Chapter Ten
Molson, I love you. Call me back,” Holly ended the call, annoyed and worried that it had gone to voicemail yet again. She scrolled through her contacts, calling Molson’s brother, Detective Colborne. Pressing the phone to her ear, she listened as it rang. The door to her office opened and she motioned to her dad that she was on the phone. He nodded and grabbed the morning paper, waiting for her.
“Colborne.”
“Drew, have you seen Molson around?” Holly asked.
“Not since we all visited Margot in the hospital,” Drew admitted. “Why? What’s going on?”
“I haven’t seen him since then either. I’m worried that something has happened,” she nibbled on the inside of her cheek. “It’s not like him to ignore my calls. Was anything said that might upset him? Did he mention he was going somewhere?”
Drew hesitated. “I hoped he was still talking to you. There were a few things said that didn’t go over well. I’ve tried to talk to Molson but he’s not at the house or the shop. I’m not sure where else he would be. He returned my keys, so I know that he won’t be showing up at my place.”
“He returned your keys?” Holly questioned.
“He had a copy of my apartment keys and was borrowing my bike. He returned both sets of keys,” Drew sighed. “He was upset.”
“How upset?” Holly wanted to know.
“Pretty upset,” Drew responded. “Jana doesn’t want him around her children anymore. She feels that his connections to Tremblay are too dangerous. I may have agreed that I was worried about any backlash that might happen and didn’t want Bethany getting caught up in any trouble.”
“You both basically kicked him out of your lives,” Holly closed her eyes, sympathizing with the pain that Molson must have felt after such conversations.
“It was a mistake,” Drew said firmly. “One that I’ve been trying to apologize for, but I haven’t been able to find him.”
“Try harder. You’re the detective. Do your job and investigate where your brother might be. When you do find him, tell him I need to talk to him,” Holly hung up the phone, frustrated with Drew.
“Sounds like that gangbanger is finally leaving you alone,” Fielding commented as he looked over the business section of the newspaper. “It’s about time.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Holly’s brows came together as she whirled around to face her father.
Fielding sighed, folding up the paper. “I’ll admit it. I told him to leave you alone. I don’t remotely regret that I did. That man will only bring you heartache and pain.”
“You told him to leave me alone?” Holly echoed disbelievingly.
“Repeatedly,” Fielding admitted as he stood, setting the paper to the side. “His is a stubborn person. I explained multiple times why a relationship between the two of you would never work. It looks like my words finally got through to him. I’m happy to say I was right. He’s quit the residency program and I think he’ll leave you alone now.”
“Molson quit?” Holly gaped at him a moment. “He would never quit. It’s his dream.”
Fielding shrugged. “He walked out a couple of days ago.”
“What did you say to him?” Holly demanded. She knew that Molson wouldn’t just walk away from something he valued so much. Fielding had to have done something to push him to that decision.
“I told him the truth,” Fielding responded. “He’s not cut out to be a doctor. He’s some piece of gang trash that needs to go back to shoving drugs on the corner. No decent person trusts him. Doctors need to cultivate an immediate authority and trust with their patients. He can’t do that. No one trust him. You shouldn’t either.”
“What gives you the right to interfere in my relationships?” she knew her father was only giving her a little of what he had said to Molson. Whatever the full story was, she knew it was responsible for Molson’s sudden disappearance.
“I’m your father. I have every responsibility to prevent you from throwing yourself away on some lowlife, criminal scum,” Fielding scowled. “I’m here to protect you. That’s my job as your father.”
“No,” Holly said forcefully. “It’s your job to give advice, to pick me up when I fail, to applaud me when I succeed and to love me unconditionally. Being my father does not give you the right to decide who I can and cannot date.”
“You are not dating that man,” Fielding narrowed his eyes.
Holly was vibrating with rage. She stood toe to toe with her father. “Daddy do not make me choose between you and Molson.”
“What if I did?” he asked slowly.
“Then you would lose. Molson never once asked me to choose between my love for you or him. By that virtue alone, you would lose,” Holly replied testily. “He’s a good man.”
