Page 57 of Before We Were Us

“What do you mean she went a little wild?”

“They found coke at the house, and her and this guy were high.” My stomach knots up. She’s never been into any kind of drugs. I may not want to be with her, but the idea of her getting herself wrapped up in this kind of shit isn’t something I want to see either.

“She picked up a planter, hit one of the neighbors with it.”

“Fuck,” I growl out. “Is the neighbor okay?”

“He had to get a few stitches, but Chrissy was arrested for assault and possession.” I nod like he can actually see me but right now I don’t have words.

“What do I do?” I whisper hoarsely.

“There’s really nothing that you have to do, but I’m guessing you'll do something anyway. So I’ll leave the ball in your court. Just keep me updated, so I know where we are with this.”

Again I nod.

“If you want me to use this against her, I will. If you want me to bargain, try to make this divorce happen in exchange for helping her out of this, I can do that too. Like I said, the choice is yours.”

“Let me get to the station, I’ll call you when I read the report.”

“Sounds good.” I hear his inhale. “Remember how bad you want this shit to be over. How bad do you want to move on.”

“I know.” Right now I just couldn’t wrap my head around everything.

Ending the call, I pull back out into traffic and don’t bother calling Connor. I know I’ll see him soon and right now I want to be alone with my thoughts.

But as I thought he is waiting for me when I walk through the front doors.

“I assume you know?”

“Yeah.” I nod, and see a few other familiar faces watching me. “You read the report?”

“Captain wants to see you.” Connor doesn’t answer my question.

Together we walk toward the large office that currently has the door closed. Captain Tibbs is embossed on the door.

I knock once, push open the door and find him sitting behind his desk with his phone to his ear. Lifting his hand he waves me in and Connor follows close behind. We each take a seat and wait for him to end his call.

“He’s here now.” I look up to find him watching me. “Let me see where Steele wants to go with this and I’ll call you back.”

The sound of him placing the phone back on the receiver seems to echo through the room.

“How do you want to play this out?”

“What are my options?”

I pace my office for what feels like hours. I’m not a vengeful guy. Even after all the shit that Chrissy has caused me, years of hell, I can’t fathom the idea of walking away and doing nothing.

“You ready for this?” I turn around to find Connor standing in my now open doorway. If anyone knows the hours and hours of frustration and all the regret in great detail, it's him. He’s heard it all more times than I can count.

“If shit goes south?—”

“It won’t,” he insists.

“But if it does?”

“I’m right outside,” Connor assures me. I’m not afraid of Chrissy, I’m more afraid of her reaction when she sees that it's me coming inside the room to talk through the situation. I’m homicide, this isn’t my general type of case, but the captain gave me my options and here we are.

I gather my phone, tuck it into my pocket and walk past Connor as he turns and follows close behind.

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