Chapter Forty-Four
The venom-spewing partner standing in the elevator with Chelsea wasn’t the man she knew.
Her Mac wasn’t hateful. He’d never dip to such lows, and if she hadn’t found such confidence with Liam, she might not be able to see the ugly words for what they were.
Vicious and self-serving. “What has happened to you?”
He sneered. “Ask yourself that question, would ya, Kilpatrick?”
Bilious stomach pain punched Chelsea with such force that her eyes nearly watered. But he was in the wrong, and she’d die before a single tear could slip free. Mac would never have the satisfaction of making her cry. But—he had a good chance of making her sick.
The elevator doors opened, and Chelsea escaped. She rushed toward the bull pen, only to find nowhere to sit. She couldn’t go to her basement office and still work with Mac, and she didn’t know where to head. Agents in the bullpen glanced over, and a wave of nausea ebbed and flowed.
She spun and crashed into Calhoun.
“Kilpatrick,” he said as a greeting.
Mac strode up as if he hadn’t been a first-class jerk in the elevator. “Ready to get to work?”
“Would you give me a minute?” she snapped.
“I see the congratulations didn’t go as expected,” Calhoun grumbled.
She reeled back, eyeing both men. “What congratulations?”
Calhoun’s eyebrow arched. “Mac’s promotion.”
What? She thought back to how he hadn’t taken up for her against Calhoun, how he hadn’t reached out except for after it had been impossible not to when Zee Zee struck again. “You played me for office politics?”
Mac rolled his eyes. “Give me a break.”
“You did. Didn’t you? You let—”
“It’s not like you wanted to move up,” he interjected.
“No! I only cared about Zee Zee Mars!”
“Shut it!” Calhoun commanded, and when she and Mac stopped bickering, she realized they had everyone’s attention. “Conference room now.”
Mac snickered. “I think we both have news to share and celebrate.”
Chelsea’s jaw fell, and she didn’t know what was more shocking—the acerbic sarcasm or how he didn’t seem the least bit sad that their partnership was irreparably shattered. The hurt made her physically ill.
Calhoun marched them into the closest conference room. It overlooked the front parking lot, and Chelsea saw Mac’s jacket over the back of a chair and his coffee mug on the table. He’d been working in there and saw Liam kiss her goodbye?
It didn’t matter. She wasn’t hiding—except she felt certain she might be sick. Mac and Calhoun struck up a casual conversation as they took their seats. The banter stopped and their eyes remained on her.
Finally, Calhoun offered “Do you want to take a seat?”
“Thanks,” she hoarsely whispered. “But I’m going to run to the ladies’ room first.”
She prayed that the dizziness would subside, then forced herself down the hall and into the restroom. Chelsea splashed cold water on her face. But that didn’t help. Neither did the cold rag she made for the back of her neck.
She gave up and took a deep breath. That didn’t help either, and she had nothing left to do but go back to the conference room.
Both men were kicked back in rolling chairs that swiveled and rocked. They stopped mid-sentence when she walked in and stood. Her boss offered her a chair, but she opted for one at the head of the table so that both men would be at her sides.
“Chelsea,” Calhoun said, starting uncharacteristically with her first name.
The door cracked, and Dr. Casper walked in. “Good morning.”
It was a setup. An ambush. Mac had camouflaged the reason for the meeting so that she would come in.
Dr. Casper shook Calhoun’s hand and sat next to Mac, giving the same greeting, as if they were all old friends.
“I thought we shared everything,” Chelsea snapped at her partner. “Where’s the truth in this?”
All eyes fell on her.
“Chelsea,” Calhoun started again, “you remember Dr. Casper?”
“Yes.” She pressed her lips together.
“I thought perhaps you would’ve arranged an appointment with the doctor.”
Dr. Casper kept a neutral expression, but nothing was evenhanded when it came to the alliances that had been formed.
“I’ve been busy,” she said.
“I think,” Mac interjected, “Chelsea has something else to bring up that’s worth discussing.”
Mac wouldn’t dare bring up Liam. The corners of her eyes pinched, and her molars sawed to their breaking point. “That’s between us.”
“With your time off, my role has changed. Whether we remain partners or not, I think that it’s important for everyone to know—”
“Do not finish that thought,” Chelsea snapped.
Dr. Casper pulled out a notebook and jotted a note.
For the love of butter cream—notes?
“I never took you for one of those guys who’d throw their partner under the bus to rise in the ranks—” Then she felt it necessary to turn to the scribbling doctor. “This is absurd.”
Mac cleared his throat. “It’s important for us to realize that you’re sleeping with Liam Brosnan.” He pivoted to Dr. Casper. “Brosnan is her best friend’s boyfriend.”
“I’m not sure that’s warranted,” Calhoun muttered, finally sticking up for her.
“Substance abuse and reckless decisions?” Mac replied to their boss but Chelsea could tell his answer was for Dr. Casper’s benefit.
She wanted to cry and yell. What was she supposed to say? Explain that my best friend is dead? That more than a year had passed before she and Liam became romantically involved? Mac, Calhoun, and Casper didn’t need that information.
“Why don’t you take a moment to compose yourself,” Calhoun suggested.
“I don’t need to,” she choked.
He shifted in the rolling chair. “You don’t look well.”
“I’ve been ambushed, and you think I have a drinking problem!”
“Take it easy,” Calhoun demanded.
Chelsea squared her shoulders and tried to settle her emotions. “Fine.”
After a minute, Calhoun rubbed his chin and leaned back. “I’d still like you to see Casper.”
Unbelievable. She shook her head.
“There’s nothing wrong with getting help,” Mac offered.
“I don’t need help! What the hell is your problem?”
Mac and Calhoun froze as though they couldn’t believe she’d cursed, then Calhoun leaned forward. “Maybe this meeting was a bad idea.”
Her chin dropped. “Why did you call me in anyway?”
Calhoun cleared his throat. “Mac’s going to be overseeing a taskforce that works with several agencies, and he’s suggested their first focus be Zee Zee Mars.”
He’d thrown her under the bus for clout and seniority, and had to steal her work? She could see how all the pieces fell into place, even if Calhoun or Casper couldn’t. Mac knew what he was doing. She smiled weakly. “Congratulations. Even if you didn’t earn it.”
“Kilpatrick,” Calhoun warned.
She stood and didn’t care what more Calhoun had to say. “At least I know why I’ve been accused of a nonexistent drinking problem and the basis for the relationship with my boyfriend has been publicly called into question.”
“Boyfriend.” Mac snickered.
Calhoun shot Mac a look to stand down, but that didn’t change what had happened. She was dangerously close to balling her fists and beating the ever-loving daylights out of her partner. But given the two oh-so-neutral witnesses, she’d probably find herself in lock-up. “I should go.”
“I’ll give you a buzz if I have any questions about Mars.” Mac rocked back. “But I think we have her handled.”
That cocky son of a biscuit-eating polar bear. She chewed the inside of her mouth, only when she was certain that speaking wouldn’t mean throwing herself across the table to claw his eyes out, Chelsea simply said, “I’m sure.”
Mac pursed his lips and glanced at Calhoun.
Calhoun now seemed confused and looked at Dr. Casper, but he was busily scribbling notes.
“I want you to come back when you’re ready,” Calhoun said.
“Who will make that call?” Her hands clenched again, and her palms would bleed before the impromptu meeting ended.
Mac muttered something under his breath, and she did too.
“Enough.” Calhoun stood. “You two can’t work together, even if you were back on duty today.”
“Sir—”
Calhoun waved away her interruption. “Kilpatrick, before you leave, double check with Mac on any missing holes, and then you two, get to different corners.”
How could I lose everything I’ve worked on? Nausea rolled over her again. An unsettling sweat broke out at the back of her neck and between her breasts. Her stomach churned, and she didn’t feel as if the room had enough air. She pressed her lips together and tried not to vomit.
“Kilpatrick?” Calhoun’s beady eyes narrowed. “Are we going to have another problem?”
Yes… his decisions were making her ill. This absurd situation called for internal affairs to investigate—or something!
But a request for an IA investigation could ruin her career, and she tried to see what was important.
Catching Zee Zee. That was what Chelsea needed to focus on.
She swallowed hard and prayed for team-player strength and the miraculous appearance of a roll of antacids. “Anything to capture Mars.”
The corners of Mac’s lips turned up slightly. Whatever had happened in Kentucky gave them a break and created a multi-agency taskforce, and she’d never know if Mac didn’t share.
“And.” Calhoun inhaled and let it out while he made eye contact with the doctor. “Kilpatrick, I think the best way to handle your current situation is to remain as we are. Your benefits will continue while we work this out.”
“This is insane,” Chelsea protested.
“We’ve talked enough for today.” Calhoun offered a worried look. “I want you to come back, but get your life under control first.”