Chapter 5
Will walked into his house and for a few minutes, felt uplifted by his time with Kate. Which made him totally uncomfortable, but it had happened when he wasn’t paying attention. He dropped down in a chair in the kitchen and stared out at the woods in his backyard. Hmm. Was he still going to sell this house? Maybe Katie would…
Whoa, buddy , he told himself. Don’t go into the future. She’s a wildcard.
Then he’d enjoy the moment.
But soon, the crushing blow that happened with the Secret Service hit him in the stomach like a punch. What would he do? If he was a praying man, he’d ask God to help him.
Hell, he’d ask God anyway. Please. Please . Give me some guidance .
Not long after, his phone rang. Maybe it was Katie calling from work. But it wasn’t her ID and he didn’t recognize the number. “Will Kirkland.”
“Hey, buddy.”
“Who is this?”
“Your old partner.”
“Hey, Holden. We haven’t talked in ages.” Which was why he hadn’t recognized the voice. “What’s up?”
“I heard, Will.”
He didn’t need to vocalize what . Will’s whole body tensed.
“Sucks. Big time.”
“How did Tramane handle it?” Will had been dating Jill Tramane off and on for years. She was on duty with him when he crashed and burned.
“She was really pissed that I dropped the ball. She’s history.”
“The bureau’s rigid and inflexible and try to paint their agents with the same brush. That’s why I left.”
“I heard you started a PI business. How’s it going?”
“Better than I ever thought it would. I’m planning to open up a second office in Syracuse for Investigative Solutions.”
“You go, buddy! I’m in Westwood now, only a half hour from there so we should celebrate the expansion.”
“I’m hoping we’ll be celebrating. I want you to run the Syracuse office.”
“Me? I don’t have any experience as a private investigator.”
“The hell you don’t. The Secret Service trained us in protection and investigation, Duh! That’s what we did.”
“Point taken. Give me the deets.”
“You’ll need to do some prelim work, like taking the PI exam, and application for license. Meanwhile, you can find an office. Hire staff, including other investigators.”
His mind flew to Katie. She hated her job now. And he hated the cops that made that happen. Maybe…
“So…think it over and let me know. But soon. I want to kick this off asap.”
“Will do. And thanks, Holden.”
“I’m the one that will be thanking you if you take the job.”
Stunned, Will got up and got a beer. Went outside. The warm mid-June breeze felt good on his face. And the sun seemed extra bright. He felt better about his future.
He wanted to call Katie and tell her. No, he wanted to see her and tell her. Maybe drop a hint that she could work with him. With that in mind, he cleaned up, changed into jeans and a gauzy white shirt, rolled up the sleeves, grabbed his keys and took off for the police precinct.
* * *
The ceiling fell.
Katie hit the floor. Banged her head. And blacked out.
She awoke. Heard, some mumblings. Gradually, she felt lighter. It took her a minute to realize debris had fallen on her.
Someone kneeled over her. “Katie? It’s Joe Romano. Tell me where you hurt. If anything’s broken.”
“Sore all over,” she got out through the plaster dust in her mouth. “Nothing hurts a lot. Except my head aches like a bitch.”
He brushed back her hair. “You got a good-sized goose egg. Let me know when you think you can sit up.”
“In a minute.” Someone else came into view. Chief Thomas. His face was grim as he squatted down. “Chief…I didn’t do anything.”
“Of course you didn’t, Kate. The goddamned ceiling fell right on you.”
Another firefighter knelt next to Joe and handed him an ice pack. He put it on her head.
“That feels better.”
Thomas said, “You’re going to the hospital.”
“No, I don’t—”
His voice turned gentle. “Yes, you do. Don’t argue, Officer Donovan.”
She closed her eyes. Heard Joe say, “We got the med car, Chief. We can take her. I sent two of my guys up to the attic to see what happened. And another two to get the gurney.”
A female firefighter wheeled in the stretcher. The chief stood and moved away while she lowered it to the floor. “You and me, Swanson,” Joe said. “Get on the other side.”
The woman moved.
“On three. One, two, three.”
Kate was slid onto the gurney. And moaned.
“Sorry, sweetie.” This from Joe, again the endearment because she’d gone to school with him.
“I’m ok…”
“What the hell is going on here?”
Will was here. Will was here?
The chief crossed to where he stood by the front door while the gurney was raised and the straps fastened on her. He said something to Will.
He reached her just as they started away. “Hold on a second.”
Joe stopped. “Okay, Will. You can talk to her. But only for a few minutes.”
He bent over the stretcher.
“Hey.” Her voice was throaty.
“Hey, yourself.”
“I must look like the Abominable Snowman.”
“No. You look hurt.”
“Nothing too bad. A cut on my head.”
“Damn it.” He turned to Joe, “I’m riding in with her.”
“Pretty cramped back there. It’s not a real ambulance.”
“I don’t care.”
She closed her eyes. At least she wasn’t alone in this. Whatever this was.
* * *
“Put this gown on. The doctor will be in shortly.” The fire department had wheeled her into a curtained-off area in the ER and set her on the bed.
“Bye, Katie.” This from Joe. “Hope this isn’t anything.”
“It won’t be. Thanks.”
After they left she said, “Can my friend come in?”
“After the doc sees you.”
She was unsteady on her feet when she stood. The nurse had to help her undress.
“Sit back down. I have to get your vitals.”
Turned out her blood pressure was high and her breathing heavy. “Can I have some ibuprofen first. My head hurts.”
“After…”
The doctor came in.
“Katie. I recognized your name on the paperwork.”
“Hi, Lucy.” They’d been friends in school. Kate was a social person back then.
Lucy scanned the chart. “I’m sorry you hurt your head.”
“It’s pounding. Can I have some ibuprofen?”
“No, not until after the head CT. I’m going to check you for other injuries. Lie down.”
Lucy checked her eyes, her chest, felt her neck and extremities. When she turned Kate to her side, she said, “Ouch. You must be sore.”
“I am. What does it look like”
“Very black and blue. You have to go to imaging. Some aides will be in to take you over.”
“Thanks, Lucy.”
Will appeared at the door.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He smiled at her but his face was lined with worry.
“Hi. You remember Lucy Kramer?”
“Yeah, hi.”
“Hi, Will. How’d you get back here?”
“I was tired of waiting.” His gaze softened when he caught sight of Katie. “And I’m worried about her.”
“Hmm. I’ll go out and write up my orders. Good to see you both again.” She and the nurse left.
Will came to the side of the bed and she sat up. “Before we talk about this, how are you feeling? The ceiling stuff that came down on you was heavy as hell.”
“I have a headache and I’m sore all over.”
“I’ll bet.” He pulled up a chair. “What do you think happened?”
She sighed. “Rotten luck?”
“Or more shenanigans by Landry and Lawrence.”
“How would you make a ceiling fall? If someone went up there to make it happen, an officer manning the desk would have heard him. The precinct is open twenty-four hours.”
“I don’t know. But after all that’s happened to you, it seems too coincidental.”
She raised her gaze to the ceiling. “Fuck!”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No, I want your honest opinion.”
A man came into the cubicle. Introduced himself. “I’m taking you to imaging now, Officer Donovan.”
“All right.” She grabbed his hand. “Will you be here when I get back?”
He frowned. “Of course I will.”
She gave him a half smile then she was wheeled out.
* * *
Later that day, Kate was released to go home and rest. However, Will had gotten to know her well and left on her own, she wouldn’t take it easy.
““Where are we going?” she asked as they headed out in his car.
“To my place.
“Why?”
He told her.
She let out a heavy breath. “Yeah, you’re probably right. But that stuff about having to stay awake has been debunked, you know.”
“I know. Are you tired?” He checked his watch. “You can sleep in my room.”
She gave him a questioning look. “You’re really sleeping in the boy’s room where we almost fucked?”
“No. I’m in a more comfortable room, big bed and a bath.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek. “And we agreed the just sex thing was bullshit.”
When he pulled into the driveway, he shut off the engine and turned to her. “Kate, where do we go from here?”
“I don’t know if this’ll go anyplace. Shouldn’t we see how the change in our relationship shakes out?”
“Yeah, I guess.” He tipped her chin. “Do you want hearts and flowers?”
She snorted. “I’m not a hearts and flowers girl.”
“You used to be, in high school.”
“Being a cop kind of hammered that out of me even before I got demoted.”
“That’s sad.”
“Will, don’t let that happen to you. Because you lost the job you adored.”
“Huh.”
“What does that mean?”
“Let’s go inside first.”
They walked into his house. She’d needed clothes in the hospital, so he’d gone to the gift shop and picked up a cute pink and white and black running suit. But she was so dirty and needed a shower before she put them on. Lucy brought her scrubs.
“How about you take a bath then put on clean clothes. Are you hungry?”
“I guess I could eat.”
“I’ll fix us a snack.”
He stayed right next to her as she navigated the stairs and walked to the main bedroom. “My dad added this bathroom.” He opened the door to it. “He suffered from arthritis and put in this tub.”
“Oh, man. I’ll bet those jets will feel great.”
He filled the tub as she took off her clothes. His face scrunched. “Oww….”
“What?”
“See for yourself in the mirror behind the door.”
She did. “God, I look like I was somebody’s punching bag.”
His face was grave. Then he came up to her and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry. You must be unbelievably sore.”
“The ibuprofen helped.”
Their gazes locked in the glass. Though he’d fought it, every time they were together, he understood her more. Liked her more. It made him uncomfortable to know all that so he broke the moment. “Let’s get you in there. I’ll find us a snack. You want a drink?”
“A glass of wine won’t hurt.”
“I’ll bring everything up to the bedroom. Let me know when you want to get out.”
She settled in the tub. “Ahh. This is orgasmic.”
He burst out laughing. And left her alone.
When the water cooled, she got out of the tub by herself, dressed and walked into the room in her sweats. “Thanks so much, Will. That felt wonderful.”
“Orgasmic, I think you said.”
She climbed on the bed where he’d set a tray with cheese and crackers, some meat and some veggies with dip. She took her wineglass from the nightstand. Clinked it with his. Then sipped.
“I never asked you about why you came to the precinct this morning.”
“I have some news. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet.”
“Tell me.”
“One of my previous partners in the Secret Service phoned this morning. He runs a private investigation business called Investigative Solutions in Rochester. He’s made a real success of it and he plans to expand to Syracuse.” Will cocked his head. “He wants me to come on board and set up the office there. Run it, actually.” He gave details.
“Total control. Wow. Would you be moving to Syracuse?”
“Maybe not. I’ll work there, of course, but…how would you feel if I stayed in Westwood?”
“I…I…” She turned her body to face him.
“Don’t hedge, sweetheart. Don’t put up a wall. Tell me. Because I think I want to stay.”
“I’d like that too, Will. I’d like it very much.”
* * *
The sex that followed was unlike any other time. Neither wanted to know why. They both just rode with it for ten halcyon days...
Chapter 6
“Thanks for coming with me.” Kate had already perked up by the next morning. She was itching to move, which Will had read correctly.
“I couldn’t very well let you go alone. After yesterday. And we’re keeping it slow.”
“I agree. I know how to take care of myself.”
“I don’t understand that. You have a loving family right here in town.”
“My dad wanted me to be as independent as my brothers.”
“Is he upset about your demotion?”
“Nope. He was a cop and said the WPD has rules. He believes I’ll get my promotion back to lieutenant and detective.”
“I’m worried, Kate. Honestly, too many bad things have happened at work for it all to be random.”
“The sky is blue, the sun is shining, let’s leave the bad stuff behind.”
He nodded. “You look cute in those clothes.”
“I like that it’s lightweight.”
They finished the trail and went back to the street. “Let’s go around town once more.”
“Sure.” They kept walking. When they passed Diego’s house, he called to them from the porch. “Hey, you two. Come on up.”
He smiled at Katie. They weren’t a public couple. How would they explain why they were together early this morning?
She said, “It’s okay by me.”
They crossed the street. Climbed the steps. Kate noticed right away how…content the couple seemed, lounging in shorts and tee shirts, barefoot. “Want some coffee?” Annie asked. Her face was bright, unlined, satisfied. Kate envied her. She used to be like that.
“Not for me.”
“Me either,” Will said.
They sat on the chairs facing the swing. Diego grinned. “So, fancy seeing you together. This early.”
Briefly Will told them about the ceiling falling on Kate.
Diego’s eyes widened. “God, Katie, I’m so sorry. That precinct is going to hell.”
“Let’s talk about something else.” Kate didn’t want to think about work. “You’re off from school?”
“Un-uh,” Annie said. “I like being free for the summer.”
“I’m doing a summer session at Pathways. I may stay on there and work with the kids.”
Will was shocked. “You’re not going back to policing?”
“Not after what happened. Too much baggage. And Annie worries, anyway. She never pushed me to leave the force, but I know she was concerned. For years. Since we were in college.”
“He’s right. It’s better for both of us. It’ll be fun working together if he stays on in the fall.”
Diego cocked his head. “You know, I’ll bet Jackson would jump at the chance to have you work with his kids.”
“I probably won’t have time for that. I’ve been asked…” He told his friend about Holden Patterson and the PI job.
“You’re done with the Secret Service?”
“I got too much baggage there, too.”
Annie smiled. “Boy, this guy here will be glad to have you in Westwood again.”
Katie thought, I know the feeling.
* * *
Will got up early the next day, anxious to call Holden, but he waited until a decent hour.
“Hey, buddy,” Holden answered. “I hope this crack of dawn phone call is good news.”
“Don’t shit me. You get up early like me. And yes, it’s good news. When do we start?”
“Yesterday.
Will hooted.
“I’ll text you the list of things you have to do.”
“I’ll keep you apprised of my progress.”
“I’m so glad you’re on board, buddy.” Holden sounded…grateful.
“It’ll be great working with you again.”
“Yeah, for me, too.”
By the time Kate got up, he’d studied the list and tentatively planned his day.
She crossed to him and kissed him. “What are you so hard at work at?”
He explained his call.
“Feel free to do whatever you need to today.” She went to the pot and poured coffee, then sat across from him at the counter. “I have to go talk to my dad some time, anyway.”
“Want me to come with?”
“I think you’d complicate the visit. Let me see the list.”
He passed his phone over.
“Huh. You’re well over 25, have more than the three years’ experience in law enforcement. What does be a principal in the business entity mean?”
“It means I run the organization in Syracuse.”
“You qualify for that. What will you do first?”
“Call about the state exam. If I get lucky, there’ll be one offered soon. And I have fingerprints recorded in the national data base already.”
“Hmm. You’re probably overqualified for this.”
“Maybe a bit. But who can refuse an ex-Secret Service agent?”
She set the coffee cup away and stood. “I know I can’t. Come on, I’m not sore anymore. Let’s make love.”
He grinned at the term make love . “That sounds good to me.”
Will didn’t look up the exam times until much later. He sat in the kitchen with Katie. “There’s an exam in Syracuse tomorrow. It says spots are still available. You register the day of the exam.”
“Then you’re on your way.”
He grinned. “I think I’ll review the exam topics just to make sure I know everything.”
“I think I’ll go to my Dad’s after I shower.”
“He won’t be happy about what happened to you.”
“Yeah, neither am I.”
* * *
“Kate.”
Uh-oh. He never addressed her like that. So he’d heard.
She sat across from him at the kitchen counter. “You know about the ceiling.”
“Uh-huh. Too bad I had to hear you were taken to the hospital from my retired buddies and not you.”
“I came as soon as I felt good enough to drive.”
He said, “You could have called me.”
She grabbed a napkin. Twisted it for something to do with her hands. Shit. She’d spit it out. She raised her gaze. “There’s more, Daddy.”
“You haven’t called me that in forever.”
“I’m afraid of your reaction. I should have told you this sooner, too.”
He grabbed her hands. “What, honey?”
“First off, I was on reception one night and a couple of pros went at it.” She told him about the arresting officers not searching them and leaving them with her.
“Then somebody put a dead rooster in the front seat of my car.”
His face reddened.
“Then my tires got slashed.”
He swore, vehemently. “Did you report all this?” he asked tightly.
“The chief knew about the pros. And I reported the slashed tires.”
His jaw got tight and his hands fisted. He was trying to control himself. “Katie girl, why did you go through all this alone?”
“I, um, wasn’t alone. I’ve been seeing someone. I called him.”
“Why?”
“I was hoping to keep it from you. You worry about me.”
His gaze narrowed. “Who’s the guy?”
“It’s complicated.”
“I didn’t ask that. I want to know who you’re seeing.”
“Will Kirkland.”
“The kid from here who went into the Secret Service?”
“Yes. It’s very complicated why he’s back in town. It’s his story to tell.” And there were too many details she had to conceal. If her father ever heard the words just sex he’d blow a gasket.
“All right. What do you need from me now?”
“How about one of your famous pastrami sandwiches?”
“I think I can do that.”
After she left her father’s house, she went to her apartment and packed up some clothes. Will had taken a big step toward her and she wouldn’t hurt him by staying away. Which was crazy. How had she let him become important to her?
His car was in the driveway when she arrived about two. He was outside on the patio under an awning, writing in his tablet. He looked up when she came outside. “Hi.”
“Hey.” He glanced at the duffle she carried. “You went to the apartment?”
“Yeah. I got some clothes.” She shifted on her feet. “It’s okay with you, right?”
“Hush, I wanted you to stay here. Go put them upstairs then come back out. It’s a beautiful day.”
When she returned, she grabbed them both water and joined him outside. “Did you make much progress?”
“I did. I got a prep book for tomorrow. I knew most of the stuff in it, except some civilian penal codes.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“Then I went to the courthouse in Syracuse and got the application forms to be a PI. A lot of paperwork. But I’m about done.”
“Ah.”
“How’d it go with your Dad?”
She told him about the visit. “They love you, Katie. You might want to consider spending more time with them.” He swallowed hard. “I wish I’d been more attentive to my father since I left home.”
“I hear you.”
“So, are you up for a swim?” he asked.
“Where?”
She grinned. “We’re on a lake, sweetheart.”
“Yeah, but, I don’t have a bathing suit.”
“We can stop on the way.”
“Okay.” The fact that she was acquiescing so easily frightened her, but she pushed the notion away.
* * *
Boy, they had fun. The water on Onondaga Lake was nearly 80. Katie had looked it up on the way over. She watched Will take off his shirt and put on sunscreen. His skin glistened in the rays.
He studied her. “Come on, take your clothes off.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She unbuttoned the first button of her bathing suit cover, then the second and when she finished, she let if fall to ground.
“Holy Mother of God. It’s…fits like it was painted on you.”
That was true. She’d chosen a speedo with a high back to cover most of the bruises. But it hugged her in all the right places. For the first time since Annie was kidnapped, Kate wanted to show off.
She walked toward him, her hips swaying. They were in a public place. He grabbed her and pressed up against a tree. Kissed her hard. When he stepped away, he said, “Now we’re even.” He took her hand. They ran toward the beach. Hit the water together. “Let’s swim out to that raft.”
“You’re on. Wanna race?”
“Yes—and he was off. He got a head start on her.”
But she caught up and went ahead. He caught up. They see-sawed for the lead but Kate touched the raft first. Hefted herself up…oh, what…she went in the water as he dunked her.
She came up sputtering. “Poor loser.”
He laughed.
They sunned themselves on the deck. The warm, warm rays felt good on her wet body. She got even warmer when he took her hand. “Your back’s better but still discolored.”
“It feels a lot better.”
They sunbathed for an hour, lost in their own thoughts, or making small talk. At one point, Will sat up. “Look at the grass beyond the sand.” She sat up. “A flock of swans. How cool.”
“I used to come up here with my high school friends. There are turkeys around here, too.”
She laid back down. “What mischief did you get into up here?”
“I’ll never tell.” He glanced over at her. “Didn’t you ever go to the lake?”
“Yeah, with kids at school, too. And I dated a guy whose family had a boat in the marina. They let us take it out.”
He turned over and braced his arms on either side of her. For a minute she was overcome at how free she felt, how much she liked this normality.
“Who was the guy?”
“Jeremy Halston.”
“Halston? Your class president?”
“Uh-huh. We got pretty serious.”
“How far did you two go?”
She looked up into his teasing face. She’d never seen him like this. “I’ll share salacious details if you tell me about all the girls you had sex with.”
“No, never mind. I don’t want to know. It’ll drive me crazy.”
“Hmm. I think I like that.”
* * *
“Hi, Chief. Thanks for seeing me.”
“No problem, Will. What can I do for you?”
He gave Thomas a typed report. “These are the things that have happened here at the precinct to Kate Donovan. Through negligence or malicious intent.”
Thomas scanned it. “Sorry, son. I can’t confirm or deny these. Or talk to you about her.”
“I’m a private investigator.” He’d gotten his results in the mail along with his license. “I met the NY State requirements and passed the exam this week. I’m running the Syracuse office of Investigative Solutions. It’s a branch of the one in Rochester.”
“Hmm. You should have alerted us that this company was coming here. We work with PI’s a lot.”
“Consider it done.”
“I guess I can do this. First off, I got suspicious when all the things happened. But I couldn’t find proof that anyone was behind the incidents.”
“I’d like to investigate it myself. Tell me what you did.”
“The first incident with the pros and the knife was by negligence on two officers.”
“What happened to them?”
“I talked to them and told them they were on thin ice.”
“The dead bird was mischief and didn’t rise to the level of a crime. Caused her some grief, though. It was the slit tires that concerned me the most. But I never found any evidence of the tires being vandalized by Landry and Lawrence. I’m not sure you’ll find anything new. I’m not even sure what it is you’re looking for.”
“I’m establishing an escalating pattern. Ending with destruction of property, malicious endangerment, intent to kill.”
“Hold on a second. You mean the ceiling falling on her was rigged.”
“I do mean that.”
“Well, I called in a ceiling carpenter. He said the floor in the attic had some rotting boards. The desk pushed over on the area was too heavy to hold it.”
“No desk fell on her.”
“It got hung up in the joist and never made it down.”
“Is it still up there?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to fingerprint it.”
The chief shook his head. “Even if Landry’s prints are on there, a ton of other officers’ prints will be too. That’s still circumstantial evidence.”
“Not in conjunction with the other things that have happened to her here. I’d like all the fingerprints on the desk tested.”
He picked up his phone. “Sally, call Officer Perry. Tell her to come to my office. I want her to fingerprint something.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What are you thinking, Will?”
“I’ll find out if someone else from the department wanted to hurt her.”
“Shit,” Thomas said. “This could be messy. And I hate mess.”
* * *
Kate wasn’t used to leisure time—only two days left—but she vowed to enjoy them. She felt an unfamiliar emotion well inside her. It was joy, especially after her time at the lake with Will, where they had good, honest fun. Was more of that coming in the future? She hoped so.
To pass the time until he got home, she worked out with the weights and straps and pullies she found in a spare bedroom. Will kept himself in shape. He had a hard body, she thought as she did pushups on the mat. So taut and sculpted, like his jaw. His muscular legs. His tight butt. Shivering with the thought, she turned over and hissed a bit. Her back was still black and blue. After she stretched her legs with a strap, she rolled to her feet and put the strap over the door frame to stretch her deltoids, then biceps.
She sat and did some leg lifts with weights thinking about going to work in two days. Not that she was anxious to get back to the desk. Briefly, she wondered if she should take a stand with her boss and ask him to reverse the demotion. Or she could talk to the union. Maybe she’d discuss it with Will.
From downstairs she heard, “Kate, where are you?”
“Up here.”
He came to the doorway. “Done?”
“I’m finished after these, but I need some aerobics. I think I could run today.”
“Probably. I want to talk to you about something first.”
“Okay.” He dropped down in the chair across from her. “I went into the precinct to talk to Mike Thomas.”
“My boss?”
“Yes.” He leaned against the doorjamb and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I wanted to know what he’d done to address the knife issue, the slit tires and now the ceiling falling.”
“I don’t understand. Why would you do that?”
“It’s important. I’m waiting for the fingerprints on the desk. If Landry’s and Lawrence’s are on there, we can build a case against them.”
“Will, I told you that I didn’t want them to get more ammunition to hurt me.”
His brow furrowed. “It’s gone far beyond that now.”
“It wasn’t your place to do that.”
His eyes widened. “My place?”
“It’s my life, Will.”
He let out a breath, then said, “I thought we were sharing our lives.”
“Sharing. Not controlling each other’s lives.”
“I don’t get it. Why are you mad?”
“For one thing, you went against my wishes. Second, I don’t need a man to fight my battles.”
“Even if you’re not fighting them.”
Exasperated, Kate got out, “It’s my choice, not yours.”
He straightened. “I don’t think I did anything wrong.”
“Then we have a serious problem.”
“What are you saying?”
It came out, uncensored. “I can’t be with a man who wants to control me.”
“You’re overreacting. I’m not doing that!”
“I think you are.”
“Then we’re at an impasse.”
“I guess we are.” She rolled to her feet. Headed to the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to my place.”
“You gotta be kidding me. We have a fight and you’re leaving?” His gaze narrowed on her. “This has gotten to be too much for you, hasn’t it? We’re too close. You care too much about me so you’re running away.”
“Go ahead and rationalize why I’m leaving if it makes you feel better.”
“Katie…”
“Goodbye, Will.” And she walked out.
He didn’t stop her. He was hurt and furious with her.