Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“I should never have said that. And you do make a difference. You’re the best police chief we’ve ever had, Younger. You care about the city and you’re constantly working to make the police force a part of the community. Get a new chair if you need to, but never believe you’re anything like your father.”
Solomon shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. But I feel…stuck. And what’s been going on with you in the last few weeks has helped me come to a few realizations. It’s never too late, right? Which is why I wanted you to be the first in the family to know that I’m taking a six month leave of absence from the force.”
“What?” That was the last thing he’d ever expected to hear from his cousin.
“I think I need to be just Younger for a while, instead of Solomon Jr.”
“That’s big.” Seamus was having a hard time believing what he was hearing. Solomon loved his job. He was his job. “That’s really damn big, Younger. I didn’t know you could do that. Six months?”
“Yeah, well, the mayor would rather have that than a letter of resignation, and those were his only two options. I have a feeling I’ll be having words with my father by tomorrow. But my mind is made up.”
When Solomon said that the matter was closed, he rarely left room for negotiation. All Seamus could do was support him. “Then let me be the first to say congratulations. As someone who just took his first trip this year, you know I think it’s a good idea. And God knows you deserve a break.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Solomon leaned back against the couch and smiled, as if he’d been waiting for permission or approval. “A vacation. Maybe I’ll grow my hair out. Get a tattoo.”
“Don’t go nuts all at once now. What about Ireland?” Seamus joked. “We have a grumpy old man there just waiting for someone to hit with a salad plate.”
He shook his head. “I’m staying close to home. I’d like to spend some time with Noah and the baby if he’ll let me. Finally find out what’s going on with James. Get to know this man of yours and help convince you to market your beer.”
“I’m already convinced. But don’t tell Tanaka because I don’t have time to think about all the details right now.”
Solomon nodded and then sucked his lower lip between his teeth. Seamus narrowed his eyes at the action and swore. “You’re leaving something out.”
“What do you mean?”
“You do that every time you’re holding something back.” Seamus set his beer down. “I’ve played cards with you and I know your tells. What aren’t you saying?”
Solomon didn’t look eager to share. “Before I filed my LOA, I got a call. Apparently a woman had been caught near your old garage apartment, and witnesses said she was barefoot and dressed in a robe, asking for a man named Seamus and threatening everyone who came near her. It was Presley, Seamus.”
Icy tendrils of shock climbed his spine. That wasn’t possible. He stood so fast it made the room spin. “Is she in custody?”
His cousin stared at Seamus apologetically. “After I realized who she was, we took her back to Parkridge. She didn’t do any damage, just scared a few people.”
He needed to call Camille. To get details. “How did she get out?”
“Apparently her primary caregiver was out sick for the week and Presley was doing so well that the new doctor—one who hadn’t been working there before she’d slipped into her last catatonic episode—decided to move her to a less secure wing so she could work in the garden. She ran the first chance she got.”
“Jesus.” How long had she been missing and why hadn’t anyone called him? He was listed as her emergency contact for a reason.
“There’s more, Seamus.”
“How can there be more?”
“Before she was restrained, she must have found a phone. She called your mother. Aunt Ellen said she told her that you’d locked her up against her will. That you were trying to kill her so you could be with another woman.”
“Son of a—” This couldn’t be happening.
“I didn’t know until I brought Presley back to the facility myself.” Solomon grimaced. “Your mom was already waiting there with her nurse—Camille? They were talking for a while and I may have listened in, just to find out what the hell was going on. I think she got the gist of the situation.”
His hands were shaking. “Jesus, is Mom okay? I wanted to tell her. I know I told you I was going to, but I knew she’d feel obligated to visit and…Presley’s bad days are disturbing to me. The things she says? I didn’t want to put Mom through that. I didn’t want to put anybody through that.” And Bellamy’s arrival had distracted him.
“I just threw a list of my grievances at you and you didn’t bat an eye, didn’t judge me at all. But no one in the family—not even Stephen—knew about what you were going through. The only reason I did was because of that payment Demir made. We didn’t know what happened in Ireland. We had no idea that you were gay—”