When the Heart Lies - By Christina North Page 0,26

and me.”

“Jackson, please.” He looked at him again, offering a seat with his hand. “I’d like to iron out our differences.”

Jackson scoffed and shook his head. “That’s never going to happen.”

Pierce rubbed his forehead and somberly lifted his eyes. “I did everything I could for your mother, Jackson.” His hand moved from his forehead and dragged downward. “You’re a grown man, but you still behave—it’s not like I pulled the trigger.”

“You might as well have.” He leaned onto the desk across from Pierce with an inflexible stance and a fierce look. “I’m here to talk about Kinsley.”

“Okay, Jackson, let’s talk. Do you want to risk assuming you know what’s best for Kinsley? What’s going on with you? Why are you getting involved with her? She’s married, and you’re well aware how that can end.”

“I wasn’t assuming anything, and I certainly don’t need you to worry about me. We both agree, it’s my fault she was out of the building.” He leaned toward Pierce. “I need you to assure me you won’t give her a hard time because of my error in judgment. She feels bad enough. That’s all I’m here for.”

“I’m a doctor, not a warden. She can leave any time she wants. However, she did miss two resting vital sign checks, and if anything had happened to her, it would’ve been on your head.” Pierce frowned and batted the air. “Relax already. I’m discharging her. She’s fine.” He glanced down at his desk, shook his head, and returned his eyes to Jackson’s. “I’ll always feel like I owe you something.” He reached out in an attempt to shake his hand.

He looked at Pierce’s extended hand, and his face soured. “You don’t owe me shit.” He spun around fast and left.

When he entered the hall, Scar walked right up to him. She was the one person who got him. He could unload on her without judgment. She understood him better than anyone did, and after talking to Pierce, he was glad to see her.

“So, how’d everything go?” she asked.

“He’s discharging her.” Even though he was happy for Kinsley, the thought of having to watch her from afar again was a downer.

“Cool, she’ll be relieved. You okay?”

He leaned flat backed against the wall and attempted to maintain his usual confident stature. Every part of him dragged. The palms of his hands covered his tired eyes, and he massaged them. “Yeah, listen, I’m going to try to get a hold of Olivia. I wanna meet the guy I’m working for, or he can find someone else. I’m sick of working in the dark. Check on Kinsley. Don’t let her know I sent you.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks. We’ll get together when I get back. Call if you need me to pick you up.”

He headed into Olivia’s office to get a meeting with the man who hired him. The large precinct in Le Grand was full of commotion as usual. He worked his way to Olivia’s office, stopping only when necessary to respond to greetings from people he’d become acquainted with over the years. His departure from the force to pursue private investigations was taken as a great loss to the department; he had been one of their finest investigators.

He knocked on the counter, getting the attention of the cop nearby. “Is Olivia in?”

“Yeah, I’ll tell her you’re waiting.” The cop picked up the phone and proceeded to spill his coffee over the files on the oversized, metal desk. “Shit.” Grimacing, he headed to get a paper towel.

Jackson held in a chuckle and walked back to Olivia’s office as he usually did, or he’d be waiting forever.

“Geez, Jackson, just walk in, why doncha. I get no respect around here,” Olivia said as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“What do you mean no respect? I always respect you.”

“Yeah, maybe for a little while in the morning. Through breakfast anyway.”

“I thought we weren’t going to mention that again.” The friends with benefits thing they had attempted was over as soon as he sensed she was falling for him. As much as people raved about it, someone always ended up wanting more.

She exaggerated a disgruntled face. “Coffee?” She posed like a hostess with the pot of coffee kicking one leg back to feature the killer four-inch heels she wore. “Me?”

He ignored her flirtation. To let him off easy wouldn’t be like her. No one would deny she was sexy and had personality to boot. Her short, curly black hair and the red lipstick she wore made her appearance similar