Page 55 of Operation: Discovery

“Has he been out to see the crime scene?” He couldn’t help but think someone wanted to cover up what had happened there. Either they didn’t realize the police had already found the boxes, or there had been more that hadn’t been discovered yet. Something they didn’t want to be discovered.

“He hasn’t, though he had been updated. Todd is stable and on leave until he’s fit for duty again.”

“I’ll let Dee know. She’ll be happy that her efforts helped someone yesterday.”

Connor snorted. “You’ve got it bad. I’ve never seen you like this before. What would you tell a patient going through what you are?”

Brendon took a moment to think about it, but as he did, Sam and Eric came in for the morning meeting and took their seats.

“Come on in, everyone. Take your seats.” Connor took a sip of his coffee, though it hadn’t been steaming at all since Brendon had come in. Connor flinched and set the cup back down.

“Everyone good after yesterday?” Sam asked, leaning forward to look at Brendon.

He shouldn’t feel singled out. Sam was just curious. But why wasn’t he looking at Connor? Why focus on him?

“We’re fine. The officer who was shot is also going to be fine. The building, however, is a charred crater at this point.” Connor sighed. “Which leads me to what I wanted to talk about today. Unless any of you have issues with a client and need to discuss it?”

Brendon appreciated that Connor expected them to have brief meetings morning and evening to keep on top of any issues. If a client was struggling with one wrangler, they could talk right away and get people switched around so that the client could be helped quickly. What was said in the meetings was completely private, though, never leaving Connor’s office.

“Things are good with Rebecca, though she’s still pretty quiet. I got her to pet Brendon’s horse, but that’s as close as she wants to get. I helped her with some exercises, but I’d rather Dee do that from here on out.” Sam’s ears turned red. “It was too close to breaking one of the ten for me. Not that anything happened, but we’re supposed to keep touching to an absolute minimum and I had to help her stretch her legs. I’m not a professional.” He shrugged and looked away. “Not my skill set.”

The men in the room nodded their understanding, giving Connor the floor to speak. “I got a call from Officer Blake this morning. He believes that it’s time to talk to Evie about all of this. He has a suspect in mind, but he’s not sharing names yet.”

Brendon tensed in his chair because he felt Connor’s focus shift to him. Why would he need anything from Brendon when it came to Evie who was in a maximum-security section of a women’s prison in Lusk?

“When I spoke to Nixon, he told me he couldn’t get permission for federal help with a forensic psychologist, someone who might be able to get Evie to talk. I was hoping you would try to fill that role.”

That was training well beyond his capabilities. He’d never even taken criminal justice courses. “I’ll try, but I wouldn’t hang your hopes on me.”

Connor looked around the room. “There isn’t a single person in this room who hasn’t benefited from your expertise. You may not be able to help, but we won’t know that until you try.”

Which meant he was committed to helping Connor and Nixon get information out of Evie whether he liked it or not.

* * *

Distraction wasthe word of the day. Dee had been hiding in Rebecca’s room, helping her paint her nails and do some exercises, but soon Rebecca would have to go outside and spend some time working with Sam and the horse he’d chosen for her.

“How do you feel about riding now?” Dee asked, since she hadn’t talked to Rebecca about it in a while.

“I don’t think I’ll ever have the core strength to do it.” She took a deep breath and gave a faltering smile. “That’s probably okay. I wouldn’t have ridden horses before, either.”

Dee stood, stretched, then sat on the floor with her legs spread wide, then did more stretches, focusing on her abdomen. “I can show you some things if you want to learn. Every muscle can be strengthened with the right work.”

Rebecca quickly shook her head. “I don’t think I could do anything like that yet. I wouldn’t be comfortable getting down on the floor because I’d need your help to get up. I already hate that I need your help to get in and out of the bathtub.” Her cheeks turned pink. “Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever be able to be self-sufficient again.”

She’d tried to shift Rebecca’s negative thinking with positive affirmations, but that hadn’t had an effect. Redirection might work better. Dee stood and slipped her shoes back on. “Let’s go for a little walk before you head for the barn. It’s a beautiful day out. I could push you if you just want to relax.”

“Sure.” Rebecca grabbed the fingerless gloves she’d begun to use the week before, after Sam had suggested they might help her. She’d taken to the suggestion immediately and now had to wear them whenever she went to the barn.

Dee had a sneaking suspicion that Rebecca was nursing an infatuation for Sam, but it couldn’t go anywhere. Sam was bound by rule # 7 of Wayside’s ten rules, Respect. That rule encompassed a lot, but the main thing it covered was that the guests could expect respect from the guys and respecting them started with honoring where they came from. That they didn’t need romantic entanglements which might hurt them more than help them.

Rebecca turned her wheelchair toward the door as someone knocked. Rebecca immediately tensed. “Who is it?”

“Brendon. I’m looking for Dee, if she’s in there.”

Dee’s chest constricted. She’d only talked to him briefly since the incident the day before. He’d looked so angry, and that anger had seemed to be directed right at her. She couldn’t let herself fall for a man who wasn’t ready for a partnership. He was too stuck on being a man who could do everything without help. A relationship, especially a deep one, meant both parties were willing to accept help and love from the other, knowing that there was no offense meant. They were supposed to be partners.

“I’m in here, but Rebecca and I were about to go for a walk,” she answered.

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