Shit.Knox had been so concerned about Rachel he hadn’t given a single thought to the woman they were supposed to be guarding.
“I’ll take her outside and get her checked by the paramedics. That should give you guys a few seconds to come up with something that’s going to explain all this.” Diego motioned with his chin at the bloody walls and mauled corpses lying around. “Good luck with that by the way.”
As Diego walked out, Rachel pulled away to wipe the tears from her face. She still looked out of it, kind of like she had immediately following the incident at the mall and the one at the school dance. Except this time seemed worse.
Khaki walked over to stand beside them, looking at him and Rachel expectantly. “Well, any idea how we’re going to spin this?”
* * *
“I told the chief and the crime techs your versions of events,” Gage said, looking from Knox to Rachel, then to her teammates Diego and Khaki. It had been an hour since the fight in the courthouse and now they were all outside by the SWAT SUV. “Including the part about how the knife brought to the scene by one of the suspects is to blame for all the damage. I’m not sure anyone believed that, but at least they’re not outright calling me a liar…yet. It helps that the DAPS security team is taking so much of the heat for supposedly not hearing your call for backup.”
Yeah right.Knox ground his jaw. He’d talked to the guy who’d been the team leader of the DAPS security detail at the courthouse. One of Theo’s buddies, the dickweed swore their radios had never picked up Rachel’s call for help, claiming it must have been poor reception. Knox knew that was a load of crap. If he had to guess, he’d say the guys out on the loading dock had chickened out when they heard the shooting, then came up with the radio reception bullshit to cover their asses. He hadn’t mentioned his suspicions to Rachel or any of her SWAT teammates, but he’d sure as hell sent a text to Theo, letting the man know he was currently employing a bunch of cowards.
Knox looked up when he realized Gage was still staring intently at Rachel, serious thoughts apparently rolling through his head.
Gage pinned Rachel with a look. “I hate to do this, but you’ll be riding a desk until Internal Affairs finishes their investigation.”
Standing beside Knox, Diego, and Khaki, Rachel groaned.
“Desk duty?” She pushed away from the SWAT SUV she’d been leaning against. “You’re seriously taking me off the Lloyd detail after I saved Jennifer’s life?”
Gage’s eyes flared yellow gold for a moment and the expression that crossed his face right then had Knox—and everyone else—take a step back. The guy was an alpha just like the rest of them, but after being in his rather pissed-off presence for a while, Knox could understand why all the other alphas in the Pack accepted him as their leader. The man was a little intense to say the least.
But if the set of Rachel’s jaw was any indication, she seemed to be in the mood to challenge her alpha. Right after the ambush, she wouldn’t have been capable of it, but now, after an hour of answering questions and being interrogated over and over, she was almost back to her old self. Getting away from the bodies and all that blood had probably helped, too.
“Yes, you saved Jennifer’s life, but can you look me in the eyes and tell me you honestly remember exactly what was going through your head as you ripped those men apart down there?” The SWAT team commander’s voice was level, but there was still a hint of anger there. “Do you even remember any of it?”
“I got there at the end of the fight and can confirm Rachel had no choice but to kill the last one,” Knox volunteered when Rachel remained silent. “She was out of ammo and the guy had already put a knife in her shoulder.”
The team commander leveled Knox with an expression that made him feel like he was five years old again and his grandpa had just pointed out kids were better seen and not heard.
“I’m not questioning whether it was self-defense,” Gage said calmly before turning back to Rachel, who was currently busy staring at the cracks in the parking lot asphalt. “And I’m not trying to embarrass you, Rachel. But I’m serious when I ask if you remember what happened in that room earlier. Because based on the lack of details in your statement, something tells me a lot of parts are missing.”
Rachel lifted her head, meeting her alpha’s eyes. “I remember going into the room and hiding Jennifer between two cabinets, then turning around to engage the four men. After that, it’s kind of a blur.”
Knox didn’t miss the hitch in her voice. There was something she was leaving out, something she didn’t want her boss to know. Knox didn’t even want to think what it might be.
Gage frowned. “Is this the first time that’s happened to you?”
Rachel shook her head. “Nothing like this, but enough times that I’m thinking I should see someone about it. Diego said he’d help set something up with Dr. Delacroix.”
Gage pinned Diego with a hard look. “You knew Rachel was having problems and you didn’t think to mention it to me?”
Diego shrugged. “I thought the most important thing was supporting my pack mate and making sure she got help. If I thought she was a danger to herself or the team, I would have told you.”
Knox had a newfound appreciation for Diego’s willingness to put himself between Rachel and their boss, especially since Gage’s jaw was flexing so hard it looked like he was about to grind his teeth to dust.
“You’re right.” Gage nodded. “Getting Rachel the help she needs is the most important part.” He gave Rachel a stern look. “But that doesn’t mean I can overlook the problem now that I know it exists. Go talk to Delacroix and take all the time you need to get your head straight because I can’t put you back on duty until she gives me the all clear.”
Rachel nodded, but Knox could see how much it bothered her to be taken off active duty. After seeing the tail end of what happened in the courthouse, he could understand Gage’s stance. Rachel needed help before it was too late.
Gage left a little while later, taking Diego and Khaki with him and telling Rachel to take the rest of the day off.
Knox moved closer to her as her teammates walked away. “You ready to head over to my place?”
“Don’t you need to go into work?”
“I’m sure Theo can live without me for a while.” He gave her a small smile. “You’re more important right now.”
