Read Online Attachment Strings by Chris T. Kat - Free Book Online

managed to make breakfast, which included two large mugs of coffee, and deliberately occupied myself with the newspaper. It worked for maybe two minutes before my thoughts wandered off into realms I didn’t want to explore. What the hell had I been thinking yesterday?
    Clearly, I hadn’t thought at all. Why should it matter that Alex was cheating on his lover with me? “No strings attached” had been our agreement. I’d never had a problem going through with this type of arrangement before. Now I started to loathe our word choice.
    It was weird. Alex wasn’t my type and still here I was, mourning over him. That thought caused me to choke on my coffee. When I could breathe without coughing fits, I told myself fiercely that I would not grieve over him. I would not become a pathetic loser. We’d had fun and that was it.
    My new resolve lasted for an hour. At that point it dawned on me that I’d go insane staying at home for the rest of the day. I decided to shut my brain up by giving it something else to think about. I drove to the station. No matter how much Parker and I tried to be done with the paperwork, there would always be more of it.
    I talked a bit with some of my coworkers before I slumped down into the chair in front of my desk. Two neat stacks of folders waited for me. Somehow, the prospect of tackling those folders wasn’t as appealing in reality as it had been in my mind. Sighing deeply, I opened the folder on top of the stack closest to me and cursed myself for having no private life.
    I sighed in intense gratitude when my phone rang. It was all I could do not to cry, “Hallelujah! Someone’s going to rescue me!”
    Gordon Clark, the headmaster of St. Christopherus School, was returning our call from yesterday. In a very formal and very detached voice he declared himself to be concerned about the reputation of his school and the safety of the children. Stated in exactly that order. I shook my head. How could someone who had his priorities so wrong work in the field of education?
    Reluctantly, he agreed to see me early in the afternoon. He intended to hand me a list with the names of parents whose children had suffered from sudden falls or other accidents at school or on their way to school during the past six months. Several times he assured me everything was all right at St. Christopherus School. An equal number of times I told him we were just being cautious.
    The end of the call left me with the option of doing the paperwork or going back home, where I belonged on my day off. After a short internal debate, I decided on my next steps: finishing one report, doing some grocery shopping, having lunch at home, and after that driving over to the school.
    I had just put away the folder with the report when Parker ambled into the station. He looked tired and very much off-kilter. Upon seeing me, he plastered a smile on his face. “You’re here too?”
    “Obviously.”
    “Date didn’t work out?”
    “No.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that. I could have sworn that you two hit it off.”
    I shrugged. I didn’t want to talk about yesterday. “Why are you here?”
    “I’m suffering from a bout of workaholism.”
    “You?” I laughed. “Never!”
    His grin was much more sincere this time. “I didn’t want to stay at home, okay? You of all people should understand my reasons.”
    “Oh,” I said. “Didn’t go so well for you either, huh?”
    “Man, you must be a detective, and I’m not confirming anything.”
    I ignored the sarcasm. Parker’s hands trembled slightly and he almost spilled his coffee. Concern won the upper hand. I got up and walked over to him. He deliberately avoided eye contact when I laid a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay? Or do I need to beat someone up?”
    He laughed. It was a choked kind of laugh. Nevertheless, the tension in his shoulders eased a bit. “I’m capable of beating someone up in case it’s necessary, but thanks anyway.”
    “You’re welcome, and you