Two blocks away, someone called her name.
She turned to see the stout figure of Mac van den Berg jogging towards her. He was in uniform: a dark blue jumpsuit and black beret, rank displayed on his gold-stitched shoulder shields. His shirtsleeves were rolled, showing hairy forearms.
“I tried to call—I couldn’t get through!” he panted, drawing alongside.
“That’s because I blocked your number.”
He grinned.
“Ohouch. You hurt my feelings! Gianni said you liked to play hard to get.”
Fuck you, Gianni.
“This isn’t a game,” she said. “I’m not playing. You may be Gianni’s friend, but you aren’t mine. You aren’t welcome in my home or my life.”
He chuckled. “Okay, okay…I get it. You’re pissed off.”
They’d reached the dumpster. Nikki hoisted the vase over the edge. The glass shattered as she turned and strode back the way she’d come.
Keeping pace, he said, “Hey…I think you should give me a chance. I have a professional question. It’s about your ex, Calandra…super high-level top-secret shit…hey…slow down.”
He grabbed her forearm.
She responded instinctively, years of training giving speed and direction to her anger—stepping towards him, raising her elbow above his wrist, then swinging her arm rapidly down. He grunted in pain and surprise as he released her, and she danced away, hand up in warning.
“Back off,” she growled through gritted teeth. “I told you to leave me alone.”
“Shit!” he shouted, rubbing his arm. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
—
Angelo was gone when she returned to the office.
“Did they release the ambassador’s daughter?” she asked Romano.
He shrugged. “What do you care? You’re leaving anyway.”
Nikki texted Sonia, asking about the status of the case.
Sonia wrote:The Brits are still looking for Sexton. Without Walker, we can’t drop the charges against the women.
Nikki texted:What happened to Walker?
Sonia replied:Died at the hospital.
—
It was a slow afternoon in the office. Nikki answered emails, finished paperwork, and checked the jobs website to see if Angelo had posted the vacancy notice for her position. He had.
Nikki looked on her social media accounts, and messaged Sally Tate:Do you know where Teddy is?
Sally responded:What’s it to you?
The police need to talk to him. Do you know where he is?
You set the POLICE on him?Sally wrote.He told everyone you’re a psycho stalker bitch—and he’s right. LEAVE HIM ALONE!
With those words, the intimacy and viciousness of Teddy’s attack seemed to surge through afresh. Nikki gently touched the bruises on her neck. Then, shoving down the discomfort, she invited anger to take its place.
