Read Online A Voice from the Field by Neal Griffin - Free Book Online Page B

gagged.”
    He said nothing, watching her. Tia went on. “You think I made that up? Or what? That I imagined it somehow?”
    Ben blew out a long breath. “Tia, doesn’t this sound, I don’t know, pretty damn familiar?”
    â€œWhat?” Tia pushed herself off the desk. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What are you saying, Ben?”
    â€œLook,” he said, sounding defensive and a little exasperated. “You’ve been through a lot, Tia. It’s been a rough few months. I mean, think about what happened in the courtroom. Couldn’t it be—”
    Tia shook her head. She knew exactly what Ben was talking about—the experiences she’d had after being shot. But this wasn’t the same. “Ben, there was a girl in the van. I know what I saw. Let me work on it. All we have to do is put a tail on Kane when he leaves the jail. I bet the dumb ass will take us right to her.”
    â€œNo. Absolutely not.” Ben gave Tia a look that said he knew who he was dealing with. “Listen to me on this, Detective. You’re done nosing around this case. Newberg PD has zero jurisdiction here, not to mention the case is closed. This guy is walking and that’s where it ends. From here on out, you stay away. Are we clear on that?”
    Damn, this is frustrating, she thought . On top of her having to sit through the lecture, her head was pounding from long nights of no real sleep. She’d snatched a few minutes here and there, but the face of the girl in the van had haunted her dreams as much as her waking hours.
    How much longer could she keep this up? Maybe it was time to check out, head back down to Mexico. Her disability retirement pay would go a long way in Jalisco. Hell, maybe she could talk Connor into going. Just the two of us. A beach in Mexico. Ben’s voice brought her back.
    â€œSo will you do that for me, Tia?”
    â€œWhat? Sorry, what did you say?” Her mouth was suddenly dry as cotton and she craved the meds that had become part of her daily routine.
    â€œI said, I think you need to talk this thing through with somebody who can help you deal with it.”
    â€œI thought that’s what we were doing right here,” Tia replied.
    â€œI mean someone from outside the department.” Ben took a deep breath and went on, “I think you should go back to Dr. Gage.”
    Tia shook her head, insulted. “I don’t need any more shrinks. Especially him. I’m fine. I’m pissed, but I’ll get over it.”
    â€œTia, you were attacked. It was a traumatic event. It may have triggered something from before.
    â€œIt was your first time out since coming back. Like I said, I blame myself. I shouldn’t have let you go out this soon. But what’s done is done. You need to debrief this with a professional. Someone who can help you deal with it.”
    Tia stood up. “Well, like I said, thanks, but I’m not interested in getting my head shrunk anymore. I’m good with where I’m at.”
    Ben took a deep breath and blew it out. “What makes you think I’m asking, Detective?”
    Irritated now, Tia spoke more aggressively. “I thought this was all about our special connection, Ben. Now you’re playing the chief card?”
    Ben got up and came around his desk to stand near Tia. He put both hands on his hips like he didn’t know what else to do with them. He hates this, she thought.
    â€œI’ll fill out a form two ten right now, ordering you into no-duty status until you get cleared by the county psych. Or you can go on your own and there doesn’t have to be any paper trail. I wouldn’t extend that offer to anyone else on the PD, Tia.”
    Tia gave Ben a harsh look. Her tone of voice didn’t hide the fact that she felt betrayed. “That’s mighty big of you, Chief. Save the paper—I’ll go see the damn shrink. But remember, whatever