He took it from me and I was relieved to let it go.
“Julie,” I said. “You’re going to be fine, okay.”
She looked at the courthouse, hate still in her eyes.
“Never think you failed today,” I said. “Today you lived, living is never failure.”
Chapter Thirteen
Balko and I walked up to the coms trailer. If I’d been hot before, now I was on fire, the adrenaline pumping through my system seeming to heat my blood to lava.
“You two nearly gave me a heart attack,” the chief shouted, stomping down the steps and pointing at us. “Why’d you get so damn close?” He tapped his ear. “This not working, Sweeny?”
“Yes, sir, it’s working.” I halted and set my arms straight at my sides, ready for a dressing down.
“Goddamn.” The chief stamped his foot on the ground, something I’d never seen him do before.
I looked at Balko.
He glanced at me.
What is going on?
“I should have you hauled over the coals for this,” the chief said. “Pulled up for disobeying orders, but I can’t.”
“You can’t?” I asked, confusion swimming in my brain which was already a myriad of thoughts and emotions.
“No, because you damn well saw it through.” He pointed at the bomb squad who were carefully lifting the jacket from Julie.
The moment it was free of her shoulders she was handcuffed, but not roughly I was pleased to note.
“Go gentle on her,” I called.
“Don’t go soft on me,” the chief said. “Because that Iwillhave you over the coals for.”
“Women are sick of being victims, that’s all she was trying to say.”
“With a vest of nitro.”
“I agree, not the best plan.”
He huffed and pointed up the road. “Get out of here, both of you. Out of my sight. I don’t want you back on duty for a couple of hours. Go get something to eat and cool the hell off.”
“Yes, sir,” Balko said.
He hadn’t needed telling twice and set off at a fast walk.
“Thanks, chief,” I said. I rushed after Balko. “Where you going?”
“To my rental, it’s the next block.” He turned to me but didn’t pause. “You wanna join me?”
“You got food and aircon?”
“Absolutely.”
Balko’s apartment was a penthouse, open plan and decorated in gray, black and white, exactly what I would have predicted had I thought about it before I’d stepped inside.
But I was hardly thinking. I was so damn hot I reckoned I could fry an egg on my butt. I was parched too, I needed a drink.