I hadn’t either but it was the only way I knew I could be of help to her, outside of my normal responsibilities as her ND.
“It will work out,” I told her, placing my hand on her shoulder, as we rose.
“Thank you, Kayla. I didn’t come here expecting this. I just needed to tell someone.”
I nodded in understanding. “Venting can be very therapeutic.”
She nodded slightly. “I just want to put the past behind me and raise my daughter in peace.”
Don’t we all.Oh how much I understood the desire to forget such things ever happened to you.
“Okay.” It came out in a whisper, barely audible to my own ears.
“Thank you for meeting me.”
“Here.” I handed her my business card just after writing my personal email address on the back. “Don’t forget to send what I asked. I’ll contact you as soon as possible with any follow up information I have.”
She nodded and we embraced for a second before both departing. The whole time as I took the subway back to my office the anger I’d felt while listening to Sandra, combined with the flashbacks of my own memories of assault, continued to piss me off.
Chapter Fourteen
Joshua
“It’s been a long fucking day,” I grumbled into the phone to Aaron. He’d called just as I was getting out of my car to head inside of the house.
“Any news?”
“I spoke with the officers who took the temp’s statement.”
“Off the record, right?”
“Who do you think I am?” I knew, legally, there were things the police couldn’t tell me about the investigation, but … well, let’s just say the Townsend sway was enough to get things done when we needed to. “And I put a call in to a friend of mine I think can get us some information sooner.”
“Who?”
“You don’t think I can handle this without you micromanaging?” I stopped just short of the door, back going ramrod straight. I didn’t like being questioned, even if it was by my own brother. He of all people knew how capable I was of getting shit done.
“Fine. Just don’t fuck this up. If you need any help, don’t be a—”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t be a bitch and not ask,” I retorted snidely, finishing the statement I knew was just itching to spill from his lips. “Go spend the evening with your family.”
Aaron grunted and disconnected the call. I pulled mine from my ear before turning the knob to enter into the mudroom. There, I placed my briefcase and removed my suit jacket before entering the main part of the house. Movement in the kitchen caught my attention, pulling me forward.
“Complete bullshit!” Kayla mumbled, angrily, as she slammed something on the counter. From behind I could see her arms moving quickly as she slammed a red bell pepper onto the wooden cutting board. She picked up a knife and began slicing through the tender skin of the pepper as if it’d just called her mother a bitch. The entire time she mumbled, angry curse words, many of which I couldn’t make out.
I stood far enough back, my back pressed against the kitchen’s island, arms folded, just watching her.
“Ow, shit!” She abruptly dropped the knife and lifted her finger to her face for inspection.
The drop of crimson red I saw from my viewpoint had me in motion. “Jesus, Kay!” I shouted, startling her. I grabbed her hand and brought her to the sink. I turned on the water and moved her finger under the stream to wash the blood away. “Doesn’t look too deep. Don’t move. I’ve got a first aid kit in the bathroom.”
I moved from the kitchen and was down the hall to the half bathroom in a handful of footsteps. Pulling open the cabinet, I reached for the first aid kit and opened it to make sure it was fully stocked. Once I returned to the kitchen, I frowned at the sight of Kayla standing by the counter with a paper towel wrapped around her finger, water turned off.
“I told you not to move.”
“Whatever,” she grumbled.
I lifted my brows but took her wrist in my hand, pulling her to me. Again, I inspected the cut on her finger. It was small and probably wouldn’t need stitches or anything. The bleeding had just about stopped. I rubbed some of the antibacterial ointment from the first aid kit on it, before using a small piece of gauze and wrapping tape around it.
