East End (Hear No Evil Trilogy #1) - Nana Malone Page 0,98

Amelia was blowing up my phone.

"Amelia, yeah."

"Oh, there you are. I have something I want to show you. I’ll shoot you an address.”

“Oh, okay. Is it urgent?”

“Nope. It’ll keep, but text me when you have a second.”

“Okay, will do.”

I impatiently swiped my ID. I didn't bother with the elevator because it was notoriously slow and instead just jogged up the stairs. I found my father in the conference room staring at his computer as I burst in. "Dad, I've been calling you half the morning."

He lifted his head briefly before turning his attention back to the screen. "Dad, are you listening?"

“Sit down, Nyla.”

I frowned at him. “Okay… Everything all right? You missed brunch and I—"

“Nyla, I’m sorry, love, but I need your badge.”

“Excuse me?” I frowned, unable to compute the words he was saying. “For what?”

“That dinner with Denning.”

“I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even want to go to that dinner. I was forced. And furthermore, he was the one who acted inappropriately.”

My father did that silent thing he always did when I was a child, signaling he wanted me to shut up and listen, so I did.

“He did act inappropriately. He is also on administrative leave for two weeks.”

“So why are you punishing me then?”

He sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t look at it that way. But Denning has filed reports on you, every insubordination, every break of protocol. I had to do something, Nyla.”

“So what, you're just rolling over?”

“You have been given a long lead. Too long. And then you turn up at dinner with a…”

“Were you going to say suspect? Do I need to remind you that you warned me off looking into them? You did that.”

“I know. And I was right. There is nothing illegal that I can find on Mr. Hale. But you knew that was going to set Denning off. It’s a pattern with you, Nyla. You can’t let anything go. You can’t leave well enough alone.”

“It’s what makes me a good agent.”

He folded his arms. “It’s what keeps you from being a great agent. You need to learn to play the game better.”

I stared at him, tears pricking my yes. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be like you. It’s funny, because it was the last thing on earth you wanted.”

“You’re not like me, Nyla. You’re like—” He cut himself off and sighed. “I’m cut out for the politics. You're not.”

“I’m your daughter. How can you do this?”

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but this is for the best.”

“For who? Me or you?”

“Nyla—”

I stood and reached into my back pocket for my badge. “Here you go. Are you happy?”

“Of course not, Nyla. You’ll receive your salary while your suspension is pending final review.”

“Whatever. Are we done?”

“Nyla—” I didn’t wait for him to finish. I just turned and strode out, my vision going fuzzy from the tears.

22

East

When I knocked at Nyla's door and she answered it, I knew something was wrong. Instead of her usually sleek waves, or any kind of style, her hair hung in a scraggly mess, though it looked quite a bit more full than normal, and she spent a lot of time running her hand through it. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy. Her skin was blotchy, and she was holding a half empty bottle of Rosé. She was also wearing a T-shirt that read I cannot quit, as I am currently too legit and a pair of gray joggers.

"Well, I guess we won't be needing this." I held up the bottle of wine I’d brought.

"Oh, we will. Because this one is for me, and I'll finish it, and then I’ll help you finish that one."

Her words were slightly slurred, and I followed her into her townhouse. I'd seen it numerous times from a different angle. But somehow, from the inside, it was cozier, warmer. I closed the door behind me and locked it. Then I set the wine on the counter, sliding off my jumper and hanging it on the back of one of the stools at her island in the kitchen.

She shrugged. "I will probably have to vacate this place, as I was suspended today."

My brows popped upward. "What?"

"You see, dear old Dad suspended me indefinitely. Apparently, Denning has been busy writing me up. Meanwhile Denning only got a two-week paid administrative leave."

I blinked rapidly as I joined her in the living room. “We can fight it. We will fight it." And I was serious. I planned to show a history of stalking. If I only got