Page 70 of Torched Spades
“Actually, Dr. Brennan, I don’t. You’ve been seeing Johnny for over six weeks now.” Still gripping the letter in his hand, he balances his elbow on the desk and scrubs his other palm down his face. “What could he have possibly done after dealing with him for this long that would prompt this?”
“Nothing,” I say, standing my ground. “This was Mr. Malone’s decision.”
A confession that seems to rattle him.
He sits up straight, that blasé demeanor sharpening. “What?”
“I share your concern. Your probationer has made quite the name for himself within my professional circle. Under normal circumstances, I highly doubt I could bribe one of my colleagues to take him as a patient. However, luckily for us all, Eli Cromwell owes me a favor.”
One I have a feeling I’m going to pay dearly for cashing in.
“So why the hand delivery?” he asks, shaking the paper. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to mail me a copy?”
“Yes, but then I wouldn’t be able to direct your attention here…” Leaning forward, I splay my palm on his desk and tap my finger at the top of the page.
He arches an eyebrow. “To the date?”
“To today’s date,” I clarify with a slow smile. “I know your office has had a bit of confusion with them in the past. I simply wanted to point out the accuracy of mine. You’ll see it corresponds with the actual event, unlike the one you sent me.”
That’s for causing me to run around Providence, chasing your client like an idiot, you jerk.
Owen drops the letter on his desk, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I see why Johnny has become so fond of you.”
The woman who recklessly gave herself to a patient is now on her knees begging me to ask why. However, the one who searched the internet for information about a criminal, only to come up with more questions than answers, kicks that other bitch in the teeth.
“However,” he continues, narrowing his eyes while cocking his chin, “I’ve been doing this job for a long time, Dr. Brennan. Most of it doesn’t revolve around keeping my clients between the lines rather than reading between them.”
Pushing off his desk, I flounce into the chair behind me. “How fascinating for you.”
“I know who your father is, Dr. Brennan,” he says, and every muscle in my body snaps to attention. “I assumed you’d be just like all the others and refer him out weeks ago. When that didn’t happen, I told Johnny to be careful.”
“What are you implying, Mr. Holmes?”
“He’s a disgraced first-responder with a thirst for destruction and an accessible record. Not exactly the type of man a father, especially the chief of police, would want near his only daughter.”
“If you know so much about me, then you also know I haven’t spoken to my father in years.”Lies. More lies. All lies.“Aside from your unprofessional and frankly insulting assumption concerning my ethics, what would make you think I’d start now?”
He sits back in his chair and steeples his fingers. “He told you about the incident at the docks.”
“I can’t—”
He waves his hand. “You can’t answer that; I know. Relax, Dr. Brennan, it’s not a question. Johnny told me himself.”
I blink. “Why would he do that?” More importantly, if he willingly shared that, what the hell else did he tell him about that day? Surely, he wouldn’t share details about what happened in the foreman’s office.
Owen tips his fingers toward me. “That was my initial thought. Usually, getting a straight answer out of that guy is like trying to draw water from a stone. But when I told him he was moving from third shift to first, he refused. Do you know why?”
“He’s not a morning person?”
“You,” he says matter-of-factly. “He knew first shift contradicted your office hours. He was willing to risk staying on third and possibly have another incident send him to jail rather than not see you.”
That doesn’t sound like the Johnny I know. Then again, I accused him of having several different versions of himself, so maybe this is one he keeps close to the cuff.
“Patients are very protective over their time slots.”
“Pardon my language, Dr. Brennan, but that’s bullshit. There’s something very non-professional going on between you and Johnny, and I want to know what triggered it.” I jump as he slams his palm onto the referral letter.
“You’re out of line.”
