Page 7 of Her Secret Wish

Dean nodded. “Yup. I’ll be there.”

He seriously needed to work off some of this anxiety.

***

Rachel called Duncan.After she spoke with Shannon for a minute to give her the scoop on what had happened, her friend connected her to the boss of LNF.

“Wilde,” he answered.

For some crazy reason, emotion suddenly attacked her. It took several heavy breaths to calm her unease. “Sir. I’m just returning your call. I’m sorry it took so long. I was in a car crash.”

“Are you okay, Searles? Do we need to come get you?”

Rachel swallowed hard in reaction to his words. The solidarity that every Marine had was so irreplaceable. “No, sir. It happened yesterday. I spent the night under observation for a concussion, but they released me this morning. I’ll be into work tomorrow.”

“Damn, Searles. Are you sure you’re okay to return? You can have some time off if you need it.”

“Thank you but no, sir. I’m pretty sure I can be in tomorrow.”

Come hell or high water, she murmured to herself.

“Well,” Duncan told her firmly, “if you change your mind, stay home. Sometimes the effects are the crash are felt more later on.”

Rachel choked out a laugh. “Oh, I doubt I can feel much worse than right now. In the spirit of full disclosure I should probably tell you they had to cut me out of the car.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

“Shit, Searles! Was this a single vehicle or did somebody hit you?”

“Somebody hit me. Then drove off. DPD is investigating but I doubt they’ll find him. Totaled my car.”

“Damn,” he breathed. “That sucks. That was a nice car.”

She laughed, a little wistfully. “Yeah, it was.”

The car would have to be replaced, too, and as soon as possible. She could ride her bike in the meantime. Assuming she wasn’t too sore to move tomorrow.

“Take tomorrow off. That’s an order. And I’ll leave it open in case you need more time.”

Rachel sighed, knowing it was probably best. She wouldn’t do anyone any good if she had trouble moving in the morning. “Okay, I’ll stay home. Thank you, sir.”

“Quit feeling guilty, Searles. Stay home and get better. I’ll work your ass harder when you come back.”

“Agreed.”

She hung up, exceedingly thankful she had settled in Denver, Colorado. The Lost and Found Investigative Service was incredible. Duncan Wilde had created an environment open to any and every type of former military, as well as any and every type of disability.

When people cycled out of the military, either retired or medically discharged, the servicemen and women were usually left at a loss as to what to do with themselves. The skills taught and encouraged in the service were not necessarily applicable to civilian life. And if they were wounded, or “combat modified”, it made it that much harder to find a slot to fit in.

Wilde had created a company that didn’t necessarilycaterto their wounded employees, but did definitely make allowances for, and adapted to, their new lifestyles. He still required that they all attain their private investigator’s licenses and conduct themselves in a business-like manner, as well as perform physically to the best of their abilities. No matter what their disability, every man and woman at LNF played on level ground.

It was exhilarating. And not something she ever wanted to jeopardize for any reason. She had enough sense to know, though, that she could be more of a liability and distraction at work tomorrow than a help.

***

Dean waited twoendless days to call Rachel, though it almost killed him. Six o’clock. He could call her after six. After his shift had ended and he’d gotten home. But the benchmark had been distracting as hell. Even the guys at work remarked on his being distracted, but he couldn’t help it. Thoughts of Rachel plagued him, until he wondered if there was actually something wrong with him.

The little piece of paper with her number on it sat on the coffee table in front of him, but he didn’t need it. He’d long ago memorized what was on it. The note was just comforting to have.

---