Ashley starts fidgeting with her bag.
“What do you need help with?” I ask, drawing my brows together because I totally forgot what she wanted.
“Nothing,” she replies as she turns and darts away. Damn, I wish I’d known this trick to get rid of her years ago.
Staying right where she left me, I watch Josie’s car disappear down the street. I miss her and her sass. And apparently, her ass because I couldn’t pry my eyes off it while she was walking. Will getting laid help me get rid of this strange obsession with the woman I’ve never even had? I don’t even want to find out, which is weird.
ChapterNineteen
KENNETH
Walking into the station with a cold Lonely Kurt is like walking into a minefield, but it’s all about the attitude. So I plaster a smile on my face and stride toward Jennica, who’s currently on the phone listening to someone’s complaint.
“Yes, we will do that. Right away,” she says into the phone, rolling her eyes.
I place the bag on her table and head for my office, hoping whoever is on the phone annoys her more than my cold offering.
She talks for a few more minutes and hangs up, letting out such a loud groan I can hear it from my office like she’s yelling right into my ear.
“Who was that?” I ask her.
“Mrs. Roberts.” We both groan now.
“What’s it this time?”
She walks to my door and leans her side on the doorframe. “She’s complaining about you being incompetent and harboring a criminal. Know anything about that?” She quirks a brow, trying to hide a smile.
“I’m about to beg her to move someplace else, I swear. This woman comes to me at least three times a week.”
“Well, we’ve got good news and bad news!” She claps her hands theatrically. “Good news—she won’t bother you anymore. Bad news—she’s starting a petition to remove you from office.”
“I hope she succeeds,” I say, pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes. And I’m only half-joking.
“Want to tell me about that criminal of yours? I guess it’s the same one who got stuck on the way to the Ghost House?” She’s watching me carefully, smiling like a bloodthirsty shark.
“I got you your favorite breakfast.” I point in the direction of her table.
“The cold one,” she deadpans.
“I was stopped by Ashley.” I wince, remembering her fingers on my skin and Josie’s eyes when she saw it. And how I felt guilty without doing anything.
“You are forgiven.” Her eyes go round as she pushes away from the doorway and walks back to her table.
* * *
“Boss?”
“Yeah?” I lift my head from the report I’m writing and glance at the clock on the wall—it’s almost five, and our shift is over soon.Officially.
“There is a fight at Cat and Stallion.”
“Again?” I throw my pen on the table and stand up.
“Yes. They need one of us there for the statement because someone got hurt.”
“Shit.” I walk out of my office and toward the exit when someone smacks into me at full speed.
“Oh, sorry,” the girl, about twenty years old, mumbles as I try to steady her.
