Welcome, Officer Ramirez. I’m glad to have a fellow top in the department.” A “top,” or first shirt, was usually a reference to a first sergeant or the top of a company’s enlisted ranks. It didn’t quite mesh with the bars on Lieutenant Murdoch’s collar. He looked more like a student than a lieutenant in the University Police Department. Then again, most of the officers she’d seen so far were a cross between clean-cut frat boy and beach lovin’ surfer dude. How he knew she was former Army surprised her, but that he knew her rank meant he’d gotten access to her file. She’d need to remember that moving forward in the department. While lots of departments had watercooler gossip, personnel information was usually confidential.
“Thank you, sir. I’m glad to be here.” She offered a firm handshake
