“None of your damn business,” Myles remarked. He tried to keep a straight face but he couldn’t keep his lips from curving up into a small smile.
“Ahhh…” the guys teased and laughed.
Zain made the whipping sound.
“Fuck ya’ll.” Myles shook his head.
“Oh, how the mighty has fallen.” Ash chuckled.
Declan coughed, obviously trying not to laugh. He held up a hand. “Okay, men. We need to get serious for a second. We’ll all talk about Myles in a bit.”
The room quieted. A couple of snickers could be heard before the team turned their attention to Declan who stood from his seat.
“Mac is meeting with Officer Knight to explain the interviews to her. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you to be professional with the questions. Did everyone review her CV?”
Nods went around.
Myles had to force himself to focus. He couldn’t let Roxxy consume him now. Team interviews were essential. If the team was satisfied with the candidate, it could mean adding on to their team. It had been a few years since they’d accepted someone.
He tried to think if he had any questions for Knight. He was sure something would come to mind once they got the meeting going.
A few minutes later, Mac ushered Officer Knight into the room. She was an African-American woman, tall and fit. Her dark hair was pulled back away from her face in a respectable ponytail. Her face was void of any emotions, making it hard for Myles to read her. She took her seat and gave a tight smile to the room.
“Officer Knight, I’m sure you have met the team, but I’ll go around and introduce everyone,” Mac began. He moved over to the corner. He announced each man’s name to move the introductions quickly.
“It’s nice to formally meet everyone,” Jordan said. She had good eye contact with them.
Myles was pleased. Meeting their team sometimes caused anxiety or the candidate to become flustered.
Jordan, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber.
“Thanks for applying for SWAT. We reviewed your file and see you were with Atlanta’s PD for some time. Why the transfer?” Declan started the questions off.
Jordan sat back and crossed her legs. She was still dressed in her blues, but she appeared as if she were in comfortable clothing.
“My sister lives here in Columbia. She recently became a widow and now is a single mom to two rambunctious boys. She needed me, and I was willing to move here to be close to her so I could help out.”
Loyal to family. That was a good quality and one that was needed for a SWAT officer.
The level of respect for her was rising.
“What makes you the best candidate out of all the ones who applied?” Zain asked.
The room was dead quiet and slightly tense. This was the one time that the team came together to assess the candidates, and they had to nail the interview.
“Police work is all I know. My father was a cop. My brother is SWAT for Miami. My grandfather was a cop, as was his father. I grew up surrounded by policemen and women. I’ve always had a great respect SWAT officers. I feel that I am the best to join this team, because I know what it takes to be a member. Long days and nights, physically fit to be able to do the job, intelligence, discipline, skills, and camaraderie. You can check with any of the partners I’ve had in the past, and they will vouch that I have all of that.”
Myles had to fight back a grin. She was spunky. The woman obviously knew what it would take to be on their team.
“Training. How have you trained? You impressed us at tryouts, hence why you are here, but what have you done in the past that gives you an edge?” Iker asked.
A grin spread. “Being one of few women gave me the drive to ensure I am the best at what I do. In Atlanta I always felt I had to prove myself because of who my father is and because I’m a woman. So I’ve trained with the Atlanta guys and with my brother’s team when I would visit him. Not only am I a master of weapons, but I hold a black belt in karate.”
“Why didn’t you try out for Atlanta before you moved?” Brodie asked.
“The year before I came here, my sister’s husband was very ill. I couldn’t commit to what they needed at the time because my priority was my sister and her family.” Jordan’s gaze landed on Myles.
He had yet to ask a question. He had been studying her the entire time. Watching her body language.
To sum it up, the woman bled blue. She was a tough cookie and fiercely loyal to her family.
“What do you hope to get out of joining SWAT?” Myles asked. He knew why most people wanted to, but there was something that everyone wanted out of the special team they applied for.
Being SWAT didn’t make a person rich by any means. The job would beat that person down and take everything from them.
Jordan stared at Myles. She blinked a few times. It wasn’t a normal question to ask, but her answer would be the determining factor for Myles.
“What do I hope to gain from joining SWAT?” she repeated the question back. Her brow furrowed while she thought of her answer. “That’s a good question, Officer Burton. Besides the opportunity to use my skills, I would say a team where I would really feel like I belong.”
Myles sat back.
He was satisfied with the answer.
The interview lasted another twenty minutes until the guys reached a place where they felt they had asked all the questions they needed.
“Let me walk you out,” Mac offered. He pushed off the wall since the team had concluded their interview. “Thanks for coming at the end of your shift. We appreciate it.”
Jordan stood with a smile. “It was no problem. Thank you, gentlemen. I really appreciate the opportunity to sit down and speak with you. Have a good evening.”
