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“I’m supposed to go on a trip with them next weekend. And now…”
“They’ll understand about the case.”
“You’d think.” That wasn’t fair. He’d been an ass about it. If he’d waited and talked to them when none of them were pissed off or in a rush, things would’ve gone much better. “I didn’t want to go to start with.”
Bryce nodded, obviously getting it now. “Ah.”
“I had a good reason.”
Bryce took a slow sip of his beer, watching Gray the whole time. “But something’s still bothering you.”
Gray should have gone back to the precinct. “Since when did you become a fucking shrink?”
“Since I worked on my communication skills like you told me to.”
“Never listen to me. I’m usually just saying shit.”
“You don’t have to talk. We can just drink and try not to think too hard about the shit we just saw.”
“Asshole.”
Bryce just grinned.
“I took a trip to the mountains with my family when I was twelve, and… things didn’t go well. I haven’t been back since.”
Bryce nodded. He must have sensed that he shouldn’t push for details.
“Jack and Mason will know I didn’t make up the fire, as if I’d wish for that kind of excuse.”
“But…”
Fuck, Bryce was perceptive. “They’ll still be disappointed, and I was kind of an ass this morning.”
“Kind of?”
Gray chose to ignore that. “This has been a shitty week. I can’t solve this case and now there are more bodies and I feel like it’s all my fault.”
Bryce didn’t piss him off by trying to reassure him. He just waited for Gray to continue.
“And now I pushed Jack and Mason away when what I really want to do is take care of them, not disappoint them.” God, he sounded like a whiny fool.
“So why are you here instead of home apologizing?”
Gray took a long, slow breath, then let it out. “Because I’m an idiot.”
Gray’s phone buzzed. Maybe it was Jack again. Instead, he saw a text from an unknown number. This is Jenna. Meet me. Park on Orange. Picnic hut.
“It’s my informant. I need to go.”
Bryce nodded. “I’ll drive you to your car. Do you have backup?”
“No. She’ll run if she thinks anyone else is involved.”
“Gray.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve got to talk to her now.”
“Jack and Mason would prefer you alive so they can get an apology.”
