We pay him well, just like Johansson and Withers, and he never complains. Berk is always polite and respectful, never makes any waves, but I don’t think this sort of thing was in hisretirement plan.
Berk frowns over the top of his glasses as he scans the garage and property, and with a defeated sigh, he pushes those specs back up his nose and leans back into the van.
Must have brought help.
He’ll need it, that’s for sure. Spider made a real fucking mess in the office and making sure all of Hamish is accounted for won’t be easy, but Berk’s assistant better be someone Prez knows or else this could go even further south than it already has.
He chats with whoever is in the van for a few minutes before he scowls, slams the door, and turns to face the shop again. When his dark eyes find me leaning against the wall, I can practically hear him swallow down his negative thoughts with the hard bob of his throat.
“Snipe.” Berk nods as he makes his way over. “Are you the welcoming committee?”
My brow lifts as I push off the brick and take his outstretched hand. “Could say that.”
“I guess that phrasing isn’t really appropriate, all things considered.”
“Doesn’t make any difference to me how you phrase it. Doubt Tank or Gunner will give a shit either.”
Berk nods. “Right. Gunner said it was bad?”
“It is. Might be an understatement, though.”
“How bad is it, Snipe? He wasn’t very clear on the phone.”
“You ever seen Gallagher go after a watermelon?” I feel myself grin a bit as the coroner’s eyes go wide. “Kinda like that, but without the laughs.”
“Jesus… “ Berk glances back at the van as its rear doors open. “I’m not sure I have adequate assistance for this.”
“You’ll do fine with whoever you brought, so long as they have a strong stomach.”
He nods absently as the rear doors slam shut, and when my gaze follows his…fuck.
Tall, dark, and beautiful is pushing the gurney with the coroner’s equipment on it, and the blinding smile she’s sending our way has me rethinking my comment.
Chocolate brown hair pulled up into a tight ponytail, big deep brown eyes—doe eyes—set against rosy cheeks and full lips. She’s almost skipping toward us, her smile never faltering while that curvy as fuck body dressed in tight hospital green scrubs treks over the potholes in the gravel lot.
This chick looks like a fucking model, even without any makeup on and wearing a bland uniform, and I have no fucking clue why she’s here, or why the hell my heart starts racing the closer she gets.
Berk clears his throat as he turns to her. “I said to wait in the van until I was sure I needed you.”
“And I told you that was silly. If you didn’t need me, you wouldn’t have asked me to come in the first place.”
Jesus, her voice is like fucking honey.
“I’m not sure this is the best scene… perhaps it’s not right for your first experience in the field.”
The beauty frowns at Berk. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I just think, after learning a few of the specifics, maybe you should wait in the van and let me see if Johansson is finished. He can come out and I’ll assist him, that way— “
“Oh my god.” She sighs, totally exasperated, which I find sexy as hell for some reason. “It’s not like I haven’t seen some heinous stuff already. You’ve been letting me assist in the lab for almost three years now and none of that has fazed me, so I doubt this will either.”
“This is different, Sofie. An active scene, especially one of this nature, is completely different from helping me care for the bodies that are brought in after the fact.”
I tune out Berk as I watch the girl—Sofie—roll her eyes and plant her hands on her hips.
She’s stubborn, and I like that. She’s also giving Berk hell for even suggesting she stay back after coming all the way out here, and I like that a hell of a lot too. Sofie isn’t backing down a bit and between that and how goddamn gorgeous she is, I hope she gets to stay just so I can maybe talk to her at some point during all this shit.
“You’re being ridiculous.” Sofie groans as she throws up her hands. “I’ve been around this stuff my whole life,Dad, so I’ll be fine. And if you really want to retire at some point, you’re going to have to— “
