“Yeah. Obviously.” His hand tightened on Joshua’s. “Well, trust me. Itwon’thappen again.”
* * *
The following Monday,Colin was later than usual, and though Joshua checked his phone a dozen times, there was never an explanation. He was just about to send him a text when he saw the lights of Colin’s car flash in the dining room window. Relieved, he quickly turned off the stove under their dinner and dashed to the door to greet his husband.
He heard Colin’s footfalls on the porch and reached for the doorknob only to jump back in surprise when Colin burst through the door and hurled his briefcase to the floor. “Son of a bitch!”
“What’s the matter? Jeez, you almost knocked me over.”
“Gimme a minute, Josh,” Colin rumbled, stalking past him into the kitchen.
For a moment, Joshua stood in stunned silence, then he turned and followed his husband, pausing to stand in the arched entry. Colin pulled a can of stout from the refrigerator, then turned and leaned against the appliance, pouring the strong ale down his throat while Joshua watched. Finally, Colin lowered the can and looked at him.
“You OK now?” Joshua asked.
“Getting there.”
“What thehellis wrong?” Joshua asked, moving to Colin’s side. “That wassomeentrance you made just now. Like the opening scene of an Avengers movie.”
“Sorry about that. But…” He blew a disgusted breath, then lifted the can back to his lips and emptied it.
“But?”
Colin fell into a kitchen chair and gestured for Joshua to do the same. “I got a call just before I left the office tonight. City police picked up a guy having a PTSD attack today. A vet who did three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.” He shot Joshua a disgusted glance. “He’s in jail.”
“Why didn’t they call someone from VA? Or my clinic? That guy doesn’t belong in jail!”
“And that explains my pissed-off mood!” Colin informed him, then shrugged. “The people who found him called the police. He was acting out, so the cop tased and booked him.”
“Howacting out?”
“From what I gather, crying, talking crazy, cursing, behaving erratically.” He shot Joshua a look. “He scared the people who found him, and then he resisted when the cop tried to detain him.” He shrugged again. “And that’s howthatgoes.”
“He was probably having a flashback. He resisted because, inhismind, he was in combat!”
“For which he is now in jail for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and…” His voice trailed off.
“Goddammit!” Joshua spat out. “Can we go down there so I can see him?”
“Not on your life! Are you fucking kidding me? First off…no! You’re overdoing it as it is. Second off… they wouldn’tletyou see him. Not at this hour. Not without a court order.”
“Colin, I can see him as a forensic psychologist! Evaluate his capacity to understand the charges against him.”
“Not without being subpoenaed by a judge, you can’t. Josh, youknowhow this works. You can’t just walk in there and evaluate this guy.”
“Then have a judge subpoena me! You know all of them! Damn! Why did that cop have to arrest him?”
“I don’t blame the cop, nor should you. They getzerotraining in how to deal with someone having a mental health crisis. They’re not instructed to call the VA or Rainier Clinic. They’re not givenanyinstructions for coping with situations like that. So, they go by the book.” He lowered his head, peering at his husband through narrowed brows. “And: ‘havea judge as subpoename’?” he echoed, his voice edged with sarcasm. “Are youkiddingme with that, Josh? Judges don’t dance to my tune. I can’t ‘have’a judge doanything, and I’d be disbarred if I tried.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right, of course. Butdamn! There must besomethingwe can do!”
“Probably not tonight. I can maybe check into it tomorrow.”
Joshua laid his hand on Colin’s arm. “Colin, please. I want someone to see this guy tonight. OrIwant to see him tonight! Are you telling me that’simpossible?”
A pained expression crossed Colin’s face. “Honey, I don’t know. If it was campus police, I might have some pull. But this is city police.”
Joshua continued to gaze at him, and Colin felt the hand on his arm tighten. “Ah, goddammit, Josh!” Colin growled, wincing away. “You know I can’t stand that look!” He sighed, then pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and held it to his ear. “Shannon? Got a favor to ask, buddy.”
