Page 85 of Solanum

We laughed at her and Maggie just grinned, her chin propped on her hand while she gazed at her.

"What?" Sali asked, glowering at her while chomping on yet another doughnut.

"I cannot believe I married you."

"No takebacks." Sali lifted her shoulders in a heavy shrug. "That's the rule."

Their silliness continued, and I noticed that Nora wore a full smile while in their presence most of the time. Sali distracted her, Maggie doted on her, and it left me observant mostly. Nora still wasn't herself. Any confidence she carried faded after her kidnapping. She grew quieter, withdrawn, and spent more time reading than she did speaking. The most notable change, however, belonged to her disdain for being alone. Sitting in a room by herself proved torturous, and she would stick close to us, particularly Sali at certain points, and Maggie at others.

With their last day stateside and being home with Nora, I headed off to Seattle to speak to Wilkinson.

"Donovan," he said, standing up from behind his desk when I helped myself to his office.

"I'm not here for anything save to request personal leave." I set the paperwork down on his desk. "I've already talked to Human Resources and I'm entitled to use my banked time."

His brow furrowed and he removed his glasses, leaning against the edge of the desk. "Of course, Donovan. How long?"

"We'll say a month for now. Could be longer."

"All right. How's Brody?"

"How do you think she is?" I folded my arms, frowning at him. "Traumatized because of your botched operation. Sending her and Roderick out there without the whole team. Without backup or check-ins. All because of your own effort to keep the two of us apart, regardless of the expense."

"Donovan, the position—"

"Bullshit, Wilkinson." I stepped up to him now, my nose two inches from his. "Bullshit. I should've been there. Hell, Jackson should've been there. We all should've. If we didn't have the manpower to run two cases, we should've delegated. And now one of our own is suffering. And what have you done about it besides put her on paid medical leave? What have you done?" I lost it on him, my voice escalating without an ounce of control and I didn't care at all. "You and Walsh put agents and officers and detectives on the line day after day and fail to think about any missteps that could happen. First it was Sali, then her wife, her sister. And Nora. How many more, Wilkinson?" I shoved away from him. "How many more?"

"Donovan, I understand you're upset—"

"I'm more than upset." Tears burned my eyes, but they didn't fall. I wouldn't dare let that happen. "I sure as fucking hell hope O.P.R. and I.A. rake both of you over the coals for the decisions you made in these cases. Our own fucking agent was the goddamn unsub, Wilkinson! Our own fucking agent."

"O.P.R. is involved—"

"They better fucking well be." I picked up my papers again and slapped them down on his desk. "Sign these so I can get the fuck out of your face."

He said nothing then, plucked a pen from the cup on his desk, and signed the document. I snatched it from him when he handed it to me. I stormed out, my anger winning this battle in an unexpected way.

***

"Anita said she'd come over?" Nora asked as I drove her from Sali's and back to Seattle the day after they left for Australia.

"She did. Maya, too, but she's coming tomorrow."

"Okay." Nora leaned her elbow on the car door, her head resting on her hand. "I'm really tired today."

"I can see that. I stopped off at your place and picked up most of your clothes. Is there anything else you want from there?"

She shook her head. "I hardly even took anything out of storage yet. It doesn't matter. Thank you for doing that."

"Of course." I glanced at her when she curled up in the seat. "Take a nap, Nor. We still have an hour."

She nodded, not fighting me on it at all. When I rolled to the traffic light before the turn on to the highway, I reached into the back to grab my jacket, then draped it over her. She knocked out in two minutes, and I drove us the rest of the way in silence.

Arriving back home with Nora felt unusual at first. She hadn't been to my place in at least a year. Our last memories here tangled with the present. I carried her duffle bag inside and set it down by the sofa. She wrapped her arms around herself, waiting for me to lock up.

I hung up my coat, and slipped out of my gear belt, leaving it on the kitchen table as always. Her eyes welled up while she watched me, and she sniffled.

"What's wrong, Nor?" I approached her, holding my arms out to her.

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