I was no longer the inexperienced young officer whose confidence he had once undermined.
I was Commander Kesha Reynolds, responsible for a highly trained investigative division within the Texas Department of Public Safety.
I had earned my position through years of demanding assignments, difficult investigations, and relentless determination.
More importantly, I had built a family and a life that no longer depended on Daniel’s approval.
My assistant, Officer Lena Brooks, appeared in my doorway.
She noticed my expression immediately.
“Commander, please don’t tell me you’re thinking about accepting that invitation.”
I set the phone on my desk.
“Oh, Lena. I’m going.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely.”
I turned toward the window, where several departmental aircraft stood on the distant tarmac.
“But I won’t be arriving the way he expects.”
Christmas morning arrived under a cold, pale sky.
Our authorized departmental helicopter flight carried us toward Colorado, its powerful engines
