Page 4 of Save Me
Before his cell phone disconnected, Brock was heading outside towards his car.
It had been two years. Two long years filled with guilt and shame. Time he’d spent trying to make up for being so blind.
Knowing that he’d allowed his partner to do those horrible things right under his nose had weighed so heavily on him that it had almost cost him everything.
The day after finding the broken blue-eyed woman in the shipping container, where his partner Daryl Collins had spent years raping and murdering women, he’d handed in his badge.
Thankfully, his captain had shoved it back at him and put him on desk duty. He’d spent the next few months seeing a shirk. It had helped. A little.
The weight of the guilt was something he didn’t think he could ever overcome. Ever.
He’d done everything he could think of to rectify his oversight. Except one. Apologize to the ones that had been hurt by his blindness and stupidity.
He knew right where Crissy and her daughter Emma where. Hell, it was because of his guilt that they were in Key West in the first place.
“Where are you heading?” Joe, his current chief, asked as he walked towards the front door of the station.
“I just got a call from my folks,” Brock said, stopping just inside the door. “I need some personal time,” he said, not wanting to go into the details.
Joe nodded without even asking. “How much personal time?”
Brock jerked in a breath. Hell. What was he doing? His dad had mentioned that Crissy had called him and told him she’d received a threatening call, and the first thought he had was to go running down to the Keys. To do what? Reach through the phone and kick whatever sicko had found out where she lived and decided to mess with her? Taking a deep breath, Joe waited.
“Wanna come into my office and have a chat?” Joe suggested when Brock didn’t answer.
Since he didn’t have any reason not to, Brock followed him back down the hallway and sat in the chair across from Joe’s desk.
“Before Reggie called you, he called me,” Joe started. He held up his hand to stop Brock from saying anything. “Our friendship goes back long before you ever came along,” Joe joked. “Which is why I knew for sure that you’d be heading toward the door.” Joe watched him.
“Yeah.” Brock relaxed back in the chair.
“Which is why your father and I have decided you might need a change of scenery,” Joe said. Brock leaned forward again.
“Joe, I don’t want—”
“I don’t give a rat’s butt what you want. I’m here to give you what you need. And right now, your father needs someone with your skills down there.”
Hadn’t he just wanted that? Why then was his first thought to decline the offer? Unsure of why, he sat in silence instead.
Joe tilted his head and continued. “It’ll be for a month at first. Then we’ll play it by ear. I’m leaving it up to Reggie’s discretion as to how long this assignment will last.” Joe held out his hand. “Turn in your badge and weapon. You’ll get new ones down there. Your dad is waiting.”
Something close to anger bubbled in Brock’s chest at being manipulated again, but then the memory of Crissy’s blue eyes looking up at him resurfaced. He’d never forget seeing her chained like an animal to the floor of the shipping container, covered in dirt and blood. The guilt had him standing and handing over his badge and sidearm.
Joe secured both items in the locked cabinet behind his desk. Then he held out his hand for Brock’s. “I’ve always known I had you temporarily. Your dad’s been trying to convince me to transfer you down there for years.”
“He has?” Brock asked as he shook the man’s hand.
Joe leaned closer and joked, “My guess is he’s wanting to retire soon and wants you to fill the spot.”
That was news to Brock. His father had been chief of police in Key West since… well, as long as Brock could remember. It was because of his dad that Brock had gone into the force in the first place.
After graduating from the academy, Brock had chosen to stay in Miami instead of heading back home. He hadn’t wanted any special attention because he was the chief’s son. Also, he’d liked being where the action was. Or so he’d thought.
“Thanks,” Brock said to Joe.
“If I’m lucky, I’ll have you back in no time,” Joe added. “Good luck down there. Even if you don’t believe me, you deserve the break,” he added with a nod.
“Right,” Brock answered. He swallowed the lump in his throat.
