Captain Lee is considering the possibility, at least... if you read back far enough, you can see that Mrs. Thornton already loves him. BUT, as Agnes Hamilton could tell you, after 28 years of praying about it, it just ain't gonna be that simple... Captain Lee is not yet living a whole life SINGLE, much less considering remarriage. He knows that, and is too orderly in his approach to life to skip steps. There is also the problem of their professional situation ... she is the secretary of the commissioner of police, and Captain Lee is just a captain, but still, unofficially, the second most powerful man in the department. That is far too complex. Captain Lee does not believe in that kind of fraternization. So, ONE or BOTH of them will have to leave the police force before that can ever happen.
Still, the seed of possibility is planted ... shared values mean a great deal.
After I posted my comment it hit me that I already knew that Mrs. Thornton loved him. But what didn't hit me is the fact that the 2 of them shouldn't fraternize because Captain Lee is the Captain. If, or hopefully when they do get together I don't think they will be happy unless both of them leave the police force. Looking forward to seeing how all of this plays out. : )
It should be interesting ... probably won't be solved without extra content... but I can tell you now: Mrs. Thornton loves Captain Lee but is maybe just a little scared of him... when she was working for Commissioner Thomas, the commissioner crossed that fraternization line and accidentally revealed the depth of the corruption in that office. Mrs. Thornton is the only survivor of that office. Two deputy commissioners ended up in jail. Commissioner Thomas and his two remaining deputies who became acting commissioners died -- one resisting arrest, two just scared to death. Guess who took out ALL FIVE?
That said, go back and read the story again. Someone is already planning to leave the force, thereby potentially solving the fraternization problem...