Page 29 of Protected By Him

I attempted to clear my throat and brush my hair from my face.

"May I help you?" the receptionist spoke as the door closed behind me. She was older, I would say mid-sixties with white hair pulled back in a bun and thin glasses that she peered at me over.

"Yes, I am here to see Sergeant Greg Holston."

The receptionist looked at me suspiciously. "Is Sergeant Holston expecting you?"

I held a pleasant smile. "Umm, no…no, he isn't."

"Can I have your name, ma'am?" she asked as she put the phone to her ear.

"Laura, Laura Anderson," I spoke softly looking around the small entry.

"Sergeant Holston, yes, it appears you have a Laura Anderson here to see you. Yes, Yes I will tell her."

I glanced back at her as she hung up the phone.

"Sergeant Holston will be with you momentarily, just have a seat please." She pointed to a black, hard plastic chair sitting against the wall.

As I made my way to the chair, I started having doubts. What if Greg Holston hadn’t been fired like the others because he was still involved with whatever was going on? I hoped I wasn’t setting myself up.

At that moment, I was relieved that Leo was just outside, waiting in the car. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and made sure the call was still connected.

I heard a deep, raspy voice. "Ms. Anderson?"

I looked up and saw a man with a medium build, maybe mid to late forties. He had just a hint of grey starting to form in his freshly manicured beard and mustache. His hair was dark brown with just a little wave to it.

"Yes, that's me." I stood quickly to shake his hand. "I’m a journalist, I was hoping for a few minutes of your time to…" I glanced over at the receptionist who was listening intently, "to, umm, ask you some questions about a recent discovery I made."

Wow, I pulled that out of my ass quickly. I didn't want the lady to hear what I wanted to question him about, and I didn't want to give him the opportunity to escort me out of the door when he heard the name, Grey Wilkins.

He looked at me confused, yet intrigued. I knew that not much went on in a town like Andover. Their crime rate was nearly nonexistent. For someone who had been a division chief in a city the size of Boston, the change of pace must have been shocking.

Gesturing for me to follow, he led the way down a couple of hallways and into an office with a heavy wooden door and a single pane of glass halfway up.

"Have a seat." He motioned to a small round conversation style table with two chairs in the far corner.

"So, what is this discovery you have made, Ms. Anderson?" He leaned back in his chair with discernment on his face.

"Actually, I am hoping to just ask you a few questions." I could feel that lump in my throat returning, but I refused look intimidated.

"Then, go right ahead," he said as he maintained eye contact with me.

"I would like to know why you decided to leave Boston for Andover, and if your decision had anything to do with Chief Grey Wilkins." I paused and waited for his response.

He glared at me sharply. I could feel my cheeks warming with embarrassment, but I held his stare.

"Why do you ask that?" he finally said, calm, yet stern.

I leaned back against my chair, wondering if I should just tell him everything I knew. I was not even sure who's side he was on.

In my hesitation, he leaned forward without breaking our eye contact. "Have you found some dirt on the untouchable Boston Chief of Police?"

"What do you know? Does he have any ties with a Mr. Harvey, who is the CEO of Prime Media?"

Holston leaned back against his chair and flashed me a grin. His teeth were perfectly white and even, but his eyes showed his age. They crinkled deeply at the edges.

"You're a smart one," he said, twirling a fountain pen. "Tell me what you know." He looked at me curiously.

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