“So far, it will only involved a twice-a-month meeting between me and cops from campus and city police. We’ll discuss ongoing cases, and I’ll let them know which ACA is going to handle each one so they can touch base with them to develop a strategy.”
“Worries me that Clayton's handling these abduction cases,” Joshua told him.
“Why?” Colin asked. “He may be a jackass in his personal life, but so far he seems like a great attorney. Though,” he added, “I don’t know much about how he handles his cases. He doesn’t have to report to anyone but Esther.”
“And you think she knows about his—hispeccadillos?”
“Iknowshe does,” Colin said. He wrapped an arm around Joshua’s body and pulled him close. “Hell, if Quent and Adi know—and I know they do because they’ve gossiped to me about his indiscretions—then Esther knows.” He stared at the ceiling and drew in a deep breath. “He had one of the abducted girls in his office last week,” he told him. “Esther was in there with them.” His upper lip drew back over his teeth, and he hissed out a frustrated breath. “Damn! I want that case!”
“Esther knows it’s your area,” Joshua said, reaching to smooth Colin’s hair. “Maybe she’ll urge him to include you.”
“I’m not optimistic. He’s not my biggest fan down there. Our conversations are short, sweet, and to the point. Never a word of either praise or criticism. It’s just ‘fine’, ‘fine’, ‘OK’, ‘fine’ and that’s it. He rubberstamps every case I put in front of him without even reading my case notes. Pisses me off.”
“Maybe that’s the best you could hope for.”
“Yeah, if I want to be on the back bench the entire time I’m there.”
“Esther loves you. She’s made that plain enough.”
“She likes me, maybe. But sheneedshim.” Colin coughed out a derisive laugh. “He’s tight with universityandcity council members. His political clout makes the rest of us...” he wrinkled his nose and grimaced, “...expendable.”
* * *
Two weekslater on a Friday afternoon Colin entered the Rainier Clinic, pausing for only a moment to greet the receptionist before striding down the hall to his husband’s office. “Hey, bud,” he said, sticking his head through the doorway. Joshua grinned and waved him in, then smiled as Colin moved to Joshua’s desk and sat on a chair facing him. “You about ready?” Colin asked.
“I am,” Joshua told him. “And thanks for coming to get me. My car should be ready by now so maybe we can stop at the service center on the way home.” He gathered all the papers on his desk and arranged them in a neat pile, then stood. “C’mere a minute. Got something to show you.”
Colin rose and followed him to the back of the clinic to the group therapy room. Joshua stopped and pointed at the door. “What do you think? Does that pass your inspection?”
Colin moved to the door and ran his hands over it. “Wow,” he breathed out. “That’s massive.”
“Three inches thick, sixteen-gauge galvanized steel,” a female voice said from behind them.
Colin turned and grinned at Joshua’s boss, Miranda. “A SWAT team couldn’t get through that thing!” Colin said, laughing.
“NINE security cylinders,” Miranda said, then reached to playfully punch Colin’s arm. “Nine!”
“Seemsadequate,” Colin said with a wink.
“Well, I hope you’ll believe your husband’s safe now. That damn thing cost seven grand!”
“Miranda, it’s not only Joshua. You have a lot of therapists here, and all of them deal with people who have the potential to become...” He hesitated. “Well, unstable at best. Dangerous at worst.”
“I know, Colin. I’m ragging on you. I had planned to get the door. I know we needed it. But I had to wait for the new fiscal year.”
Colin examined the door from various angles. “How do you get in?” he asked, running his hands around the frame.
Joshua held out his key ring and jangled it. “We each got a key.”
Colin nodded, still running his hands over the steel framework. “Well, don’t lose the damned thing.”
Chapter 7
Abduction
The following Monday, Colin had barely taken his coat off before Norman Clayton stuck his head into the room. “Colin, my office now!”
“Coming,” Colin replied. He grabbed a legal pad and a pen and strode to Clayton’s office, slowing to a halt when he saw two familiar police officers.
