“SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT RALPH,” Luke said to Woody as they were all led to an outdoor table. He leaned down to scratch Ed’s head as he took the seat next to Abby and tried to ignore the fluttering in his stomach. He’d faced down a crazy pimp with less anxiety than sitting next to this pretty cop. And he realized it had to stop. Abby was engaged, off-limits, involved with another man.

“He lived a good, long life,” Woody said as he too gave Ed a pat.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Luke?” Abby asked. “Burglary and shots fired at your house has to mess with your head.”

“I’m fine. Glad my partner is proficient with firearms. And grateful no one else was home at the time.”

“He didn’t take anything but your Triple Seven notes?”

“Nope. He tossed my office, but that was all that he removed.”

“Lots of guys are looking into both crimes,” Woody said. “They’ll shake something loose.”

Sandy came to take their order. She asked where Woody’s other dog was.

“I prefer to believe that he’s in heaven,” Woody said.

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” Sandy said as she frowned and gave Woody a hug.

“All dogs go to heaven,” Luke said, winking at Abby and smiling at Woody.

“Hear, hear,” Woody said, raising his water glass. They all toasted Ralph.

“How goes your case, the girl in the high desert?” Abby asked.

“We’ve been sidelined because of the shooting. Hopefully, first thing tomorrow, we’ll be back at it,” Luke said, leaning forward and catching Woody’s eye before turning to Abby. “We’re set to drive to Tehachapi to meet her on Wednesday. We’ll be there a couple of days.” He almost said they’d also be making a trip to Bakersfield to talk to a Lucy Harper but thought better of it. Nothing was certain; nothing was concrete. I’m not going to give Abby false hope.

“Luke’s got a line on a possible witness.”

“Really?” Abby asked. “For a ten-year-old case?”

“It’s a maybe.” Luke told her about Brenda Harris, the tipster who was certain that the rapist was an old neighbor. “We’re meeting Tuesday. I’m praying it’s a great lead.”

“I’ll join that prayer,” Abby said.

Luke looked into her beautiful green eyes, saw the sparkle, and felt like he could drown there.

Woody brought him back to earth. “Will that blogger, Faye Fallon, meet us in Tehachapi?” he asked.

Luke nodded. “She’s heading up there tomorrow. She’s spending a couple of days with Molly because she’s not entirely sure Molly will talk to us.” For a moment Luke struggled with the fact that the attraction he felt for Faye made him feel disloyal to Abby. Abby would be happy for him if something came of his relationship with Faye, he was certain.

“You’re going up there without being certain your victim will talk to you?” Abby asked, bringing Luke’s focus back to the victim, where it should be.

“I’m hoping she feels up to speaking with us. We have a lot to do before we meet with her anyway.” Luke shared with Abby the work they’d done so far and where they planned on starting. For a couple of minutes the back-and-forth reminded him of when they were furiously working on the Triple Seven investigation. They clicked, they jibed when they talked about stuff like this, and it made him want more.

Woody interjected here and there, but he seemed distracted, hurting about Ralph, Luke thought.

“Why is the victim so reticent to speak to you two?”

“Faye thinks it’s PTSD. And the victim’s mother doesn’t want us to give her false hope.” Luke knew Abby was not nearly as frail as Molly, but he still couldn’t bring himself to mention the trail leading to Lucy Harper.

“I understand that.” Abby gave a knowing nod. “You should be certain about your facts, and exactly how firm her foundation is, before you sit her down. Don’t string her along with vagaries.”

“I would never do that,” Luke said, holding Abby’s gaze and loving that he saw strength and balance there, so much better than the uncertainty he’d seen right after the shooting. He wanted to reach across the divide and grip her hand.

But their food came, and instead he said a blessing, mentioning comfort for Woody and his loss.

Abby spoke up when he finished. “Sounds like you’ve got the bases covered with your case.” She looked down at her food, and Luke got the distinct impression she had something else to say.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked. “You think we missed something?”

She shook her head. “No, you guys are thorough. Listening to all of this has made me think that I’d like to help. If Dr. Collins can’t get back to me right away, I may have a few days before I go back to work. Would you mind a little company?”

Luke and Woody exchanged glances as Luke’s heart jumped in his throat. She’d read his mind. There was nothing he wanted more.

“We’d love your help. Molly might feel more comfortable talking to a woman, especially one who can totally empathize. When will you know about Collins?”

“I’ll call him again first thing in the morning, then let Woody know. Sound good?”

Both Woody and Luke nodded in agreement.

“I have some other news. I don’t know when —it could be a couple of months or more —but I’ll eventually be making my way to Tehachapi on some family business. My uncle is in CCI up there. I’m waiting to be approved for visiting.”

Luke felt his jaw go slack and saw that the news got Woody’s attention as well. Simon Morgan’s file was where the information on Lucy Harper was. Would he know about her possibly seeing Buck after the fire? Would he tell Abby?

“Simon?” Woody said, putting his sandwich back on the plate. “In the prison at Tehachapi? I thought he was in San Quentin.”

“He was, but he calmed down and stopped being a problem some time ago, apparently. He was moved to CCI about three years ago.”

Luke was truly nonplussed. “What, uh . . . what made you decide to visit him?”

Abby sighed and Luke thought he saw a hesitation in her eyes.

“I don’t mean to get personal . . .”

Cocking her head, she said, “It’s not that. It’s just that my aunt convinced me that I needed to talk to my uncle. He knew my father. He might have insight about him that could help me put any doubts to sleep.”

“Doubts about whether or not he’s alive?” Woody asked, and Luke shot him a glance. He really hadn’t thought Abby would still struggle with that. The idea that she did gave him pause.

“Maybe a little.” Abby hiked a shoulder, gaze thoughtful. “But I have gotten past it. Going home was good for me. Visiting my uncle is just a way of connecting with a long-lost family member and learning what he remembers about a dad I barely knew.”

“You do sound as if getting away was just what you needed,” Luke said.

“It was. I feel as though I’m on a firmer foundation now.” She smiled and raised her glass. Luke did likewise with his tea, and Woody followed suit. The three toasted one more time.

“To the future,” Abby said. “And catching bad guys and putting them in jail.”