Chapter 18
Being summoned to Javi’s office, I’m learning, is never a good thing. First thing in the morning? Before I even finished my coffee? This doesn’t sound promising.
I knock briskly, and barely cover my surprise when Doc opens the door. He steps back and lets me walk in. Neither man is sitting behind the desk, but in front of it. From a glance at the paperwork spread out on top, they’ve been working for hours already.
“What happened?” I ask sharply.
“I need you to run backgrounds on these four,” Javi says, handing me a stack of papers.
Glancing at the top sheet, I see the hand scrawled note that reads Child Psychologist. “More therapists?” I wrinkle my nose and take a drink of coffee from my travel cup. “Though I am glad to hear you’ll be getting Cole some help.”
“Of course, I am,” Javi says, almost sounding offended.
“And yes, more therapists. I realized the ones on my first wishlist aren’t enough.
Not if I want you fuckers to actually be functioning, and to not break my colleagues.
So, three more names for you, and one child psychologist for Cole.
That one, and the first adult therapist in that stack, are ones I need now. Not tomorrow, not next week.”
“You planning on kidnapping them too?” I drink more coffee. It’s not enough to deal with Javi on only a few hours of sleep.
“The child psychologist could be persuaded, but the therapist I need now? Yes. The other two…I’m sure you and Leandro can come up with ways to get them on board, or I will be considering my options.”
“Have you spoken to Jude and Lio about the budget?”
“We’ll meet with them soon, but is there a limit to the mental stability of those you care about?” Javi levels me with a look that makes me want to throw my coffee on him.
“You and an army of mental health professionals at your beck and call seems like a bad idea,” I mutter.
He grins. “Probably, but think of how unstoppable we’d be.”
I make a noise of derision, and turn to look at Doc. “Thoughts?”
He sighs and runs a hand through his already mussed hair. “We need this. I…there’s too much for Javi and I to handle. We don’t want to risk burnout for anyone who comes in to help, so yes, this is necessary.”
I wince, knowing how true their concerns are. Even if I don’t like it simply because they’ll be expecting me to sit down with one of these people. “I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
Spinning on my heel, I move to my office, my exhaustion already settling in. With work to be done, I once again consider IV coffee; it has to be more effective than simply drinking it.
Leandro is already at his desk, and doesn’t question me when I drop two of the names onto his desk. Most people probably wouldn’t trust him after the Stanley fuck up, but he knows better. If he doesn’t want to, rightfully, be taken to task for that mess, he’ll do what I ask.
Settling in at my desk, I finish my coffee, then send a text to the kitchen ordering another pot. I really need to get a coffee maker in here.
First order of business is the child psychologist, who we, hopefully, don’t have to kidnap. Fuck my life, Jude is going to have a field day.