Page 34 of Capitol Matters

After an hour of the same sights blurring by and traveling in silence more often than not, I asked the question that had been gnawing at me since Friday night.

“You know, I’m feeling a little isolated these days. Used to having friends around…” I looked to see if she followed my meaning and found her wearing a puzzled expression. I tried again. “Turns out you can take the guy out of the gang, but you can’t take the gang out of the guy.”

Holland returned her attention to the road. Her sunglasses perched on her upturned nose.

I chewed a hangnail. “Your investigative team—lovely folks, by the way—how would you recommend I go about making nice with them?”

The squad car rounded a corner, taking the long way around the chasm that bisected Main Street.

“You don’t,” Holland replied. “You’re a consultant. You work with me, and me only.”

“Possessive, much?” I smirked, but my attempt at humor fell flat.

“You aren’t an investigator, Fitch, and you won’t be. That position requires a certain level of training. And trust.”

The emphasis she put on that last part gave me pause. Had I been anything less than trustworthy? That she knew of?

“I told you, you can trust me,” I said slowly.

Her head bobbed. “Yes, you did.”

“We shook on it.”

“Yes, we did.”

And that wasn’t enough?

Aggravation prickled across my neck, and I rubbed at it. “Okay, so forget them. What do I need to do to make nice withyou?”

“You’ve been plenty nice, Fitch,” she said coolly.

“Good, because it’s been a fuckingeffort.” I laughed and, again, the attempt at levity failed to move her.

Cold air from the AC mingled with the heat from outside, making the car’s interior muggy and unbalanced.I shifted, wishing I could remove the stifling suit jacket or the tie that felt more like a noose every morning when I put it on. I didn’t mind dressing up, but each day at the Capitol was another opportunity to hang myself, and Mondays were the worst.

I cleared my throat. “I talked to Felix.”

Holland’s head whipped aside. “When?”

I hadn’t meant to bring that up, but it might have been the carrot I needed to lead this horse.

“Friday night,” I replied.

“Why?” She tweaked a brow.

“If you must know, he approached me.” Never mind that he did so groveling out of fear I would smash his plastic ball to bits. My point remained.

“What did he say?”

“That I didn’t seem so bad.” I crossed my arms, proud of the scarce compliment until I realized how pitiful it sounded out loud.

Holland’s lips curved into a smile. “Well, Felix is kind of a pushover. And not the one you need to worry about.”

“I know.” I sighed. “Tobin.”

She nodded. “You made quite an impression on him.”

“And he did such a great job endearing himself to me.” I rolled my eyes. “That shock collar bit was hilarious. I laughed the whole way home about it.”

---