“Well, nothing’s for certain, but it looks pretty airtight. We got a confession for Misty Thompson’s murder. He’s been tight-lipped about everything else, but we’ll lean on him some more.”
“That’s great,” she murmured. “I can come back to work then, right?”
“I didn’t say that,” he said dryly. “But yes, when you’re feeling better, you can come off leave.”
“Sir, I feel just fine.”
He made a sound of impatience. “Give it a few more days, Fallon. Let’s see how this case shakes out. If everything works out, you can come in on Monday and we’ll discuss it.”
“That’s great. I’ll see you on Monday then.”
She hung up with a surge of elation. When she glanced up, she saw Cam, Sawyer and Hutch all eyeing her, their postures stiff.
“They made an arrest,” she said.
“And?” Cam asked cautiously.
“And what? It means we can breathe easier now.” She shrugged even as their scrutiny made her uneasy.
“Don’t you think going back Monday is pushing things a bit?” Hutch said.
“I feel fine. Besides, the chief wants me to take it easy, go in on Monday and we’ll assess things then. I need to get back anyway. They’ll have cleared out the scene at my house, hopefully, and maybe I can start getting cleaned up.”
Sawyer’s jaw ticked ominously. He bristled and swelled up, his cheeks reddening.
“Tell me you didn’t expect that I’d quit my job or hide out forever,” she said quietly.
Sawyer stepped forward, his right eye ticking. His lips were pressed so tight together that he looked ready to explode.
“You tell me, Reggie. Are you blowing us off now that you don’t need us anymore? Is it going back to the way it’s been for the last year where we don’t ever see you and you spend all your time hiding behind your job?”
Her mouth fell open. “What’s with you? I thought you’d be happy that the freak who’s been trying to kill me is behind bars and that maybe we can get on with our lives without worrying that one of us will be blown to hell the next time we get in our car.”
Cam moved quickly, ever the calm one, but even he had a hint of anger, of frustration set in the lines around his mouth. He put his hands on her shoulders, and she could feel the tension in his fingers.
“We’re very happy that you’re safe now, Reggie. You should know that, if nothing else. I think what Sawyer was trying so delicately to ascertain was whether or not you’re going to stay with us.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I think that depends on what you’re expecting from me. It’s not a matter of meblowing you off now that I no longer need you. I’ll point out that I didn’t call you. I didn’t ask you to swoop in and play the protector. You did that on your own. So don’t make this about me asking for something and then shoving you away when I don’t need what I asked for anymore.”
Hutch swore rather crudely, and Sawyer turned and stalked away.
Cam released her arm. “What have we asked you for, Reggie? What have we ever asked you for other than to be with us, to stop running from us?”
“I won’t quit my job,” she said stubbornly. “Not even for you.”
Cam relaxed then dragged a hand through his hair. “No one’s asked you to quit, love. You’re jumping the gun, don’t you think?”
She shifted uncomfortably.
“We were focusing on the part where you said you wanted to get back to your house, get back to your job. Now, to us that sounds a lot like you don’t need us or want to be with us now that there’s no reason to be.”
“I—I said I would stay.”
“Yes, but for how long?” Hutch spoke up. He moved toward her for the first time, his green eyes sparking like firecrackers.
Shit. She hadn’t expected things to be resolved this quickly. She’d wanted time with them to figure out if this was something that would ever work. Now she was faced with a decision she wasn’t sure she was ready to make.
“I don’t know,” she said in frustration. “It’s not like you made it sound. I only meant that it was okay for me to go back and pick up the pieces. My house is trashed. I don’t have a car. I’m out of a job temporarily. My entire life is falling apart around me, so you’ll have to forgive me if I sounded a little eager to get all that back on track. It wasn’t personal. I know I made it look like it was all too easy for me to have a one-night stand then go on my merry way, but I’m not that callous. I wouldn’t just leave and pretend nothing has happened. Not this time.”
