eric, please, say something. When Coop told me today, I was just as dumbfounded as you are!”
    He turned toward me, “I’ll just bet!”
    I was shocked at his response.
    “Eric, it wasn’t like I had a choice in the matter!”
    He sat back down next to me and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He would not look directly at me and just stared at the ground.
    “I don’t know what to say. Of course I’m angry. Who wouldn’t be? I know it’s not your fault, but I am angry. I just don’t think I can go through this shit again with the two of you! I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Not tonight. I’m tired and I’m going to bed.” His voice softened, but he still wore the same pained expression.
    I watched him leave the room. It felt like there was a block of cement on my chest. That was it? I wanted to go after him, but knowing Eric, he needed time alone. After that, I was awake for hours—upset about Eric, anxious about seeing Michael again, and thinking briefly about the Hanna Parker case—before falling asleep on the couch.
    When I woke up after a very fitful night, I saw that I was about to be late for work and had to scramble. Eric would get the girls up and ready for school. By the time I got to my office, I was breathless. Kincaid was a stickler for punctuality.
    I began grabbing files and putting them in order before I left to interview the van owner. It was almost time to go when I heard a light knock. Looking up, I saw the face I had been dreading, and yearning for, in my doorway.
    “Good morning, CeeCee.”
    Agent Michael Hagerman had returned.



CHAPTER SIX
    He had prayed from the beginning that Agent Hagerman would be called in to assist the case, but he’d thought it was truly a long shot. Now, as the high-profile agent entered the Richland Metropolitan Police Department, he closed his eyes and mouthed a silent “thank you.” Of course, there was always the chance that Hagerman was only stopping in to see his secret love, CeeCee Gallagher. But he didn’t think so, not with her husband so close. He had done enough research on them that he knew better. Agent Hagerman’s arrival was a sign, a sign from whatever god chose to bless him today, telling him things were going perfectly, telling him to continue because it