Page 68 of Worth the Fall

“Okay.” I draw the word out, still lost to the purpose of this conversation.

“Stetson threw his hat in the ring a few days ago.”

“What?” I feel like I’ve been hit by a two-by-four. “Fucking Stetson?”

“Yes. And I only have one opening.”

I nod and clench my fists to hide my reaction. “Understood.”

“You’ll both pass the test easily. It’s the interviews that are going to be tough. You each have friends on the committee, so the vote will be split . . . and⁠—”

“And I have the bullshit lies Stetson and his dad spread about my dad and me to contend with.” I finish his unspoken thought for him and hate to even have to say it.

“There’s that.” Another sigh. When he clenches his fists atop the file on his desk, it’s just one last visual directive to have my shit in order. To not take any of this lightly.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk,” I say. “But I didn’t expect to have to contend with a past I had nothing to do with.”

“I know, Grant. It’s bullshit, but it’s shit nonetheless, and at some point, we’re all forced to stand in it and try to wipe it off our heels.”

“Thanks for the head’s up,” I say and stand, needing a moment to process this.

“Let me know if I can help with anything.”

How about kick the fucker off the force?

I nod again and offer a tight smile before turning and walking out of his office. Nate catches my eye as I stride through the precinct without stopping. We’ve worked together long enough for him to recognize I’m about to lose my shit, and I know he’ll be ten steps behind me as soon as others stop paying attention.

Once outside, I walk to the edge of the lot and try to calm the fuck down.

“Grant?”

“The asshole is coming after my promotion,” I grit the words out to him.

“Stetson?”

“Fuck yes, Stetson.” I roll my shoulders and walk a few feet away from him before turning and walking back. “He can’t let it go, can he? His dad was a piss poor cop on a total power trip just like his bastard son is.”

“I’m not going to disagree with you. But why now? He just up and decided he wanted to be detective?”

“Apparently.” I laugh, but it’s void of humor. “Is he trying to avenge dear old daddy?”

“Fuck that, Malone. His dear old daddy was crooked, so your dad kicked him off the force for misconduct and marred his reputation.”

“Yep. And then he started spreading bullshit rumors about my dad to get back at him. Fuck.” I run a hand through my hair, the anger eating me raw inside.

“I know, man. I know. It was fucked up all around, but anyone who knows your dad knows the accusations are crap.”

“Does it matter? He still stepped down over it and gave them the satisfaction of thinking they had won.” The thought alone makes my body vibrate in anger. I know he didn’t step down to avoid the smudge on his incredible career but rather to remove all drama so his son, who wanted to follow in his footsteps, could do so with a clean slate in front of him.

Yeah, I’m the selfish bastard who let him do that—not that anyone could have stopped him.

“Don’t let your head go there, man. He stepped down because he had already planned on retiring, not because of you. We both know that.”

“Yeah, well . . .” How do I go from the high of last night with Emerson to this shit? “Now I get to deal with Asshole Jr.”

“He’s doing it just to spite you.”

“But he has friends in high places.”

“So do you, my friend.”

“Let’s hope so.”