�So, now you�re the hall monitor?� Diane crossed her arms in front of her and leaned against the concrete wall in Tony�s office. He was a new boss, and after the squad�s near-deadly brush with Dalto and her militant micromanagement, Diane wondered if this one was of the same ilk but with a nicer coat of paint. A much nicer coat of paint, indeed.

�Only when my detectives look like they�re working with the flu, or if they seem to have a drinking problem or an eating disorder.�

�What?�

�Well, if it�s the flu, you�re endangering the rest of the squad by working with it,� Tony said. Diane nodded in agreement.

�And if it�s a drinking problem or an eating disorder, then I want to work with you on that. I know you have struggled with the drinking in the past, and you recently killed an old friend on the job.�

Diane stood up straight and pointed at the Lieutenant, �He was NOT a friend.�

Tony surrendered, bowing his head as he raised his hands, and added, �Okay, so what is causing you to cover your breath every day?�

Diane relaxed and leaned against the wall, studying her new boss. He seemed pretty even-keel. She was a good judge of character, and she was getting a good vibe from this boss. She dropped her hands and took a deep breath.

�I�m pregnant.�

�How far along?� Tony asked, not missing a beat.

�About 10 weeks is the best guess,� Diane said, crossing her arms again. She waited for the question about who the father was.

�How long do you want to keep working?�

�Until I can�t run fast enough to chase down perps.�

�The most important thing is your health. Are you eating right? Sleeping enough?�

�Yeah. And taking vitamins.� Diane paced around the office and rubbed her neck.

�Okay, here�s the deal,� Tony began.

Diane thought, Here it comes. He�s consigning me to desk duty.