“Oh wow, which means she’s also remembering the assault.”
“Apparently so.”
“Do you think she’d be up for talking to someone who gets what she’s going through?”
“I’m sure it couldn’t hurt.Why don’t you reach out to Archie about that?”
“I will.But I came here to talk about you.I’m hoping all this, coupled with all the crap that’d happened before this, isn’t pushing you into an existential crisis about continuing on the job.”
“It might have without the support of all my friends.Having you all come out to support me at the podium was amazing.”
“That was Lindsey’s idea, and we were all for it.”
“It lifted me up when I needed it, as did the statement Gonzo made for the squad and what Lenore said.Malone is fired up, and so is the chief.That makes a difference.”
“After the Deasly case, I went through it myself, wondering how I could continue to wear the badge and do the job when we’d failed that family—and so many others—for more than a decade.”
Jeannie had investigated one of Stahl’s unsolved cold cases involving a missing teenager and uncovered a human trafficking ring that was still being unraveled months later.
“It’s taken some time with Dr.Trulo and talking it out with my family here and at home to realize that there was nothing I could’ve done to stop others from failing to do the right thing,” Jeannie said, “and by taking on guilt that should belong to them, I was punishing myself for other people’s sins.Or something like that.”
“You make a very good point, and I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better about things than you were.”
“Dr.Trulo has helped me to see we can only do what we can do.We can’t control the actions of others.We can only control how we react to them.I choose to put good before evil and to always do the right thing rather than the expeditious thing.”
“I hope you know how much I admire your courage and resilience.”After Jeannie had been kidnapped and assaulted by Mitchell Sanborn, Sam had worried her friend might never come back to work.She’d not only come back, but she’d come back stronger than ever and had made an epic bust in the Deasly case.
“That means a lot to me, but I give you most of the credit for dragging me back to work.”
“I wouldn’t want to do this job without you.”
“Same goes.Please don’t quit us.”
Sam laughed.“What the hell would I do with myself without this job?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Jeannie said with a grin.“Maybe travel the world and give speeches?”
“That’d require far too much flying and peopling.”Sam wrinkled her nose.“I’m much happier right here in this shabby office with my beat-up desk and dented file cabinet.”
“I’m relieved to hear you’re planning to stick it out.”
“What choice do I have?It’s in my blood.”
“Yes, it is.While we’re discussing things you dislike, my mother and sisters are planning a baby shower that you’ll be invited to.You’re under absolutely no obligation.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
“Do you have a fever or something?”
“You’re the second person to ask me that in an hour!”
Jeannie laughed.“Well, it’s unusual for you to respond enthusiastically to something like a baby shower.”
“It’s possible I could be growing up.Finally.”
“Nah, don’t let that happen.We like you just the way you are.”
“Thanks for coming by and for all the support.Means the world to me.”
