NS by U Page B

family had targeted you and you didn’t think I should know about it?”

    “Look, we don’t know where the threats are coming from. I found a message on my
    windshield. Three days later, my two front tires were flat. Now you know everything I know.”

    “And I don’t like it one damn bit of it.” Isaac looked at Skip. “Is that why you’re staying here?”

    Skip dropped his head.

    “Is it?” Chelsea asked.

    “Actually, it is, and since I’m here, I’m calling David.”

    Isaac took her arm. “If someone is assigned to keep you safe, where the hell was he this morning? Where is he now? I know the city is short on cops but—”

    “We try and handle things like this internally with the police, especially in the middle of a trial. If it goes public, the media gets involved. It jeopardizes our case.”

    Skip hung up the phone. “They’ll send someone around right away. I asked for
    David. He’ll come, even if he’s not on duty. I agree with Isaac. This has gone too far, Chelsea.
    Give that case to someone else or resign if you have to, but don’t put your life in danger for a job.”

    “It’s not just a job, damn it!” she screamed, looking from Isaac to Skip. “It’s my career, just like football is your career. You take your life in your hands every day you’re on that field with five or six big ass guys banging into your body at the same time.”

    They stared and Chelsea thought of the difficulty she had in choosing a career.
    She had been encouraged to follow her father into dentistry and that was not at all to her liking.
    Neither was music or restaurant management. Skip and her older brother, Charles, were musicians, record promoters and owners of a small recording station. She had worked with them while in college and found it distasteful. Her mother taught school, which was something she never aspired to do. When her mother had suggested she run their sandwich shop, she had quickly declined.

    Once she joined the DA’s office, it had been difficult to sit back and watch the
    prime cases go to less qualified attorneys, even if they did have seniority, or to the bosses’
    favorites. She knew Whitney had tried to get her assigned to better cases but the DA had other ideas. This was her first big case and she intended to follow it through.

    “None of you know what it’s like. I’m a prosecutor. I went into this field knowing full well what I was in for, but someone has to do this. Someone, and hopefully someone dedicated and knowledgeable, has to fill these positions.”

    “I admire what you’re doing.” Dee offered support. “I have enough trouble keeping the mayor’s adversaries from rubbing my nerves. I couldn’t do what you’re doing.”

    “Sometimes I don’t know if I can. I spend all weekend trying to forget the gloom and grief I’ve seen the previous week. We don’t see happy people at the DA’s office. So far I’ve been given the menial cases that no one else wants. I accepted this case knowing it was a powder keg, and I’m not giving it up. I would prefer to keep word of these threats out of the paper, but I’m not ignoring the possible danger.”

    Skip finally voiced his admiration. “I understand. I know how hard you’ve
    worked for this and how much it means to you. You’ve always been dedicated, not like our baby sister, who might be in college for the rest of her life trying to find something she can stick with.
    I’m just worried about your safety.”

    Isaac’s head had been down, his fingers tapping nervously on the table. “I’m not
    leaving town until I’m sure you’re safe.” He lifted his head slowly. “I understand your dedication to your job also, but you need to let the police do theirs and stop this before you get hurt.”

    Chelsea was touched by his concern. The look he gave her was enough to make
    her want to confess the feelings she had for him. She thought of Quincy Beckham and the night before. Telling herself the dream was a