Page 218 of Leather & Lies

“Uh huh.”

“And they can’t find anything in your MRI or CAT scans.”

“Correct again. Doc, what are you getting at?”

She glanced at Charlie. “Can you give us a second?”

“Ah, sure.” Charlie took her phone and headed for the dining room. Without asking if we wanted privacy, she shut the doors and gave it to us anyway.

Doc sat down on the couch. “I don’t think your condition is related to anything physical.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean, I think you went through something really traumatic, and your body hasn’t released it yet. I think your body is still holding onto it. The body stores things.”

She was silent for a moment and then she spoke again. “I had something bad happen to me. Something I don’t talk about unless it’s in therapy.” Doc cocked her head to the side. “I was seeing a therapist for months, but I wasn’t getting any better. Talking about what happened wasn’t helping me process—it was just keeping me stuck in that place. That dark place. I had to take sleep meds and I could see how this was going to go.”

When I didn’t say anything, she quickly went on, “I started doing some research. Looking for an alternative path because the traditional path wasn’t working. I saw an acupuncturist, an osteopath, and a reiki practitioner to start.”

“And did any of those other avenues work?” I asked, intrigued.

She nodded. “Yes. They helped immensely. I sleep without the meds. I’m down to one therapy session a week. And,” she held up her hand that was riddled with angry scars, “it’s helped this.”

“Oh, wow,” I murmured.

“I’m not telling you what to do,” she insisted. “But I just thought, well, if what you’ve tried isn’t working, maybe it’s time to try something else.”

“Thanks, Doc,” I said.

She squeezed my hand and then stood up and headed for the front door. “Oh, question for you.”

“Shoot.”

“I know you said Cam needs a dog. But does your talent include cats?”

“I’m not a cat person, so I’ve never really tried. Why?”

“Lily.” She smiled. “She’s been begging for a kitten. Even before Darcy died.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I promised.

After the Old Ladies had left, Charlie had stuck around for another hour, but then I’d urged her to go live her life. She’d resisted, but I was adamant. Eventually, she relented.

“If Bones tries to yell at me for leaving you?—”

“I’ll handle him,” I assured her with a smile.

“You’ll handle him?” Her grin was devious. “You mean distract him with sex.”

“Tried and true method. It’s worked for women for eons. It’ll work for me, too.”

“Especially if you wear that new lingerie the Old Ladies got you.” She winked and flitted out the door.

I locked up after her and set the alarm.

And then I took the pistol Bones had left upstairs with me so I could get ready for him.

Now, I was sitting on my heels in the middle of the bed as I waited. My hair was curled, the candles were lit, and I was wearing my new lingerie.

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