Page 162 of The Consequences of Love and Vengeance

He stands in front of me, inspecting me the same way he would a suspect and I hate it.

“This blows.” Connie throws her head back, making her chair recline back. “I don’t want a different partner!” The last word is gritted out between her teeth.

Wait a minute. She isn’t getting a new partner, so what is she crying about?

“I’m still here. Just because I’m helping Special Agent Alders on a case doesn’t mean I’m quitting. We’re still partners. I still work here.”

“You still work here? Sure,” Mike chimes in. “But the chief forced my hand, so I had to assign her to the new detective that started Friday.”

“We’re full up. We don’t even have room for a thirteenth detective. Where is he planning on putting them?” I gesture around the room. There are twelve desks, but one of them belongs to the administrative assistant that’s assigned to the detective department since Mike has his own office as senior.

“He’s a transfer from the South Park District.” Cupping the back of his neck and squeezing, Mike blows out a breath. “Pretty sure he wasn’t planning on the guy being a thirteenth member of the team, but more as your replacement.”

My mouth drops open in shock. I’m speechless. I have no idea what to say to that information. The bastard was going to fire me no matter what.

“But your boy Summers put a kink in that plan, I guess.” Connie sits back up, eyeing me while chewing on her lip. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t show up at the hospital. Well, I did, but the chief said I couldn’t see or talk to you because IA was being brought in to investigate your actions. He said I could be subject to the same if he found out I knew anything. I got scared, okay?” she admits.

For a second, I do feel bad. Connie knew certain things because I told her, so if the chief had been privy to that knowledge, she would have been facing the same hot water I had been in with IA. Lucky for me, Eric came to my rescue.

I nod, letting her know I understand. It still sucks, and I believe if our roles had been reversed, I would have found a way to let her know I was at least thinking about her.

“If there’s a new guy taking my spot andmypartner, then where the hell does that leave me?”

I look to Mike for answers.

“With me.” I snap my head around, seeing Eric walking toward me with a box in his hand. “Snagged this from the mailroom. Grab whatever personal things you have and throw it in here. You can get the rest later. Hurry. I want to get the fuck out of here before I lose my shit.”

“I’m sorry. What’s going on?” I ask, not sure if I’m questioning him or Mike as I look between them both.

“We’ll talk on the way out. But for now, until this case is wrapped up, you’re fully with me.”

Eric places the box on my desk then takes a step back.

His phone rings, so he digs it out of the pocket of his black tactical pants. He takes one look at the screen and then sighs. Before answering it, he glances up at me.

“Meet me outside. No more than five minutes.”

He doesn’t give me a chance to reply before he turns, walking back out the way he entered.

“That’s who you get assigned to?” Connie raises her brow. “I get some half-wit, and you get a wet dream. How is that fair?”

I laugh, because it’s right then I realize Eric is her type to a T.

* * *

Walking outside,the mid-sixties temperature in early December does little to cool me off. And from the looks of Eric, it’s doing the opposite. I feel the heat rolling off him as I near. He isn’t happy about something, that’s for sure.

“That call you took,” I inquire, coming to a stop in front of where he’s leaning against his SUV. “Is that what has you so pissed off?”

“I don’t lose my cool, ever. Not in front of others. I had to get out of there; I felt myself unraveling quickly.”

“Why? Did Ramirez say or do something?”

He wants me gone. He could still be pushing that. Hell, he probably is since he’s already brought in another body to replace my position. Shit!

“No.” He shakes his head. “Hop in. We’re going to meet J for lunch.”

“It’s only ten.” I eye him over the hood of his Tahoe as I round the vehicle to get into the passenger side.

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