Page 5 of Justice for the SEAL
A knock on the door to her chambers and she squeezed her eyes shut. “Comein.”
A woman with short black hair pushed into the room. “I got out of work as early as I could,sweetie.”
“Did we have plans?” asked Gemma, racking herbrain.
“No, I just figured you’d appreciate a friendly face. I think you need adrink.”
“I don’t want adrink.”
“Your ex-lover’s been kidnapped and his wife’s been killed by a bomb. Honey, if anyone needs a drink,youdo.”
Gemma shivered at the thought of Barbara Royce’s fiery death. “She didn’t deserve to die like that, April. She didn’t deserve anyofit.”
“This has nothing to do with you and Royce. Don’t gothere.”
“How canInot?”
“You didn’t know he was married! It’s been eight years. Stop blamingyourself.”
“Do you think she stoppedblamingme?”
“We’re going out fordrinks.Now.”
“No.”
“I’m not asking, I’mtelling.”
“I have work to do, even if I’m not incourt.”
“And you’re really able to get it done today? Like this? You look like shit. Clearly your mind is other places, so take it home with you if you need to, but get the hell out of this office and away from the people who are looking at yousideways.”
Gemma’s head dropped. “You noticedthat,too.”
“Hell yes. Your secretary was tripping over her tongue talking about you. Get yourpurse.”
She swiped at her eyes, unaware she’d been crying. She didn’t feel like going out. She felt like going home and sobbing in a quiet, dark room. “I know you’re trying to help, but I just want togohome.”
“I know you. You’re going to beat yourself up until your soul is black and blue, then you’re going to stay up all night worrying aboutRoyce.”
“Which is exactly what I should be doingrightnow.”
April took her by the elbow. “Well, too bad, because you’re comingwithme.”
Gemma let herself be dragged from her chambers, past her secretary who yes—damn it—had an all-knowing and gossipy look on her face. The rumors had nearly derailed Gemma’s career eight years earlier, rumors that weremostlytrue.
The only part that was pure fiction was the notion that the affair had gotten her the judicial nomination. That wasn’t trueatall.
But it sure as helllookedtrue.
She’d been a hair’s breadth away from moving to a new town and starting over when things started to improve, then one day the rumorsweregone.
Well, now they’re making acomeback.
“Okay. We’ll go out. But I don’t want to go to adanceclub.”
“Fine. We’ll go to that bar you like onPeachtree.”
4
