Page 3 of Prognosis Temporary

She just wished she wasn’t hyper-aware of a certain sexy, red-haired, negotiator and the rest of what appeared to be the city’s police force watching her intently.

‘Oh, thank God, Callie, it’s you.’ The breeze whipped brittle gray-blonde strands of hair across the gaunt, prematurely aging face of the mother of four. ‘I was just out for a walk...thinking.’

Noelene moved closer to the railing and Callie’s gaze followed the movement, excruciatingly aware of the drop behind. She kept her gaze trained firmly on Noelene’s anxious eyes as her heart thudded like thunder in her chest.

She hated this damn bridge.

Actually, she hated heights generally, so she wasn’t great on any bridge but this one in particular really messed with her head. Not that she was going to let any of the city’s finest catch a glimpse of the screaming girly inside.

‘With a gun?’

Noelene looked down at the object as if seeing it for the first time. ‘What? This?’ She waved it in the air.

Callie heard the unlocking of safeties and sensed the closing in of every policeman on the bridge as the tension in the scene ratcheted up several notches.

‘Noelene.’ Callie raised her hands in a stopping motion. ‘You’re making the cops really nervous. Is it even loaded?’

Noelene frowned. ‘Of course not. I have four kids.’

Right. Just as Callie had suspected. She held her hand out for it. ‘Can I have the gun?’

Noelene glanced at the weapon. ‘It was Dad’s.’

After a quick review of her client’s chart, Callie knew it was a year to the day that Noelene’s father had passed away. She nodded. ‘I know.’

Noelene handed it to her meekly and Callie heard the loud snicker as who knew how many safeties were restored to their off positions and guns were holstered. She turned back to what’s-his-name, passing it over with a quirk of her eyebrow.

‘Unloaded. Fancy that.’ Tipping her chin at the police presence behind them she muttered, ‘Think you can call your boys off now?’

He smiled at her, his gaze dropping to her mouth for the briefest of seconds, before returning to her face. ‘Oh, I know you know that’s not how this works.’

That brief downward flick and the gravel in his voice slid into all those places she kept hidden but still ached like an old wound on a cold day - especially on this day. Her bottom lip actually started tingling as if he’d licked her mouth with his tongue instead of just blasting it with a second or two of heat.

How was it possible to be exceedingly irritated and exceedingly turned on at the same time? By some guy she’d met less than half an hour ago?

Sucking in a steadying breath, she gave him a cool nod. ‘Yeah. I know.’

‘Good.’ He lowered his voice another octave. ‘Bring her in.’

Callie turned, walking the few paces back to Noelene, who was now leaning on the rail, looking down at the river sparkling in the morning sunshine.

‘Dad loved this bridge,’ she said absently. ‘He helped build it, you know? He used to always bring us kids here.’

Callie nodded. ‘Do you think we can talk away from here, Noelene? I really don’t like heights.’

‘Oh...yeah...okay.’ She moved slowly towards Callie. ‘I just thought it would be fitting, you know, to mark his anniversary. His service weapon was his most treasured possession. I thought it’d be...right to throw it off the bridge. He was in Vietnam, you know?’

Callie held out her arm and slid it around Noelene’s shoulders as she moved away from the railing. ‘I know,’ she murmured. ‘You can tell me about it on the way to the police station.’

Noelene looked at her. ‘I was just looking down at the water, minding my own business.’ She frowned. ‘And this cop car pulled up, telling me not to jump...I had no intention of jumping. But they were yelling and coming towards me and I got scared.’

‘I know. Don’t worry, we’ll get it sorted. I’ll be with you.’

‘I need to be there to pick the kids up from school.’

‘Yep. Don’t worry, I’ll be with you, expediting the process.’

They stepped off the bridge’s pedestrian walkway and what’s-his-name held out his hand for Noelene to help her around the maze of barricades that had been set up. Callie was grudgingly impressed by his gentle smile and his unhurried demeanour as he made sure Noelene didn’t trip.

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