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“Right. Now tell me what happened before we run out of time.” Quinn did. Predictably, Demi’s reaction was outrage. “I’m out four days, and everyone goes crazy here! You said Wilson wants to see you now?”

“Yeah.”

“To lift the suspension?”

“No idea. Hopefully, yes.”

Demi did not often shift to maternal mode now that Quinn had, in her words,‘A good, strong woman to look after you’. But she used to in the past, and now she laced one arm around her waist and kissed her on the cheek in a gesture reminiscent to the way she acted with Luke.

“Do you want me to come with you, darling?”

“To hold my hand or kick Wilson’s ass?”

“Either. Both. Whatever you need.”

“Thanks, Dem.” Quinn chuckled at her fiery resolve. “I can handle it.”

Demi delivered a brief but heartfelt hug, and then she punched her on the shoulder for good measure. “I’m here for you, don’t forget.”

“I know. Thanks.”

Quinn took a deep breath before walking into her captain’s office. Wilson was a good leader, one she respected and trusted. He had stood up for her in the past. She hoped he would do the same again this time.

“Have a seat,” he invited, turning from the window.

“Sir, have you seen the latest blog?” she prompted.

His eyes narrowed. “What? There is another one?”

“Yes.” Quinn handed him a printout. “It was posted over-night.”

She remained standing as he read, noting that his left hand went up to twirl one end of his luxuriant mustache between his fingers. This was a sign of irritation with him. The gesture was well-known among his officers, who often used it as a barometer of his mood regarding any situation. Judging from the amount of twirling in evidence now, no doubt Wilson was as pissed off by the blog as Quinn had been when she first read it. He looked up when he finished and studied her face.

“Someone sure has it in for you, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir,” she grunted.

He read some of it out loud.’Lieutenant Wesley was kicked out of the army after a disastrous operation, poorly planned and conducted, which cost the lives of many soldiers under her command. A civilian journalist also lost her life.’

Quinn gritted her teeth.I retired. Honorable discharge.

Wilson went on a bit more.

‘Lewiston P.D. ignored all the red flags when they hired her. Now we, the citizens of Lewiston, are paying the price oftheir incompetence. If Mayor Everleigh knows what’s good for him, he’ll do the right thing by getting rid of Quen Wesley – A BAD COP!’

“Can’t even spell my name right,” she growled. Wilson did not quite smile, but she saw a tiny twinkle in his eyes. “There are no red flags,” she pointed out, “either in my military or civilian record.”

“I am fully aware of that, yes.”

“And paying what price? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Quinn fell silent, trying to remain patient while he skimmed through the article again.

“In a way, this new rant might play in your favor, Wesley,” he concluded.

“Yes.” She nodded. “It’s overly personal, badly written, and full of obvious lies. A lot less credible.”

“That’s right.”