The Second Wife by Brenda Chapman Page A

White case is the latest example. I’m also letting you know that I’ll be taking a long vacation beginning next week.”
    Everyone laughed. They clapped for Cal. I managed a couple of claps but my heart wasn’t in it. I felt more like using my hands to slap him.
    Cal stood up and raised his arms for silence. “Thank you, Chief O’Malley. As you know, I headed up the White case. We had a surprising but satisfying end to the case. I’m happy to take the credit…but I can’t because I didn’t solve it. Gwen Lake put the clues together and handed me the killers.” He reached down and pulled me to my feet. “Gwen is the true hero on this file.” His eyes were twinkling.
    I staggered against him as he pulled me into a hug. Cheers and clapping broke out. A few officers whistled. I stepped back and held a hand to my mouth.
    â€œI’ve asked the chief,” Cal continued, “and he’s agreed to promote our Gwen to junior detective. We can use her talent to help solve future cases.”
    O’Malley stood and shook my hand. “Welcome to the detective division, Gwen,” he said. “Cal says you did some very good work.”

    Brian was sitting on my front steps when I made it home. I was later than usual because Jan Hill and I had gone for a drink to celebrate my promotion. I parked the car and walked toward him. He was tired but smiled and stood to hug me.
    â€œCal tells me I owe you.”
    â€œYou’re welcome,” I said. “Do you want to come in for a minute?”
    We got a couple of beers and sat in lawn chairs on the back deck. It wasn’t as hot as it had been all July. There was a nice breeze cooling things down.
    After a while, Brian said, “I’d like to come home. I miss you and our life. What do you say, Gwen? Can you give me another chance?”
    I took my time answering. I thought about the twenty-two years we’d lived together. I remembered the pain when he left me. I’d been lonely when he was gone. But I’d made it through Christmas and my birthday and holidays without him. I fixed my eyes on the lilac bushes. They’d grown a good foot over the summer.
    â€œI say that it’s too soon. I’m not ready to be married again or to have you back in my life. You need to sort out your life too. There was a reason you fell for someone like Marjory White. We owe each other some time.”
    Brian took my hand. “Sometimes, we take for granted what we’ve got,” he said. “The grass isn’t always greener.”
    We drank our beer and sat outside until the sun set and the bugs came out. Then Brian got up to leave. I could hear his footsteps long after he disappeared into the darkness. I sat a while longer listening to the night sounds.
    I stood and stretched my hands to the sky.
    â€œYou’re going to be a detective,” I said out loud. It was the first time I actually believed it. Laughter started deep in my belly and bubbled out of my mouth. I laughed so hard that tears rolled down my cheeks. I threw back my head and looked at the stars. I yelled at the sky, “Gwen Lake, the forty-five-year-old couch potato is making a career change! Take that world!”
    Then I grabbed the empty beer bottles and stood up. I twirled twice around the deck before I danced my way into the house.

BRENDA CHAPMAN is the author of the murder mystery In Winter’s Grip (2010), along with the successful Jennifer Bannon mystery series for young adults. She is a former special education teacher and currently works as a senior communications advisor in the federal government in Ottawa, Ontario.

The following is an excerpt from
another exciting Rapid Reads novel,
And Everything Nice by Kim Moritsugu.

    978-1-55469-838-7 $9.95 pb
    When honesty isn’t always the best policy.
    Stephanie manages a clothing store and lives with her mother in the townhouse where she grew up. Her life isn’t in