Page 31 of Taken from Her (Phoenix Ridge Police Department #4)

"This is a high-risk operation," Angela said. "Full tactical gear, communication redundancy, and medical teams on standby. But with federal backup and coordinated timing, we can minimize our exposure."

"What are our priorities for community protection?" Diana asked Julia.

"We’re doubling patrols for vulnerable locations, temporarily relocating high-risk people, and establishing communication protocols with community leadership," Julia replied. "We keep them informed without causing panic, and they keep us informed with information gathered through their channels."

Morgan looked up from her technical analysis. "Chief, timing is critical. Intelligence suggests they're planning to relocate tomorrow night. This is our only window."

Diana felt the weight of decision settling around her shoulders. Her team had built a comprehensive operation that balanced tactical necessity with community protection.

"Any questions about the operational scope?" Diana asked.

The room remained silent, confidence in their collaborative planning evident.

"Authorized," Diana said. "Full department commitment and federal coordination. Implementation begins at midnight."

Angela stood, gathering the tactical materials. "Yes, ma'am. All units, detailed briefing in one hour."

Her phone buzzed with another text from Lavender: Café is secured for the evening. Everyone's following safety protocols. We trust you completely.

Diana gathered the operational materials to get ready to go home, feeling the weight of that trust alongside command responsibility.

The upcoming operation would test everything: her leadership, her team's competence, her department's innovative approach, and her ability to protect what mattered most.

Diana's apartment felt different at nine o'clock than it ever had before.

Tactical gear lay spread across her dining table with precision: Kevlar vest, communication devices, emergency protocols, and maps marked with approach and exit routes.

Evening light had been replaced by overhead lighting that turned her usually sterile space into an operational staging area.

Her phone rang as she checked equipment connections for the third time.

"How are you feeling about the operation?" Lavender's voice carried warmth that immediately cut through Diana's focus.

"I’m confident in the plan," Diana said, settling into her reading chair. "Angela's tactical approach is solid, the team's prepared, and federal backup provides good coverage."

"That's not what I asked."

Diana paused, recognizing Lavender's ability to see beneath the surface. "Truthfully, I'm scared. Not of the operation itself, but of what happens if something goes wrong."

"To you or to us?"

"Both." Diana glanced at the items on her coffee table. "This operation determines everything. My professional reputation, the department’s effectiveness, your safety, our future."

"Diana, listen to me."

Diana found herself straightening, focusing entirely on Lavender's voice.

"You've spent over a month building toward this moment," Lavender said. "Your team trusts your leadership, the federal task force respects your methods, and the community believes in your protection. You're ready for this."

"But what if I'm not? What if caring about you makes me hesitate at the wrong moment or take unnecessary risks?"

"What if it makes you more determined to succeed?" Lavender's voice carried gentle certainty. "What if loving me gives you even more reasons to be excellent at your job?"

Diana felt something tight in her chest begin to loosen. "When did you become the expert on operational psychology?"

"When I fell in love with someone who carries the weight of everyone's safety." Lavender paused. "Diana, you're not just protecting me tomorrow. You're protecting the collaborative approach that makes both of us better at serving our community."

"I know. It's just—" Diana stopped, recognizing familiar territory. "I've never had this much to lose before."

"You've never had this much to fight for before either."

The distinction settled into Diana's understanding. Not loss prevention but active protection.

"How's the café secured for tonight?" Diana asked.

"Angela's patrol schedule includes hourly check-ins, the alarm system is active, and I'm staying at my houseboat with enhanced security protocols," Lavender replied. "Plus, half the community is watching for anything unusual."

"Good. The operation timeline keeps you protected until we neutralize this threat."

"What time does it begin?"

"We head out and deploy at midnight." Diana checked her watch. "I need to be at the station by eleven for the final coordination."

"That gives us an hour and a half."

"For what?"

"For you to stop thinking like a police chief and remember that you're also the woman I love."

Diana felt her focus shift, recognizing the invitation to step outside command responsibilities into personal connection. "What did you have in mind?"

"Come to my home. Bring your gear if you need to, but spend the evening with me instead of alone reviewing your plans for a thousand times."

The suggestion surprised Diana with its appeal. Instead of isolated preparation, she was offered shared time with the person she loved the most.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," Diana said.

"I'll have dinner waiting."

After hanging up, Diana gathered her equipment, but the operational staging area felt different now. This wasn’t a final preparation before a solitary battle, but temporary organization before sharing time with her partner.

The drive to the harbor took fifteen minutes through Phoenix Ridge streets that would soon be part of her operational theater. But instead of scanning for tactical advantages, Diana found herself thinking about Lavender's steady confidence and her ability to give Diana a new, wider perspective.

The houseboat appeared ahead, warm light spilling from the windows. Saffron and Basil were visible through a window, and Diana saw Lavender moving between the stove and counter with graceful efficiency.

Diana parked and gathered her equipment, but the weight felt different now. Not a burden carried alone, but tools that would help her protect everything she'd found worth protecting.

Lavender opened the door before Diana could knock, taking the tactical bag without comment and setting it beside the entrance where it would be easily accessible but not dominating their time together.

"Perfect timing," Lavender said, leading her toward the galley where something that smelled like rosemary and garlic filled the small space. "Dinner's ready."

They ate at the small table overlooking the harbor, Diana gradually relaxing as operational anxiety gave way to shared domestic comfort. Lavender asked about tactical details without being invasive and offered her perspective without being directive.

"You're good at this," Diana observed, helping with dishes.

"At what?"

"Knowing exactly what I need without me having to ask."

Lavender smiled, drying a plate with careful attention. "It’s practice. Plus, you're not as complicated as you think you are."

"How so?"

"You need to be competent, trusted, and useful. The rest is just details about how to accomplish those things."

Diana felt something inside herself settle into place. It wasn’t just personal validation, but professional clarity shaped by someone who truly understood her core motivations.

"I should head to the station soon. Our window opens at midnight," Diana said, checking her watch.

"I know. But first, come here."

Lavender led her to the main seating area where the lights reflected through windows and the cats had claimed their usual territory. She settled beside Diana, close enough that their shoulders touched.

"Tomorrow, you'll be Chief Marten commanding a complex operation," Lavender said. "Tonight, right now, you're Diana, and you're loved."

The words hit Diana with unexpected force. It wasn’t just a romantic declaration, but recognition of the person underneath professional responsibilities.

"I love you too," Diana said. "And I'm going to make sure we both survive tomorrow so I can keep saying it."

"I know you will."

They sat together in comfortable silence, listening to water slap against the hull and distant harbor sounds. Diana felt operational readiness settling alongside personal contentment.

At eleven-thirty, Diana gathered her equipment and kissed Lavender goodbye with the intensity of someone who understood exactly what she was fighting to protect.

"Come back to me," Lavender said.

"Always," Diana replied, meaning it completely.

The drive to the station felt different than any preoperative preparation she'd ever experienced, a feeling of shared purpose overriding any jitters.

Diana parked outside the Phoenix Ridge Police Station and gathered her tactical gear, ready for the most important operation of her career with the clearest understanding she'd ever had of why it mattered.