Page 99 of This Memory
“Glad to see some parents are watching their kids,” a familiar voice said from behind us.
We both turned to see my brother James approaching. He wore a deep scowl, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “What happened?”
He shook his head. “Little bastards were trying to break into the vet’s office. They wanted to see the kittens that were born the other day. Too bad for them, Dr. Wilson lives above the clinic, so they were met with the very angry vet and his wife—both of whom were holding baseball bats.”
Declan and I both laughed.
“Did you hear what happened to Remey?” James asked, a sudden smile on his face.
“No,” Declan and I said at the same time.
“Out-of-towner, drunk out of her mind, thought her friends hired him for her and she tried to undress him. When that didn’t work, she grabbed his dick so hard, he said he’s pretty sure he’ll never be able to have kids or hit the high notes in church ever again.”
Now Declan and I lost it, doubled over with laughter.
“Better him than me!” I said with a wink in James’s direction.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s been so long since I’ve had any kind of action, I’d take a good dick-grabbing right about now.”
At that moment, we saw Remey walking toward us—or at least, he wastryingto walk.
“Never mind,” James quickly added.
As we laughed again, my name came through my shoulder mic. “Gavin—I mean, Officer Quinn?”
It was Jane, our communications center manager. She wasn’t at the 9-1-1 center tonight, and when I realized she was reaching out to me personally, an instant pit formed in my stomach.
“Brystol,” I whispered as I fumbled with my mic. “This is Officer Quinn. Jane, what’s wrong?”
“Gavin, a call came through the nonemergency number from NYPD. You were listed as an emergency contact, and they tried your cell, then called the station looking for you.”
I looked at James and Declan. “Brystol’s okay, then?”
Jane didn’t answer for a moment. “Yes. Yes, I’m sorry. She’s fine.”
It hit me then what she’d said.NYPD.
“Oh God—Denny and Evelyn.”
Clearing her throat, she asked, “Is there any way you can get to the station, Gavin?”
The pit in my stomach now felt like a brick of lead. “I’m on my way.”
I stood and stared straight ahead out the window, watching the large groups of people making their way back to their cars, houses, and vacation rentals.
“Gavin, is there anything I can get you?” Mayor Browning asked softly.
I shook my head.
The door to my boss’s office opened and quietly closed. “Thanks for staying with him,” Chief Ryan said to Mayor Browning.
Tommy Ryan was our chief of police.
Mayor Browning gave me a light squeeze on the shoulder. “I’m here if you need anything, Gavin. I want you to take as much time as you need.”
All I could do was nod. My entire body felt numb and cold. It hurt my chest to simply breathe.
The door opened, then clicked shut once again.
