face.” Tyson
followed Dustin out of the precinct. “First, I’ll bust her alibi and then I’ll
make her sweat. As I recall, that had been her challenge.”
Dustin chuckled. “You love trouble.”
* * * * *
McKenna looked up when the grandfather clock chimed in
the corner of Elliot’s office. The contents of his desk lay in complete
disarray. Every scrap of paper read, every file opened, but she found nothing
regarding her paternity. In fact, she found very little in the realm of what
she would consider important information.
Feeling like hell, and looking worse, she made herself
presentable for work. If anything, she wanted the reprieve from worrying about
spending her life in prison, or worse, ending up like Elliot. Not that the high
exciting world of insurance would be able to push her fucked up reality far
from her mind. However, dealing with client issues would keep her from thinking
of her own.
Her stomach lurched. Strange, never seeing him again
sitting behind this desk with a sour expression on his lips and an intense
narrowing of his eyes when she inevitably disturbed something he was working
on. It wasn’t the kind of relationship a person would miss, but it was all she
had with him.
After a quick shower, she dressed for comfort in
slacks and rayon blouse. A glimmer of happiness bloomed in her chest and began
to overpower her morose mood. She had friends and warm faces at work. She
grabbed her keys off the counter. Elliot’s car caused her breath to catch, but
she tamped down the anxiety and hurried to her vehicle.
On the drive over to the insurance agency, McKenna
strengthened her resolve. She parked, grabbed her purse, and headed into the
office. The morning sun was warm, and for the first time since slipping into a
living nightmare, she felt herself. Instead of blood, alibis, and Detective
Pearce she could think about auto, home, and life.
“Hi, Barbara.” She greeted the front receptionist.
“McKenna, you shouldn’t be here.” Barbara was the
grandmother of the office, always ready to listen and offer advice. “After all
that has happened, you should take some time off. Lord knows you need it,
child.” With the full strength of her arms, she wrapped McKenna into an
embrace.
“I need this more.” She smiled at Barbara. “I’ll be
fine, really.”
She walked to her office, sat behind her desk, and
tossed her purse into her bottom drawer.
“McKenna?” Madison Frey, owner and lead agent, came
into her office. “When we spoke, I thought you understood you could take as
much time as you needed. You should be home putting your family’s affairs in
order.” Her voice was soft but didn’t feel consoling. Madison nervously moved
around the room then finally sat across from her.
“I can’t be home, Madison. All I have is my job to
keep me busy.”
Madison fidgeted in
the seat. “Oh, McKenna, I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’d hoped you’d take the
time and all this nonsense would blow over.” She splayed her hands wide.
“Do I have to take the time off?” McKenna sensed
impending doom as Madison slowly stood.
“This is a business first. Barbara has been fending
off reporters on the telephone. Clients have opinions, and I can’t risk the
potential impact your being here could have on the agency.” Madison sighed
heavily. “The attention is only going to get worse, and it’s already a
distraction.”
McKenna nodded. “Who will take over my clients?”
“I’ll find someone.” Madison touched her shoulder.
“I’m sorry. You’ve been with us a long time. We’ll miss you.”
“It sounds as if you’re letting me go?” She opened the
drawer, grabbed her purse, and draped it over her shoulder.
“For now, I have to.”
“So I’ll just assume you’ll call me.” McKenna knew at
that moment the call to return would never happen. Madison just stood there
looking at her without a smile. The decision was final. Madison had a business
to run, and she understood,
followed Dustin out of the precinct. “First, I’ll bust her alibi and then I’ll
make her sweat. As I recall, that had been her challenge.”
Dustin chuckled. “You love trouble.”
* * * * *
McKenna looked up when the grandfather clock chimed in
the corner of Elliot’s office. The contents of his desk lay in complete
disarray. Every scrap of paper read, every file opened, but she found nothing
regarding her paternity. In fact, she found very little in the realm of what
she would consider important information.
Feeling like hell, and looking worse, she made herself
presentable for work. If anything, she wanted the reprieve from worrying about
spending her life in prison, or worse, ending up like Elliot. Not that the high
exciting world of insurance would be able to push her fucked up reality far
from her mind. However, dealing with client issues would keep her from thinking
of her own.
Her stomach lurched. Strange, never seeing him again
sitting behind this desk with a sour expression on his lips and an intense
narrowing of his eyes when she inevitably disturbed something he was working
on. It wasn’t the kind of relationship a person would miss, but it was all she
had with him.
After a quick shower, she dressed for comfort in
slacks and rayon blouse. A glimmer of happiness bloomed in her chest and began
to overpower her morose mood. She had friends and warm faces at work. She
grabbed her keys off the counter. Elliot’s car caused her breath to catch, but
she tamped down the anxiety and hurried to her vehicle.
On the drive over to the insurance agency, McKenna
strengthened her resolve. She parked, grabbed her purse, and headed into the
office. The morning sun was warm, and for the first time since slipping into a
living nightmare, she felt herself. Instead of blood, alibis, and Detective
Pearce she could think about auto, home, and life.
“Hi, Barbara.” She greeted the front receptionist.
“McKenna, you shouldn’t be here.” Barbara was the
grandmother of the office, always ready to listen and offer advice. “After all
that has happened, you should take some time off. Lord knows you need it,
child.” With the full strength of her arms, she wrapped McKenna into an
embrace.
“I need this more.” She smiled at Barbara. “I’ll be
fine, really.”
She walked to her office, sat behind her desk, and
tossed her purse into her bottom drawer.
“McKenna?” Madison Frey, owner and lead agent, came
into her office. “When we spoke, I thought you understood you could take as
much time as you needed. You should be home putting your family’s affairs in
order.” Her voice was soft but didn’t feel consoling. Madison nervously moved
around the room then finally sat across from her.
“I can’t be home, Madison. All I have is my job to
keep me busy.”
Madison fidgeted in
the seat. “Oh, McKenna, I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’d hoped you’d take the
time and all this nonsense would blow over.” She splayed her hands wide.
“Do I have to take the time off?” McKenna sensed
impending doom as Madison slowly stood.
“This is a business first. Barbara has been fending
off reporters on the telephone. Clients have opinions, and I can’t risk the
potential impact your being here could have on the agency.” Madison sighed
heavily. “The attention is only going to get worse, and it’s already a
distraction.”
McKenna nodded. “Who will take over my clients?”
“I’ll find someone.” Madison touched her shoulder.
“I’m sorry. You’ve been with us a long time. We’ll miss you.”
“It sounds as if you’re letting me go?” She opened the
drawer, grabbed her purse, and draped it over her shoulder.
“For now, I have to.”
“So I’ll just assume you’ll call me.” McKenna knew at
that moment the call to return would never happen. Madison just stood there
looking at her without a smile. The decision was final. Madison had a business
to run, and she understood,
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