Page 7 of No Room to Breathe
Of course she did.Her part was likely platitudes and wild theories.“Did you give Hoffman the killer’s name and current location?”
“Unfortunately, no.”Her mouth tugged down on one side.“I did give the Archers some peace about their daughter.Now that the body is recovered, they can give her a proper burial and start healing.”
Healing.The word pissed him off.What did that even mean?When you lost everything that mattered was healing even within the realm of possibilities?
He glanced around, realizing he was following her away from the station and around the block like a lost puppy.She might’ve chosen the venue, but he needed to regain control of the conversation.
“How do you convince people?”he demanded.“Seriously.Are you that good or are people that dumb and gullible?”
“You’re a cop.You tell me,” she replied.“Are people dumb?”
“In a crisis, they sure can be.”That damned voice in his head was pointing the finger at him right now.He was not behaving like a professional.“And we both know you take advantage of that.”
“Why are you angry with me?”She didn’t even look at him, her gaze was fixed on the view in front of them.
For the entirety of his life, anger hadn’t been an issue.If he got mad, he got over it.Nothing dug in and festered.He wasn’t abusive or nasty.Hell, in general he didn’t get mad at all.
But life had changed.
He was a different man now.Admittedly, he’d become a man he didn’t like much.Every day he woke up feeling mean and edgy, seeking a target for the rage that built up overnight.Every night.He could barely look at his reflection long enough to shave in the mornings.Uncomfortable, he shifted his attention back to her.“I’m mad because you take advantage of people.I bet folks find your website, inquire, and are quickly relieved of their money while you fill their heads with nonsense.”
“Are you expecting me to convince you otherwise?”
“I am,” he snapped, earning her full attention.
Her eyebrows rose above her sunglasses.“That seems like a waste of energy.”
“You won’t even try to defend yourself?”
“To you?”She shook her head.
“Try,” he insisted.
She stopped and faced him, heedless of other people on the sidewalk.“Did you come to my website, use a fake name, inquire, send me money and get a head full of nonsense?”
“Hell no.”He would never.He’d been to the website, but never done more than skim the pages, searching for any possible claim he could pounce on.Not finding anything was one more reason to be angry.Surely, she’d make a mistake soon.
“Then why are you so sure I don’t help the people who come to me?Have you asked any of my clients?The Archers are pleased with the results.”
Her logic lit his temper, a match to dry tinder.“You’re a fake.A fraud!”He pushed his hands through his hair, ignoring the looks aimed at them.“I won’t let you hurt anyone else.”
“Detective Laurier, how did I hurt you?”
The gentleness of her voice had tears blurring his vision.Hadn’t he cried enough in recent months?The well should be dry, the emotions should be leveling out, not tossing him around like class five river rapids.
“You’re a fraud,” he repeated.“Any decent human being with an ounce of your self-proclaimed gift would’ve given me a warning.”He balled up his fists and pressed them to his churning gut.“You’re either a fraud or you hate me.”
“I don’t know you well enough for hate,” she murmured.
Gradually, the sunlight warmed his face, chased away the chill on his skin.A knot of tension around his heart eased.Baffled, he glanced down to see her hands resting on his fists.“Please take another deep breath,” she said.
He should pull away, but he didn’t want to.“What are you doing?”
“Being a decent human being.”
“You’re controlling me.”He couldn’t muster up the anger he’d felt just minutes ago.
“If only that were possible,” she muttered.“You’re exhausted and it’s catching up to you.Will you take a few minutes and walk with me?Please?I’m worried for you.”
