Bryce
Fucking dumbass.
What was he thinking?
I jumped in front of him so that Icould take the bullet, not so he could fuck it up and take it himself.
I vacillate between pissed anddevastated. Pissed because how dare Tad interfere with my job? And devastatedbecause it reminds me of how Jeff took that bullet for me. Why does this keephappening? Why do people think that I’m the one who needs protection? And whyam I so fucking horrible at keeping people safe?
“What about playing pretendboyfriend distracted you from doing your fucking job?” Roeder asks. I stand inan empty room where the receptionist escorted me to so I could take the call.
I can tell that Roeder’s not justupset that Tad got hit, but that I didn’t get any details about the attackers.No description. No plates, since the car they were in didn’t have a plate.
“I did everything in my power—”
“That clearly wasn’t enough.”
It wasn’t enough with Jeff, either.
I can’t disagree with Roeder. Ididn’t do my job.
He sighs before asking, “And thisDebra Fincher?” he asks. “How bad is it?”
“They say she’ll be fine, too.They were both incredibly lucky.”
“Lucky. Exactly. Goddammit, thisis such a mess. I can’t even think about how to deal with the press right now.”
People’s lives are at stake, andeveryone is so goddamn concerned about the press.
“We’ll probably have to out younow,” Roeder says. “I can’t imagine Torrents and Connolly will be willing tokeep playing this little game anymore now that shit’s hit the fan.” Torrentsand Connolly are technically heading this investigation.
“I understand that.”
After he finishes scolding me, Ihead back into the waiting area, where I see Kiernan at the reception desk.
“I don’t care if the doctor needsto finish his examination,” Kiernan says. “I want to see my goddamn son!”
The flushed receptionist glancesaround uneasily as another approaches. “Sir,” the backup nurse says as heapproaches with his hands before him, like he wants to be ready to push Kiernanback if he tries to get more confrontational. “If you don’t calm down, we’regoing to have to—”
“Kiernan,” I call out.
Darren contacted him after theincident, and I don’t know how much he told him, but I want to be the first toset him at ease. As he turns and sees me, his face turns a deeper shade of redand he charges.
“You,” he says as he comesat me.
“Whoa, whoa,” I say, but just assoon, he shoves me. Considering he’s not as tall or impressive in strength ashis son, I hardly budge, but I work to soothe him. “I did—”
“You didn’t do a goddamn thing!”he shouts. “And now my son—my fucking son—nearly got killed because youcouldn’t do the only fucking job you had.”
His eyes water like he’s about tocry.
The nurse who confronted him looksat me from the reception desk like he’s waiting for me to offer him a signalthat I need him to call security.
“It’s fine. I’ve got this,” I say.
“You don’t have shit,” Kiernansays, shoving me again. “Where the fuck were you when my son was getting shot?”
“I was right there. I dideverything I could, and he’s the one…” I don’t even want to say it. “He’s theone who jumped in front of the bullet that I was trying to take.”
