Page 175 of Solanum

"How'd it go, Donovan?" Wilkinson asked the minute I stepped back into the Seattle field office, a day later than expected.

My worry for Nora increased with the unexpected layover. She remained safely with Anita, but the delay in my arrival and her anxiety of the day would peak in time.

I thumbed through the stack of papers on my desk with a smirk. "As expected."

"Good. I saw you put in for the rest of the day. All good?"

"It's fine." I glanced at him before folding my arms over my middle. "Plane landed in Seattle otherwise I wouldn't have stopped in."

"Understandable." He leaned against the desk across from me. I didn't expect him to be in the office so early, and my annoyance over such probably made it to my expression. "Brody's slated to return in a week. What are your thoughts on that?"

"That's between you and her, Sir." I frowned at the sudden inquiry.

"As my senior team lead, your thoughts matter, too." He motioned in my direction.

"My thoughts didn't matter months ago, though, did they?"

"I've recognized my errors in judgement, Donovan, and we've—"

"Recognizing past errors is easy. Making changes in the future is where it matters, Wilkinson. I've said this before."

"I'm aware." He crossed his arms then, mimicking my posture. "How would you feel if Brody were back on your team rather than with Jackson? With no field assignments unless it's in a controlled setting such as an interview room or post-event?"

"Isn't that a breach of your policies? Of federal policies even?" I gripped the edge of the desk, fighting the surge of anger that neared the tip of my tongue.

He shook his head. "Not for part-time contracts. Only full-time employees."

I narrowed my eye at his statement. "What do you mean?"

"Brody's return is in a different capacity." His forehead crinkled with concern. "Did she not tell you?"

"Not the intricacies of such. Are you sure she knows this?"

"She seemed to understand…" He stroked his chin a few times. "But I'll find out. She'll be with your team then, Donovan." He pushed off from the desk. "Her settlement is being processed as well."

"That I knew. What about Doctor Oliver?"

"Her situation is similar. One more thing…" He turned back around, his arms folding over his middle. "What do you know about James' case?"

"The missing kids?"

"That one." He nodded.

"Who told you?"

"Walsh. She was there chewing his face off as usual."

"Warranted."

"What do you know?"

"Not much yet. Other than that she believes there may be something to it."

"Hmm." He headed up the stairs then said, "See to it that she gets the resources she asks for."

"Off the record?"

"Perhaps." He smirked and turned toward the hall.

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