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“You’re late,” Tom scolds like I’m some kid.
It pisses me off, but I don’t show it. On the outside, I’m as cool as can be. But on the inside, I’m a burning ball of fire. I have been since that scumbag put his hands on me.
I even came close to knocking Nikki out Monday morning during our training session. I lost focus on the here and now and only saw the source of my rage. I ended up giving Nikki a vague story. She knew my adrenaline had spiked and something set me off, so I felt inclined to tell her something.
“Sorry,” I tell him, meaning the word. “I was driving when you sent the text. I didn’t see it until I got to the Pacific Station. I texted you back as soon as I read it, saying I was headed here.” He knows how long it takes to get here in morning LA traffic. He’s lucky it didn’t take longer.
Tom motions with his hand. “Take a seat, detective.”
Doing as I’m told, I walk forward, planting my butt down in one of the two seats in front of his desk.
“Give us the intel you have on Acerbi,” Lance demands from where he’s perched on the edge of Tom’s desk, off to my right side.
Looking at our boss, I don’t pay him any mind. I’d rather not acknowledge he’s even here. If I do, it’ll only fuel the furnace inside my gut.
“If I had something, you would have been the first to know, Chief. Fact is”—I shake my head—“there’s nothing there. Acerbi, from everything I’ve seen, is on the up and up.”
“Bullshit,” Tom yells.
I whip my head back because the outburst catches me off guard.
“He’s right,” Lance agrees. “We all know Acerbi is dirty. His whole family is, the problem is proving it.”
“No,” I disagree. “I don’t know that. From my viewpoint, I don’t think he is.”
“Well, maybe you’re not looking hard enough, Andrews,” Houston comes back at me.
“Well,” I mock him, finally looking over in his direction, and sure enough, my blood heats. “I’ve looked a hell of a lot harder than you have. You haven’t done shit on this case, so maybe you just need to sit over there and mind your own business.”
He pops up, standing to his full height. “You wanna say—”
He’s quickly cut off as the chief holds up his hand with his palm facing Houston, stopping him from saying any more.
“Brianna, that is not how you speak to your superior, and that’s exactly what Houston is.” A smug look forms on Lance’s face, making me turn to face the chief. “I won’t tolerate disrespect.”
“You want to talk about disrespect, ask him”—I throw my arm out in Houston’s direction—“about laying his hands on me last week. Sorry, Chief, but he doesn’t have any respect for me or human decency, so I won’t give respect to him. And as for my superior,” my head shakes from side-to-side. “Since when? We both share the same role and job title, so you’re going to need to clarify that for me.”
“I suggest you watch the tone you’re taking with me.” Tom’s eyes bore hard into mine. “Because you will respect me, my office, and my authority. But yes,” he nods. “I’ll clarify since you must not have been paying attention the first time I told you. When I assigned you to this case, I said Houston would work with you on it as someone with more experience. That makes him your superior on this assignment. But furthermore, he has more tenure than you, detective, that alone should earn respect and loyalty.”
Is he fucking for real?
“Chief,” I calmly say. “With all due respect—”
“Do not come in my office and ‘all due respect’ me. You”—he jabs his finger in my direction—“haven’t done your job.”
“I’ve been working this case from the beginning. I’ve researched everything I can find on him and his family. I’ve gotten DNA proof he is Gabriel’s father. I’ve watched the shipping port, his only known warehouse. I’ve spoken to several members of his staff. And I’ve met with Acerbi. There is nothing there.”
How many times do I have to say it?
“What do you mean, you’ve met with Acerbi? I didn’t authorize that. What did you not understand about ‘undercover’?”
Lance Houston is grating on every nerve I have.
Turning my head, I stare at him before I utter a word.
“I analyzed the situation and made the best call I could at the time. I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere at all sitting in my car watching a building. He was bound to catch me.” I’m not going to admit Drago already did. “Besides,” I say, getting back to my point. “It’s not like you helped once. You don’t like that I talked to Acerbi, too bad. You knew I’d never worked undercover yet you haven’t offered any direction or any advice. You’ve done nothing.”
If that motherfucker wants to crawl up my ass, he has another thing coming.
