by D. Camille
She stood to her feet and walked over to them. “I appreciate your loyalty to the badge and to me.”
“And you’re right, I’m kicking ass and taking names later. This is completely unacceptable and I will make an example out of these perpetrators.”
They all nodded and Mac shook each of their hands. “I’m proud to be your chief.”
“We’re proud to be your officers and we know what you stand for.”
“Thank you. I won’t let a few bad apples spoil all the hard work that we actually do to keep this community safe,” Mac said looking at each of them.
“Now, tell me everything you know so I can go get these bastards.”
*******
Brandon opened his front door to find his father on his porch.
“Dad, what are you doing here?”
Benjamin smiled. “I’m here to make sure my favorite son is ready for tonight.”
“Unless, I’m mistaken, I’m your only son,” Brandon said stepping aside for him to enter.
“That automatically makes you the favorite.”
Brandon laughed then looked at his father. ‘It’s good to see you. I’ve been concerned about you.”
“I know, but I’m fine.”
Brandon nodded and the two walked into the living room where they sat on the comfortable chairs.
“Are you ready for tonight?” his father asked.
“Yes, Derek says it’s sold out.”
“I knew it would be.”
Brandon smiled. “I know you called in a lot of favors.”
“Didn’t have too, you stand on your own son.” Benjamin told him proudly. “You have a great reputation in the city.”
“Mayor Cavanaugh sent a message to tell you hello,” Brandon said slyly. “She also said she’ll see you tonight.”
Benjamin smile, crinkling his green eyes. “Elizabeth is a wonderful woman. I will be sure to speak with her later on.”
“Maybe you two could spend some time together,” Brandon suggested.
His father gave him a look. “I’m the matchmaker, not you.”
He laughed and nodded. “Yes, you pulled a fast one on me and Mackenzie.”
“I knew if I got you two together alone, it was only a matter of time.” He looked at Brandon. “However, I didn’t know it would only take one meeting.”
Brandon smiled. “When I know what I want to do, I do it.”
“I counted on that,” Benjamin told him.
“Do you have anything else in store for me?” Brandon asked.
Benjamin shook his head. “No, you’re right on track now.”
Brandon stared at his father in awe. “Thank you Dad.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
Brandon was silent for a few moments. “I told Mackenzie about Patrice…and we’ve talked about Mama.”
Benjamin looked surprised. “Good, I’m glad.”
“I hadn’t planned to,” Brandon frowned.
“Why not?” Benjamin asked. “She’s going to be your wife.”
Brandon looked serious. “I don’t want people to have sympathy for me because of what happened to Mama. There are plenty of kids who’ve lost their mothers to a tragedy.”
Benjamin leaned forward. “Of course people are going to have sympathy Brandon, because they care about you.”
“And yes, there are plenty of kids who lost their mothers tragically, but that doesn’t negate the pain that you felt,” Benjamin told him quietly. “We both have pain that will never go away.”
“But it gets easier,” Brandon commented.
“Yes, eventually it does.” He looked at his son. “Sometimes, someone comes along whose touch can give you moments of healing.”
Brandon studied his father trying to decipher his cryptic wording. Did his father have another woman in the past after his mother? If so, who was she? Brandon had never witnessed his father with anyone except Ann Williams.
“Dad, was there someone who gave you those moments?” he asked.
Benjamin Williams looked away as Brandon’s phone rang. Brandon didn’t move, waiting for his father’s answer. The ringing stopped then started back immediately.
“You should get that,” his father told him.
Reluctantly, Brandon stood and walked over to the table, picking up his phone.
“This is Brandon.”
“It’s Khalil.” Brandon became immediately alert. Khalil was the Negus who kept his finger on the pulse of the city. He and Lance could find out anything that was happening on the streets. When Khalil got wind of something, he would usually text all of the Negus with the information.
“What’s up Khalil?” Brandon asked concerned.
“It’s Mac.”
Brandon felt his body ice over, the same way it had when he’d heard of his mother’s accident.
“What do mean ‘it’s Mac’?” Brandon somehow managed to get the words out and his father turned to him at his tone.
“You need to get to the hospital. I would’ve come to you in person but I’m too far away and I know you’d want this information now,” Khalil told him.
“What the fuck happened Khalil?” Brandon demanded and his father was on his feet coming toward him.
“I don’t know Brandon. She was on police business and there was some type of shootout. Mac was taken to Receiving Hospital. I have no word on how she is and the hospital is not releasing any information.”
Brandon couldn’t move or breathe. He felt his whole world crashing in on him for a second time in his life. Seeing his expression, his father grabbed the phone out of his hand.
“Khalil, what happened?”
Benjamin listened for a minute with his heart in his throat. “We’re on our way right now.”
While he was talking, Brandon grabbed his keys and tore out of the door. “Brandon!”
******
“Please be still chief,” the doctor instructed.
Mac frowned. “Dammit, if you don’t let me out of here! I have work to do!”
“I understand Chief Green, but you have several cuts that will require more than a few stitches,” he told her examining her head.
“Then get it done! I need to get out of here.” She told him. “And I need a damn phone! Now!”
The doctor sighed and stepped back. “The phone’s right there.” He pointed to the table next to the hospital bed.
Mac reached for the phone and grabbed it quickly. She had to call Brandon and let him know that she was alright. She knew he’d become frantic knowing that she’d been hurt and was at the hospital. Quickly she dialed his number.
“Hello?”
She frowned. “Brandon?”
“No, chief this is Judge Williams.”
“Judge, I need to speak to Brandon please?”
“He took off coming to you after he got the call.”
Mac closed her eyes. “Who called him?”
“Khalil.”
“Is he okay?” she asked concerned.
The judge shook his head. “He’s going to tear that hospital apart so you should tell your officers to be expecting him.”
“Okay, thank you Judge.”
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Yes sir, just some bumps and scrapes. I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t let them lock up my son, he has a fundraiser tonight.” Benjamin told her.
“I won’t.”
Mac ended the call and summoned one of her officers.
“Head Prosecutor Williams is on his way here. Notify all cars that he may be speeding, driving erratically, and possibly a little bit irate…so please just bring him here to me,” she explained.
“Yes, chief.” The officer said with a hidden smile.
“Can we get back to you now?” the doctor asked.
Mac nodded. “Yes, I’m sorry for yelling at you.”
“I understand. Your job is very important.”
“Yours is too and I’m not trying to have you here for any lon
ger than necessary.”
He began cleaning the blood from her face and neck. “These could’ve been a lot worse,” the doctor commented. He reached for some tweezers and continued. “If some of these pieces had hit you from another angle, you could be requiring some surgery.”
Mac sat thinking about this afternoon’s events. “Even with this, we need to keep you overnight.”
She turned to him. “What?”
“Chief Green, you have glass shards in your head. We will need to monitor you.”
“I can’t stay here tonight. It’s Brandon’s fundraising dinner,” she told the doctor.
The doctor looked at her then went back to working on her injuries.
Five minutes later, the door burst open and green eyes searched the room. Brandon located Mac lying back on the bed and rushed to her side.
“Mackenzie!”
She winced at his tone as her head had begun to pound.
“Brandon, I’m fine.”
He didn’t answer as he stood looking down at the red swollen cuts on her face, arm and leg. His eyes became hard and Mac reached for his hand.
“It looks worse than it is,” she told him.
Brandon looked into her face and noticed the cuts also on her head where tiny bits of her hair had been cut away around the wounds.
“Just tell me who did this,” he said quietly.
“It’s police work Brandon.”
Brandon glanced at the doctor who stood silently to the side. He bent down to her. “I don’t give a fuck.”
“Brandon, please keep the Negus under control.”
He shook his head. “If you don’t tell me, I will find out.”
“Brandon…”
“Just tell me what happened Mackenzie.”
Mac closed her eyes and took a breath. When Brandon was in this quiet, controlled mood, she knew from experience that nothing was going to stop him.
“I was checking into some leads for the case that I discussed with you.” She glanced at the doctor then back to Brandon. “I was given a lead on some activity and I went to check it out. I was standing on the porch looking into a window and somebody shot the glass out. I took all the fallout before I hit the ground.”
Brandon frowned because something didn’t sound right. “Why weren’t you ready?”
“The bullet came from inside.” She looked at him. “The officers on the scene told me the house was empty, but they’d missed someone on the inside.”
His eyes hardened. “Or somebody wanted you to get hurt.”
“We don’t know that Brandon,” she cautioned. “They could’ve been hidden really well.”
He looked down at her. “You don’t believe that any more than I do.”
“It’s not what we believe Brandon, it’s what we can prove.”
Brandon turned to the doctor. “May I have a minute please?”
“I really need to get all those wounds checked and cleaned,” the doctor told him.
“She’s not going anywhere.”
Mac interjected. “Brandon, the doctor is really busy.”
“Then he can send in another one who isn’t.” Brandon said watching the doctor.
Looking at them both, the doctor said, “I’ll be back in five minutes chief.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Brandon watched him go then turned to her. Lowering his head, he kissed her gently being careful not to cause her any pain.
“You can’t come dictating at the hospital,” she whispered.
“I hate this place. We spend too much time here,” he said quietly.
Mac touched his face and he glanced down at the welts on her arm. “Those look really bad.”
“At least it’s just on one side. I turned and put my arm up to block the glass after I heard the first shot.”
“That must’ve been a big ass window,” he commented.
She nodded. “Large picture window with dark curtains. He must’ve had an automatic because it was rapid fire once I went down.”
“Did they get him?” Brandon questioned.
“He’s at the station,” she sighed. “I’m sure he’s not talking.”
“Release him.”
She looked at him. “Brandon…”
“Let him out and we’ll see if he wants to talk.”
“He’s arrested on a litany of charges. He won’t be going anywhere too soon,” she told him. “Let me do my job.”
His eyes held hers. “As long as you come home for dinner in one piece.”
She squeezed his hand. “I will, as long as you’re waiting for me.”
“When Khalil called…” he couldn’t finish.
“I tried to get to you, but you were gone already.”
Brandon gently rubbed the back of her hand. “You know I’d tear up this whole damn city if something happened to you.”
Mac smiled. “Now all that we do for this city, you know I don’t want you to do that.”
He moved his hand to softly stroke her hairline. “I love you Mackenzie.”
“I know,” she said softly. “You need to go and get ready for your dinner. I’ll try to be there later.”
Brandon frowned. “What are you talking about? I’m not leaving you here.”
Mac sat up. “Brandon, I’m going to be fine. Tonight is important to your campaign.”
“You can’t have a campaign fundraiser and the candidate isn’t there,” she told him.
“Do you think I give a damn about that right now?” he questioned.
She reached over and picked up the phone and dialed his number again.
“Chief?”
“Judge Williams, can you please tell Brandon that he needs to be at his fundraiser tonight?”
“He won’t leave you.”
She stared into determined green eyes.
“He has to; this is too important. Please tell him,” she implored.
Mac handed the phone to Brandon, who took it slowly.
“Hello Dad,”
“She wants you to be there.”
“I can’t do that.”
The Judge sighed. “Look Brandon, one of the reasons that you love Mac is because she’s the strongest woman in this city. It will break her heart if you mess up this campaign.” Brandon kept his gaze trained on Mac as he listened. “She knows how much this means to you.”
“If you want, I’ll come and stay with her,” the Judge offered.
Brandon held the phone in silence.
“I promise if anything happens, I will contact you immediately.”
“Fine Dad, I’ll be here when you get here.”
Brandon quietly replaced the phone and kept a hand on the receiver. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know baby, but I’m fine. The doctor is going to clean the rest of this up and give me something for this headache.” She rubbed his arm. “If I can get the doctor to release me, I’ll be there.”
He sat on the edge of the bed staring down at her. “I don’t want you to move from this bed until the doctor says that everything is fine with you. Do you understand me?” He gave her a hard glare like he used in the courtroom.
“Yes, counselor.” She answered with a soft smile. “And you will go collect lots of money for your campaign.”
Brandon kissed her and she responded eagerly until she felt a jolt.
“Are you in a lot of pain?” he asked softly.
“When the doctor comes back, I’m requesting lots of drugs.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised.
Mac smiled. “Take care of your business. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I guess you won’t be playing with your favorite toy for a while?” he whispered.
“Don’t count me out yet,” she kissed him. “I’m a determined woman.”
The door opened and the doctor returned. Brandon stood and turned to him.
“May I finish now Head Prosecutor Williams?”
“She’s in pain, please do
something about that.”
The doctor nodded as he walked over to Mac. “The longer you sit without being attended to, the pain will worsen.”
“I’ll clean up these other cuts and get you something to ease the discomfort,” he informed her.
“Thank you.” Mac said gratefully.
The doctor turned to Brandon. “There’s a group of men outside the door waiting for you.”
Brandon turned to Mac and gently touched her face. “I’ll see you soon.”
She nodded as he kissed her again before leaving out the door.
“You two must be getting married,” the doctor surmised.
Mac smiled. “Why do you say that?”
“The way he burst in here and the look on his face.”
“He’s just very passionate about things,” Mac commented.
The doctor reached for his tweezers again. “He’s just in love.”
“Now hold still and let’s get this done as quickly as possible.”
******
Brandon walked out of the room and was immediately surrounded by the Negus.
“How is she?” Rion was the first to ask.
“A little roughed up, but she’ll be fine.” Brandon told them.
“What the hell happened?” Khalil asked.
Brandon ran a hand down his face to calm himself. “We need to talk. Mackenzie has some dirty cops and I think they’re gunning for her.”
“What?” Four voices yelled in the narrow hall.
“I don’t care what she says, today wasn’t an accident or careless police work.” Brandon told them.
Khalil stepped up. “Dirty cops? Oh hell yeah.”
Rion looked at him. “We’re not taking out cops Khalil, right Brandon?”
At his silence, Rion turned to him. “Brandon?”
“When it comes to Mackenzie’s safety, I don’t give a damn who it is,” Brandon told him and looked up to see his father coming down the hall. “I have to get ready for the fundraiser. Let’s talk later.”
They all watched him walk down the hall and meet the Judge.
“Damn, B. is serious.” Lance said in amazement. “He usually keeps us in check.”
Rion turned to him. “Well don’t get any damn ideas. Mac will really lock all of us up and my wife will prosecute us.”
Corvus looked at his brother. “For real though Rion, you’d better keep an eye on him. He’s not playing.”
