Page 73 of Sweet Pea

I rolled my eyes. Addison had married Jake Parker, a detective with the Portland Police Department, a few years ago. Her best friend, Dylan, had been framed for murder and Addison had helped solve the case, which is partly why she and Dylan opened the agency. She’d fallen hard for the detective in charge of Dylan’s case, though, and he’d fallen just as hard.

“Apparently, he was involved in a crash. I need you to find out anything you can on that motorcycle accident, please. I have no idea when it happened, but apparently, it was a bad one.”

“I’m not going to be able to get you any personal medical records.”

“I understand.”

“Okay, I’ll get working on this and email you with anything I find.”

“Thanks,” I said.

Unable to focus on anything else, I packed up my laptop and told my assistant I was leaving for the day, before heading down to Gregg’s office. Knocking on his door, I entered when bid and sat in the chair in front of his desk. “I need to take a couple of personal days.”

“Why?”

“It’s personal,” I said.

He sighed, dropping the pen he’d been holding on the desk. “Callie, you’re barely here as it is.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s fair.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No. Look, Gregg, I was promised that my position here would be one that would make a difference. I told you I wanted to help kids and families heal from trauma, and so far, all I’ve managed to do is help you win a few cases and further your career. But mostly I’m treated like a glorified consultant, whose advice isn’t taken most of the time, by the way.”

“Now, don’t get testy,” he grumbled.

“Jesus Christ, Gregg, if you want testy, I’ll show you fucking testy.”

“I don’t think that language is called for, Callie.”

“Well, how about this language?” I said, standing. “Please, sir, take your job and shove it up your ass. Consider this my two-weeks’ notice, but I’ll be taking whatever’s left of my vacation time, so I’ll clean out my desk now.”

“Wait, Callie, let’s not be rash,” he called, chasing me down the hall.

“The only rash around here is the one on your lips from kissing the district attorney’s ass.”

With my assistant’s help, I cleaned out my office and then headed to my car, my phone ringing just as I climbed in.

“This is Callie.”

“Hi, Callie. This is Dr. Gardner.”

I bit my lip. “Ah, hi. Thanks for calling me back. I’m not really sure what to say, to be honest.”

“How about I save you the grief?” she asked. “You called while I was in with Pea, so I asked him if I could tell you anything.”

I pressed my hand to my stomach. “And?”

“He said I could answer any questions you have.”

“Is he...?” I swallowed. “Is he okay?”

“Well, that’s relative,” she said. “He’s alive, which had it been someone smaller and not in as good of shape as him, wouldn’t be the case.”

I bit my fist and tried not to cry out in anguish. “Okay. Um...does he need anything?”

“No, he’s being taken care of. Physically, anyway.”

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