Free Trial by Fire by Taylor Lee

after Erin when she finds out you are in love with another woman.”
    Once again, Nate looked away, not wanting the Chief to see that he also was concerned about that very thing. To his relief, the Chief changed the subject.
    “Nate, I have to ask you for a favor.”
    Nate whirled around in disbelief.
    “Damn. Since when did you ask me for anything? It’s always been ‘Stryker, do this,’ ‘do that, or I’ll eat your ass.’ Don’t tell me you’re gonna start going soft on me, Chief? Hell, I wouldn’t know how to respond.”
    The Chief grimaced again. “It’s like this, Nate. You know Roscoe James, the Police Commissioner in LA County. We go way back. Roscoe was with me and Halloran in ‘Nam. This is the first time in all these years he’s called on me for help.”
    Nate frowned. “What’s it got to do with me?”
    Roberts sighed. “Let me cut to the chase. They have a guy they’re grooming for a big role in the LAPD. Leadership. You know the gig, how it goes. Who you know counts a lot in those big departments. The guy is already a superstar in his own right. But Roscoe wanted to give him a sense of what it’s like to head up a smaller department.”
    Nate groaned and interrupted. “Oh Christ, don’t tell me. Some Senator’s son wants to be police chief so all the lackeys in the department are pokin’ their asses in the air to show what suck-ups they can be. And now they want the precocious prick to see how the other half lives. What the poh-leese in the piss-poor towns do? Jesus, Chief!”
    Chief Roberts shook his head. “You don’t have to believe it, Nate, but Roscoe wanted this guy to see you in action. To see what a real leader does in the field. You know damn well every department in the country is after you. Apparently this guy knows that and asked Roscoe if he could arrange a ‘sabbatical’ of sorts for him. To spend a couple of months working with you.”
    Nate sighed and shook his head in disgust. “And now in the middle of what you just said is the biggest case we’re likely to have in a decade—no, the century—you want me to have a snot nosed little sycophant, follow me around to see how the men with the big dicks do it?”
    Chief Roberts shrugged. “Roscoe asked me for a favor, and so I’m asking you. Besides, it’s only for two months and the guy seems genuine enough. Look Nate, he’s waiting for us in my office. If after an hour or so, you don’t think it’ll work, fine. I’ll tell Roscoe given everything else going on, this isn’t something we can do at this time. It’s your call.”
    Nate snorted, his voice heavy with sarcasm. “Right. Like I’ve ever NOT done what you asked me to do in twenty-two fucking years!”
    The Chief barked in mock anger. “What the hell are you talking about, Nate? How many times have I told you to get your fucking hair cut?!”
    Running his hands through his hair that brushed against his collar, Nate smiled at him and repeated his time honored response, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
    ~~~
    Nate followed Chief Roberts into his office and saw the back of a tall man sitting in one of the chairs in front of the Chief’s desk, apparently texting on his smart phone. When he heard them come in the man uncoiled himself from the chair, turned and nodded to them.
    Nate barked out a rough laugh and huffed, “You’ve gotta be kidding!”
    At Chief Roberts’ frown, Nate shook his head. “Relax Chief, I’m not dissing the black guy. Sam and I have already met.”
    Sam smiled at the Chief to reassure him.
    “Detective Stryker is correct, Chief Roberts. We had an opportunity to meet earlier.”
    Nate guffawed. “Yeah, and the fucker came as close as anyone has to schooling me in the ring. Fortunately for him, I didn’t have to bring out my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or it’s likely he’d be asking for a return flight to LA.”
    Sam merely shrugged and gave him a slight bow. “Perhaps we can discuss that later, Detective.”
    Nate grinned, but his flashing