by Nadirah Foxx
12
Unwelcome Changes
Passersby stared at me as I dragged my feet back to the garage. I tried to block out their whispered comments, but it didn’t work. Some thought I was a common street person, and they gave me a wide berth, afraid I might beg for money. Others thought I was a battered woman fleeing her pimp. Not one, however, offered any help.
When I reached my car, I practically fell into the driver’s seat and checked the mirror. My left cheek was red and already turning purple, my left eye was puffy, and my lip was split. Josh would shit bricks when he saw me. I hoped I could slip into the basement sight unseen.
Before I cranked up the car, reality hit me. Shaking, I lowered my head to the steering wheel. I went over the events in my mind. At some point, I enjoyed beating the shit out of the teen. He was a kid! Who the hell does that?
Something had to be wrong with me. Slowly but surely, I was changing and not in a good way. Only a sick fuck would gladly approach a couple of thugs, not knowing whether they carried a knife or even a gun. My brashness could have put me in the hospital or on the coroner’s table.
But it didn’t.
It didn’t.
I survived.
Looking back into the mirror, I studied the face staring back at me. That voice of reason—the one that was supposed to keep me safe—spoke loudly and clearly.
Kerrie King, you’re tough. Only a strong woman can fight corruption. You’re the only one who can find and punish the bastards who killed your family. You do want that, don’t you?
I did. In the worst way possible. Every minute of every day I missed Ryan and RJ, and no amount of time would erase the feeling. I pushed aside my festering guilt. When it came down to it, maybe I scared the shit out of those teenagers, and they wouldn’t assault anyone else.
“Next time, I’ll be ready,” I said aloud. No more running around without a weapon. The bad guys were always prepared. If I planned to fight them, I had to be ready.
When I reached the lower level of Sentinel, I was dead tired. The last thing I wanted was to sit down with Josh and Debbie. Dropping to the sofa, I picked up my phone and called him.
“Hey, Kerrie. Are you still at the apartment?”
I glanced at my bags piled in the middle of the floor. “No, I’m back. But let’s meet up in the morning. Between the run and dragging my shit here, I’m worn out.”
“Kerrie… What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing you need to be concerned about. I’m tired and need some alone time. See you in the morning.” I started to disconnect the call and then remembered. “Hey, if you’re still with Debbie, ask her to come in early and bring breakfast. I didn’t have a chance to stop at the store.”
“Will do,” she chimed in.
“Josh, I’m on speaker phone?”
“I thought it best. I’ll pick up breakfast. Good night, Kerrie.”
“Night.” I ended the call and tossed my phone to the side.
Something told me to pop upstairs and find out just what was going on with my best friend and assistant. Every muscle in my body ached as I climbed the stairs. I heard their voices from inside the closet.
Debbie said, “You don’t have to pick up food. I’m more than happy to do it.”
“Nonsense. Since I’ll be working here, it’s not a big thing. Besides, I know what she likes.”
My assistant laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You and the boss are close?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Very close?”
“Again, yes.” Josh sounded agitated. “Your point?”
“It’s just obvious you’re in love with her. Does she know?”
My friend exhaled loudly. “I told her.”
“And?”
“And nothing. She just lost her husband. A man who was also my friend.” Josh’s tone became exasperated. “I’m not breaching code.”
“There’s no such thing as a dead man’s code.” She paused for a moment. “Look, I’m not telling you to go down there and jump her bones or anything. I’m simply pointing out that eventually Kerrie will need a man in her life. Shouldn’t it be someone who already cares a great deal about her?”
“That’s for her to decide. If you’re worried about her, don’t be. I’ll always have her back.”
“But who has yours?” Debbie’s heels clicked across the floor. “If you’re buying breakfast, I’ll bring the coffee. Kerrie prefers hers black, right?”
“Yeah. I’ll take—”
“You’re a cream-and-sugar guy. I’m guessing one cream and one sugar.”
“How did you know?”
“A guess. Plus, you weren’t a big fan of the huge dollop of whipped cream on your shake. Good night, Josh.”
I leaned against the closet wall. What I heard didn’t surprise me in the least. I appreciated their concern, but it wasn’t necessary. I’d be fine.
Eventually.
Slowly, I made my way back to the basement. I turned off the lights in the lab before making my way to the living area. It wasn’t much of a home—no creature comforts to speak of. There wasn’t any artwork or pictures of my family. Even the concrete floor was bare. But it would do.
I stripped out of my workout gear as I headed to the bathroom. The shower was utilitarian—a tiny stall with a basic shower head. Ryan had given me luxury. The last thing I wanted was anything that came close to it in the bunker. Letting the water run over me, it wasn’t long before my tears mixed with the flow.
I was so sick of crying. It wouldn’t bring back what I’d lost. It wouldn’t give Ryan and RJ vengeance either.
So stop. Dry your eyes and move on.
If it were only so easy, I’d done it. I shut off the water and reached for the rough towel. It smelled vaguely like Ryan. Maybe being in that place was a bad idea.
No. It will remind you of your purpose.
Of course the voice of reason was right. Once the killers were locked away—or dead—then I could move on. Start living again.
◆◆◆
Before Ryan’s death, I was always an early bird. My day normally started around five. I’d go for a run or hit the gym. With the birth of our son, I still woke up early but had to suffice with a quick workout at home. With the upheaval in my life, I was fortunate if I slept two or three hours.
I rolled over and checked my phone. It was barely four in the morning, but my ability to rest had passed. I dragged my ass out of bed and grabbed a pair of Ryan’s gym shorts and a T-shirt.
Walking out to the kitchen, I found my sneakers and took a seat at the kitchen island. As I put them on, I contemplated going for an early run. Then, I remembered there was a workout room on the lower level. I hadn’t stumbled across it though.
As I headed to the bedroom, I passed a door on my right. I tried the knob, and it popped open. Inside was a personal gym—weights, kettlebells, and other pieces of equipment. My husband had thought of everything, including a mirror along one wall. There was even a mat tucked into a corner.
If I was going to continue taking on the bad guys, I needed to utilize every facet of my training. After ten minutes of jump roping, I decided upon a calisthenic workout—pull-ups, hanging leg raises, triceps dips, lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, and air squats. An hour later, I was energized and ready to go.
Sadly, it would take more than a simple shower to make me look presentable. The swelling on my cheek and eye wasn’t as bad as it was the previous night, but it had turned a lovely shade of purple. Thankfully, I had enough cosmetics to do the trick. Covering the split lip was a little harder, but I did my best. Once I covered the damage, I pulled on a pair of black dress slacks and a black V-neck sweater. I slipped on a pair of black suede loafers and headed to the stairwell.
When I stepped out of the closet shortly before seven, Debbie was waiting in my office. She stared at me a little too long for comfort.
“Morning, Debbie,” I said with a bit of hesitation.
> “Good morning, Kerrie.” She handed me a white ceramic mug with the company logo emblazoned on one side. “You might want to start drinking it while I fill you in.”
“On what?” I took a sip, tried to ignore the sting it caused, and then walked around my desk.
“First, you have a visitor.”
“Oh?” Setting my cup down, I logged into the computer.
“A Dr. Upton. She said she’s with—”
“The LCPD.” Wow, the bitch had balls and a hell of a lot of nerve showing up there. “Where is she now?”
“Conference room. There’s nothing for her to snoop into.” Debbie held up a tablet displaying a grid of four different videos. “I keep a close eye on every part of this place.”
I smiled. “Keeping you on was the best decision ever.”
She nodded.
“Where’s Josh?”
“He called in twenty minutes ago. He’ll be here by eight.”
My stomach grumbled.
“I have bagels and cream cheese in my office. Would you like one?”
“Please.” I lifted my cup and headed for the door. “Bring it down the hall. It won’t take long to get rid of Dr. Upton.”
I took a deep breath before entering the conference room. The overweight psychologist sat at the head of the table as if that was a proper spot for her to be in. She gave me a fake smile.
“Good morning, Kerrie. Imagine my surprise when I found out you would be here.”
Rather than sit down, I leaned against the wall. “Imagine my surprise when I learned you were here.” I took another sip of coffee. “Want to tell me how you found out?”
“Captain Stratham gave me addresses for your house in Liberty Heights and this place. Since nobody was home, I thought I’d give the office a try.”
I frowned and walked to the far end of the table. Setting my cup down, I took a seat. “Let’s get something straight, shall we? If and when I need your counseling, I’ll schedule an appointment.”
“You do realize without my clearance; you can’t return to work?”
Crossing my arms, I jutted my chin. “Do you understand the meaning of the word no? I don’t need your help. I don’t want your help.”
Before Dr. Upton could reply, Debbie came in with my bagel on a plate. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes darted from the intruder to me. “Am I interrupting?”
“No. The doctor was just leaving.”
She flinched as if I’d slapped her. “I’ll have to report this conversation to the captain.”
“You do that. Be sure to tell him that I’ll determine when my period of bereavement is over. Only then will I seek out coming back to the precinct.”
The doctor jumped to her feet, picked up her briefcase from the floor, and rushed from the room.
Debbie placed the plate in front of me and said sarcastically, “That went well.”
“You think so?” I bit into the everything bagel. “Can you get me a file on the doctor?”
“Anything in particular?”
“I want to know why she’s so intent on probing my mind.”
Not for a minute did I believe it was department policy for non-duty employees to be analyzed after a traumatic event. My responsibilities at the station weren’t hampered in the least bit by Ryan’s and RJ’s deaths. If anything, it made me a better employee.
My assistant propped her butt on the edge of the table. “Is that all?”
“Find out whatever you can on Captain Cedric Stratham too. Something tells me he’s behind Dr. Upton’s quest for knowledge.”
Actually, I’d bet the company on it.
13
Nothing Normal
My day immediately went to shit after Dr. Upton’s departure. She wasn’t gone but fifteen minutes before my cell phone lit up.
“Kerrie, want to tell me what the hell is going on with you?” asked Captain Stratham.
Obviously, the bitch wasted no time calling the station. “Whatever do you mean?”
He exhaled loudly. “Look, I can’t let you come back to work until you have at least two sessions with Dr. Upton. Think you can do that?”
I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair. “Here’s the thing, Captain Stratham. I want to come back,” I lied a little too easily. “But it’s been hard. I’m trying to sell the house. Going through Ryan’s belongings is killing me.”
“Understood.”
“Not to mention going through my son’s…” I paused for effect. “Rehashing everything with a shrink is too much right now. I need more time.”
“I could tell the good doctor to cool off. Maybe in another couple of weeks?”
A smile began forming on my face. “That would be perfect. It would give me a chance to figure out how to cope with my situation.”
“Okay, Kerrie. Reach out if you need it.” Surprisingly, his voice sounded sincere.
I disconnected the call and tossed my phone onto the desk. There were things to do, but before I could tackle anything, Debbie rushed into the office.
“What is it?”
“Adam Fairchild is here to see you.” My assistant avoided making eye contact.
It wasn’t even noon, and I was already knee deep in shit. “What the fuck does he want?”
“Why don’t you find out yourself?”
Debbie and I looked toward the door. A towering man with warm-brown wavy hair stepped into my office. His suit was cheap, and his demeanor was disrespectful.
“Give us a minute,” I said to Debbie. “Make sure the police are on speed dial.”
She pushed past the lanky CEO.
“Do you fear me?” Adam practically glided across the floor and plopped down on the chair in front of my desk.
“Please. You’re not smart enough to try anything,” I surmised.
He shot me a crooked, confident smile. “I’m not here to fight you, Kerrie. From the look of your face, it seems someone else has already done that.”
Great. He was the last person I wanted to take notice of my injuries. “Get to the point or get out.”
Adam crossed his leg over his knee. “A proposition. Withdraw Sentinel Security’s bid for the City Center contract.”
Good thing I didn’t have anything in my mouth. I coughed. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why would my company step down?”
“Come on. Right now, you’re in a role that doesn’t suit you.”
“I beg to differ.”
He had a lot of damn nerve telling me what I could or couldn’t do. Ryan never pulled that shit on me. He always said I could do whatever I set my mind to.
Adam rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “I get it. Ryan left the company in your hands. You think your work as an analyst makes you capable of running Sentinel.” He leaned forward. “I hate to tell you this, but you’re not prepared to do shit.”
That did it. My blood pressure went up a notch. I pushed to my feet. “Get the hell out!”
The man laughed as he stood. “I’m preparing my bid. The mayor will get it tomorrow. My advice to you? Don’t write a check you aren’t able to cash.”
He strolled past Debbie. She smashed herself against the wall, trying to avoid touching the man.
“What was that about?” she asked as he disappeared around the corner.
I dropped my head in my hands. “He thinks we can’t fulfill the contract with City Center.”
“Listen to me, Kerrie.”
Glancing up, I saw her hovering over me. “What?”
“If you’re going to succeed here… If Sentinel will continue to be a force in this town, then you can’t let men like Adam Fairchild throw you.”
“Do you think we can do it?”
“I know we can do it,” she said boisterously. “Ryan laid out a fail-proof plan. There are employees working on the new protocols and developing software. We have this. You just need to believe it.”
She was right. Ryan wouldn’t have jumped on the project if he couldn’t have done it. “Adam presents his bid tomorrow.�
��
Debbie folded her arms and shook her head. “He lied. His bid went in this morning.”
My jaw dropped.
“I’ll let you in on something.” She sat on the corner of my desk. “Before I was hired here, I used to date Adam.”
My forehead wrinkled.
She waved her hand in the air. “Don’t get it twisted. I couldn’t stay with him. It didn’t take me long to figure out Adam would do anything to get what he wanted. Needless to say, I prefer my significant others to be a little more wholesome.”
My curiosity was stoked. “What did he do to you?”
“He wanted to exploit my skills. He figured a hacker on board would help him get ahead of the competition. I refused to do it, and we broke up.”
“Anybody hungry?” It was Josh. “I brought pancakes…” His voice trailed off. “What’s going on?”
Debbie smiled at him. “I’ll get us set up in the conference room. I think we need to discuss the City Center project along with some other things.”
After she left, Josh took the seat Adam vacated. “You look like shit, Kerrie. What the hell happened?” When I didn’t respond, he added, “Please tell me you weren’t fighting again. You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“No, I won’t. I’ll be fine,” I said.
Josh’s face tightened. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” He sighed and then asked, “Did you sleep last night?”
“I got a few hours.”
He closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair. “Kerrie, you’ve got to do better than that.”
“I’m fine.”
Josh’s concerned eyes met mine. “Come back to the apartment. Let me take care of you.”
It was tempting, but I had to be on my own. “I have to do this my way. How will I learn to do for myself if I let you do everything?”
He shrugged. “Will you at least have breakfast? I made it myself.”
That made me smile. Josh’s pancakes were the best I’d ever eaten. “Maple syrup?”
“Of course. Eggs and bacon too.”
I pushed to my feet. “I don’t need to move in with you. I’ll just let you bring me all my meals.”
