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I liked, too, how objective he was.
In his mind, there was a hierarchy of crime. Noteverycriminal was thought of as the same. To him, rapists, pedophiles, domestic abusers, and family annihilators were the worst of the worst. On that, I think everyone would agree.
Senseless murders came next, people who killed for thrill or through stupidity, like driving under the influence.
And he seemed to accept and even understand that some killings were almost… acceptable in society. Women who kill their abusers, and that sort of thing.
And while he didn’t condone the organized criminal syndicates in Navesink Bank, he didn’t concern himself too much in their business, so long as it didn’t impact innocent people.
He was in support of the move to legalize marijuana, claiming he was sick of people getting locked up for having a joint on them while other people could be too wasted to stand up, and he didn’t have to take them in, save for maybe to throw them in the sober tank for a bit if they weren’t capable of getting home safely.
I liked how he wasn’t all “law and order,” but still wanted to get the truly bad guys, so they stopped hurting others.
I could also relate to his family dynamic. And how he clearly loved them, but wasn’t super close with them either, claiming they’d grown apart a bit when they moved away, and he stayed behind.
Also, his love and commitment to Boss said a lot about him. His old partner, turned furry best friend.
Everything about Detective Wells Vaughn was steady, stalwart, standup, and good.
And hot.
God, so so incredibly hot.
Just the memory of the things he said to me when we were touching was enough to bring a blush to my cheeks.
“That for you?” Kyle, one of the other physical therapists, a man maybe in his forties with five daughters he adored to the moon and back, asked, nodding toward the police cruiser.
“Oh, yeah. I got a little spooked last night, thinking someone was following me,” I admitted. “And I was alone, and I just… I asked for help,” I told him.
“You werealone?” he asked, eyes darkening. Again, because he had a wife and five girls, and was constantly concerned for their safety. So it wouldn’t even be possible for him to leave a woman alone at work at night. Period. And definitely not one who’d just been attacked by a damn serial killer.
“Laurie had a family thing,” I defended, not wanting her to get a talking to when, clearly, she was just lost in her own stuff. I knew better than to think I was the star in anyone’s life but my own. And in Laurie’s life, her family took priority.
“Still,” he grumbled, shaking his head. “I will not be walking out of here until you are ready to go,” he told me. “And I will be walking you right to your car door, then waiting to make sure you pull away safely.”
“You’re a good man, Kyle,” I told him, meaning it.
“Will the cruiser be following you home?” he asked.
“No. I am… I’m staying with a friend for a bit,” I told him. “So, I won’t be alone and afraid,” I added.
“Good. That’s good. I’ve been worried about you. I hate to admit this, but my girls are a little… starstruck that I work with the survivor of theSilent Sadist.”
“Big true crime fans, huh?” I asked. “I can relate,” I admitted.
“I’m torn. As their father, I don’t want them exposed to all that ugly shit. But also as a man who won’t be able to always be there to protect them, I understand that being aware is being prepared. Guess them listening and watching that shit is like me forcing them to learn to change their own tires and have AAA, so they don’t need to rely on a stranger on the side of the road.”
“That’s a good way of putting it. And, for the record, all the true crime I’ve consumed in my life definitely helped me survive.”
“Glad to hear that,” he told me, giving my shoulder a squeeze before walking away to help his client move from one machine to the next.
Work was absolutely miserable for the next several hours. I mean, my job wasn’t usually all fun and joy, but I was usually able to get through it without feeling like I literallyfeltevery damn second of my shift.
I was exhausted just two hours in. By mid-shift, I was downright miserable.
Then, like he’d sensed my need for outside news, my desire to hear from him even, my phone buzzed in my back pocket, and I couldn’t wait to sneak away to check it.
In the text was a picture of Boss and Tilly at the end of their leashes, walking the path around the koi pond at a park I loved.
