Page 26 of Devoted

I reach for her but she ducks out of the way. "I'm not deserting you, Ten. I'd walk to hell and back foryou."

She wipes angrily at her tears. "Just go. Like you said, it's probably for the best." She grabs the blanket off the couch and wraps it around her to stand in the open doorway. She doesn't look back as I open the door and walkout.

16

Angie

It seemsClark and his team of experts have been making all kinds of decisions about how to proceed with the very delicate situation of Detective Tennyson's debriefing. Aside from the brilliant conclusion that it is in everyone's best interest to keep Maddox and me apart for the duration of my fun question and answer sessions, it was also concluded that it would be best if the debriefing took place away from the precinct. It seems Clark and his team wanted to spare me and the rest of the force the awkward homecoming since I was obviously not feeling myself yet. At least not in their eyes. Or in Maddox's eyes either. That thought drops me into one of my heavy gray moments. The depression isn't as solid anymore, time and feeling stronger have erased some of the blackness and left a smoky graybehind.

Clark isn't saying much. He's been quiet for most of the short trip to the local beach motel where they've rented a room for me to sit and chat amicably with the two experts the police force has lined up for mydebriefing.

I look over at Clark. He is pretending to be very focused on the road, but I can see his eyes flick to the side, making sure I'm not planning to throw open the door andjump.

"I bought a box of pastries," he says without taking his laser focus off the quiet beachroad.

"Ah ha, that's what I smell." I glance into the backseat at the pink pastry box. "I thought maybe you decided to splash on powdered sugar instead of your usual aftershave." I look over at him. "You didn't waste any box space on those icky apple ones, didyou?"

"Would I do that? Cherry, cheese and lemon, your favorites." His father grin comes out. It's one that I always look forward to seeing. My own dad didn't have one of those grins that could make me feel instantly better. He also would never have known my favorite pastryflavor.

The pastry chat has broken some of the tension in the car. I decide to bring up Maddox. "I don't understand why Maddox and I can't see each other while this is goingon."

His fatherly grin disappears. "Dr. Renfrew and Mr. Winter decided it was best. Especially since you two have formed anattachment."

My short burst of laughter makes his round shoulders rise. "An attachment? You make it sound like we're pen pals. And it still makes no sense. These two people don't even know me. How the heck can they make huge decisions about what's best for me if they haven't even met me?" I look over at him. "Unless, of course, a certain someone mentioned that he was worried ourattachmentwas going to mess things up for both ofus."

"You have to admit, Tennyson, this new arrangement between you two has definitely complicatedthings."

"And now we're anarrangement. Jeez, Clark, have you been studying some nineteenth century polite society vocabulary book or something? Why not just go straight to courtship and blow past the other sillywords."

Clark takes a breath that's deep enough to make his stomach push up against the steering wheel. "My gosh, it seems the old Angie is back and on fire." He pulls his eyes from the road long enough to smile at me. "I'm glad to see her. Missed every sarcastic minute." He faces the road again. "Look, Tennyson, let's just get this started and see how it goes. If it seems banishing Maddox from seeing you for the next few weeks is too extreme, we'll revisitit."

I'm feeling a tiny splash better as we pull into the motel parking lot. "Feels like we're sneaking around behind our spouses' backs," I mutter as we pull up to the single story line of rooms. Each door is painted an olive green. Room numbers are shiny goldmetal.

Clark's cheeks are slightly pink from my comment. "Tennyson, just promise you'll be open with these two. I know how you like to hide your true feelings behind that tough, sarcastic exterior but this is not the time forthat."

"If I get through this, do I still have to do time with Dr. Hoffman to get my badgeback?"

"Yes, you do. It's protocol and you know it, so no pouty face." He points at mychin.

"I don't pout. I brood." I open the door. "Let's get this over with. Are you staying for the whole thing?" I've already firmly decided that they only need to hear things that pertain to Kane Freestone and his secretbusiness.

The pink in his face darkens more. "I'm not staying at all. That way you can talk freely to Dr. Renfrew and Mr.Winter."

"Sure thing," I say. "Don't forget the pastries so the day isn't a completeloss."

He reaches into the backseat for the bakery box and leads me to Room14.

"My fifth grade classroom was room 14," I say for no other reason except a flurry of erratic butterflies have just found their way into mygut.

Clark knocks. A woman with hair pulled back tight in a ponytail and blue rimmed glasses opens the door. She immediately surveys my jeans and t-shirt and I wonder if I was supposed to dress business-y for adebriefing.

I glance down at my attire and peer up at her. "Hope this is all right. I've never dressed for a debriefingbefore."

"Actually, it's perfect," she says. "We want you to becomfortable."

We walk inside. The woman stops me by sticking out her hand for a shake. "I'm Dr. Renfrew." She spins away and points out the man sitting across the room. "And this is Mr.Winter."

Mr. Winter has, ironically enough, positioned his chair directly under the air conditioner in the wall. He stands up and buttons his blue coat for a proper introduction. There are enough beads of sweat on his forehead to prove that the air conditioner isn't doing its job. He looks harsh and reminds me of grumpy Mr. Fenwick at the end of our block. He would always yell at my brothers and me if we were too loud when we skateboarded past hishouse.

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