“Not staff,” I murmured, “and nothing anyone will report.”
She shook her head and went back to surfing around the security cameras as I powered up the TFC laptop and got comfortable with it balanced on my knees. When I finally opened Peter’s records, there was nothing from our facility—he hadn’t been here long enough. I couldn’t view his medical history, either, but his general record with the police was listed. I shook my head at a laundry list of citations—noise violations, destruction of property, disorderly conduct. The police logged calls to his house three times a week some weeks. I knew this type of behavior and it screamed addiction: alcoholism, or maybe something more. It wasn’t difficult to deduce he was having some sort of crisis… and apparently it had been ongoing for years. His son was mentioned as the person calling the officers in some of the notes, and a grim, sad picture began to form.
The son would call, obviously looking for help. The cops would show and leave again, after writing bullshit tickets, or nothing at all. The final incident on the list, where Peter had assaulted a police officer with a beer can, was almost funny. I found myself covering my mouth with my hand, although coupled with everything else, it only gave me a headache.
Obviously he neededhelp, didn’t really belong here, and now he had to survive until he could get out again. I slapped my hand to my cheek and stared. He’d pressed his sweet lips to mine, practically begging me to do something to make his situation better, and I’d kissed him back and liked it, but this… was a lot. Could I really get involved in this? He needed interventions that were beyond what I could provide alone.
“Is it bad?” Burnsdale asked and wheeled her chair beside me to spy over my shoulder.
“Yeah. Doubt he’ll be dangerous, but he’s trouble.”
She shook her head. “I see that bleeding-heart puppy-eyed sadness you got going on. You’re awful.”
My face heated and I shrugged. “There’s something about him.”
“You’re a good guy, Drew.” I startled at her use of my first name. She smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but notice how pretty it made her. She was one of those people who were attractive, but truly glowed when they were happy. “Don’t get sucked in. You know it won’t do any good. You’re setting yourself up for burnout here. You can’t save them all, or even half of them. We have a dangerous job.”
My stomach clenched with worry and I frowned at her. “And that’s exactly why I care. I found him on the fucking floor with his pants around his ankles.”
She winced.
“I’m not letting that happen to him.”
She gave me a sad pout but didn’t say anything else, simply left me to peruse Peter’s record. I finally hit the very first documented case pertaining to Peter Gaffin and frowned as I clicked and opened it. He was the victim, not the perp. He’d been attacked and some sick fuck had left him for dead. The statement was taken at the hospital, and Peter wouldn’t sayanythingabout his assailant. That certainly sounded familiar. Pursing my lips in frustration, I closed the lid on the computer and handed it back to Burnsdale.
She locked the laptop away, then rested her chin on her palm as she studied me. “You find what you were looking for?”
“Not really.” I shook my head and left, still deep in thought. As I’d read about the most recent incident at the hospital in New Gothenburg, where Peter had been accused of inciting a riot of all things, it had sparked an idea in my head. I went to the NA meeting in the room connected to the library and was glad to find Peter still in the back near the door. I sneaked in and touched his shoulder. He jerked forward and glanced back at me. Recognition entered his eyes, and he gave me a relieved frown. Brandon caught my attention from across the room. One of the men near the front was talking about their last trip to rehab.
I shrugged at Brandon.
He gave me a pinched stare in return.
He didn’t like that I was taking Peter out before the meeting was over, and I knew it. He thought NA could cure everyone of every problem, which was cute, but all I was worried about was keeping Peter in one piece for the night. My heart hammered, and with the burst of energy that powered through me, I could’ve run a marathon. So often things were life or death around here, in a medium-security prison. I didn’t know how the COs at max did it.
“Can I push you?” I whispered to Peter, and he gave me a small nod. I grabbed the handles of his chair, and he frowned as I backed him out the door. I turned him around when we were in the library and pushed him forward at top speed.
“What’s going on?” He sounded a little angry, and that wasgood. That might just give him the fire to help me figure out what the fuck to do to keep him safe.
“Don’t suppose you’d like to explain a few things I read in your record?”
He tensed and shook his head. I spun us again and backed out of the library door into the main hall. He gripped his armrests like I was going too fast, but at the moment I didn’t care.
“Okay. I’m taking you to medical.”
“I told you I’m okay,” he said, and his tone had gone softer. He reached up and rested his hand on my forearm when we were moving forward again. Warmth tickled through my chest.
“Yeah, but if you convince one of the docs you need to stay overnight, I don’t have to worry about you while I’m off shift. Do your best. I don’t want you back in your cell till I get in tomorrow, if you can help it. I’m going to have to do something with Beast, and I just don’t fucking know what yet.”
Peter tilted his head back, and I could see a battle going on in his eyes, like he didn’t know whether to say thank you or tell me to go fuck myself. “Okay. I’ll play it up.”
“Thanks. Not too much. These guys can sniff bullshit at ten thousand feet. I’m going to ask you again later about what happened, just so you know.”
His jaw hardened, and he faced forward, as good as dismissing me. When we arrived at medical, with me again turning us so we could back through the large green door, Dr. Bond didn’t seem entirely shocked to see me wheeling Peter in.
“You couldn’t wait till Friday, huh?” he asked Peter with a small smile, and I was surprised because the doc didn’t joke with too many people.
Peter grunted. “Nope.”
