Derek had watched Camden pull away with Anna in the car. He sighed in frustration, he really cared for her, and she had lied to him, as had his brother.
"Sorry I lied to you," Darryl said, walking into the office. "I really am, but it was for her safety, and I knew how you would react. She did a fine job, she took down the drug runners and their boss, I just wish it hadn't been Matt."
"Yeah, me too," Derek sighed and turned to his brother. "I am sorry for blowing up, but I was really mad."
"I know. I should have told you."
"We'll never see her again, will we."
"Probably not."
"She works where?"
"In Billings, I brought her out of retirement. She had quit because her fiancé was killed in the line of duty right before her eyes, she blamed herself. But her Chief and I talked her into working for me. She lived up to her reputation, she is a really good cop."
Derek nodded. "She is," he agreed.
"Too bad you like her so much, I would take her for myself," Darryl grinned and left the room.
Anna made it home by dawn. She sighed as she went inside, and throwing her luggage onto her floor, she collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
It was early afternoon before she woke up. She dragged herself out of bed and showered then decided it was time to call her chief. She would talk to him first, and then do the hardest thing she had too, hand her catering business over to her workers if they wanted it. She was ready to get back to work being a cop. What she had done for the Landon brothers had made her realize what she had really missed out on.
"Chief Dupaix," came the answer after Anna had dialed.
"Hey, it's me."
"Anna, finished already?"
"Yes, I'm back home."
"I should have had you stop here on your way back, I would have talked you into staying here."
"Actually, I came home to pack, so I could come and stay there. I am ready to come back to work Chief."
"Are you serious? You want to stay?"
"Yes, I really miss you guys."
"Good, I am glad. You know, I do have a certain apartment that is still vacant," he laughed.
"You held onto it?"
"Only for you. I knew you would be back."
"Don't tell me you have had to pay rent on it this whole time."
"No, we own the building. I'll have a couple of the guys go in and clean it today for you."
"I would appreciate it Chief."
"So, what happened exactly?"
"How about I tell you when I get there? I'll drive, but I need to go and hand over my catering business to the ladies first, pack up, and see what I can do to get this place sold unless one of my workers wants to buy it."
"Okay, let me know if you need more time. Do you need some help packing?"
"No, I don't have much."
"Sounds good, I'll see you here tomorrow."
"Thanks, Chief."
She hung up and then called her ladies to meet her there in her catering kitchen.
The six women showed up a while later, giving Anna a hug. She made them sit down on the stools in the kitchen. "I have some news for you," she said.
"Did you finally find a man?" Alice asked, making Anna laugh, along with the other women.
"Well, I thought I had, but he got away. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."
Alice saw her frown. "Anna, what's bothering you?"
"I have a confession," she said, looking at her workers. "I am not a caterer by trade."
"You aren't?" one of the other women, Shauna asked her.
"No, I am a cop," she said, pulling out her badge and gun she had tucked under her shirt.
The women gasped. "Well, I never saw that one coming," Alice chuckled.
"I know, and I am sorry, I gave up my job when my fiancé was killed a few years ago. I apologize for not telling you."
"So, why are you telling us now?" another one of her workers, Vicky, asked her.
"Well, because I am going back to Billings to be an officer again."
"What made you decide that?" Alice asked her.
"My trip I just took, it changed my mind of where I want to be. I was actually in a town catching some drug runners and the man behind it all."
The women all gasped again.
"Wow," Shauna laughed, "I bet they didn't see you coming."
"Nope," Anna grinned.
"So, what happened?" Alice asked.
So, Anna told them, leaving out the kissing part of course, but telling them about Derek and Darryl.
"That man is a downright fool," Alice harrumphed. "He finds out you are a cop and he gets mad? He should be happy that you were there protecting his sorry ass."
Anna grinned, "Thanks Alice, I wished he saw it the same way, but he doesn't and that is fine, but that brings me to another item of business. I am going to sell all of you the catering business, if you want it."
Alice nodded. "I do. We have a good name for ourselves," she said. "And in your honor, we will leave it in your name."
"You don't have to do that," Anna said, but she was smiling.
"Of course we do, no one would know us otherwise, and when they ask about you, we will tell them you are on a long vacation."
"I just don't know what to do with the house," Anna said, looking around the kitchen.
"I think we should head to the bank right now, and you can transfer it into our names," Alice said, looking at the other women. "When there is a big catering event, we can spend the night."
"I like your thinking," Anna smiled at Alice.
"I am the smart one of the bunch," Alice smirked.
"You wish," Anna chuckled.
"Hey, I'm not out there getting shot at, so I am too," Alice pointed out.
That made the others laugh.
"Okay, you have me there."
"Promise to stay in touch?" Alice then said, hugging Anna to her.
"Of course. You women have been there for me through everything."
The ladies had known that Anna's fiancé had been killed, but she had never elaborated on it, but knowing she had been grieving, they had helped her overcome her sorrow for the most part.
"Need help packing?" Shauna then asked.
"If you would, that would be great," Anna sighed. "I just have clothes. I am leaving everything else to you ladies."
They grinned at her. They didn't mind, it was a beautiful house.
The seven of them headed out first and went to the bank. It took a few hours, but the names were transferred over, and Anna walked away from her business she had grown to love.
The women helped her pack then, and that evening, they all went to dinner as one last hurrah.
They laughed and swapped war stories of past loves, and Anna told them about being a cop, which they all were in awe over.
Finally feeling content that she was doing the right thing, Anna headed home to sleep one last night in her bed.
The next morning, she called her Chief to let him know she was on her way.
"All packed up?"
"I am, just bringing clothes. I handed everything else over to the ladies I work with."
"That's good, and it will be really good having you back here Anna. By the way, I having Edmund meet you at the police station. I have a case I am working on. He will take you to your place."
"Okay," Anna said, wondering why he would say that. She remembered where the apartment was, so why would he need to be there to show her? Oh well, she wouldn't question the chief.
Edmund was a past co-worker and fellow detective that had been good friends with Anna, and had tried talking her into staying, but she couldn't handle it, and had left anyway. It would be good to see him.
Anna said goodbye to her chief, took one last look at her house, climbed into the car and headed out to her new life.