Truth Avenged (Green Division Series Book 1) (18 page)

“
You—”

“
I asked you if you were involved with Paul, you told me no, he’s just a friend.  Friends don’t act like you and Paul, Chance.  They don’t hug, kiss, and bring each other flowers.  It’s bullshit.”

“
He’s—”

“
Don’t fucking tell me he’s just your friend, I’m not stupid.  I was just a good lay and a shoulder to cry on when your boyfriend was too busy working.  The second best thing behind Paul. I can’t believe that I believed you.  But, you know, that’s okay, because I got what I wanted out of this too.”

“
You don’t mean that.”  Her voice cracked.

“
I do.  This makes things a lot simpler.  Go back to Paul.”  Tuck wanted to hurt her.  Hurt her like she’d hurt him.  “He can have my sloppy seconds.  It wasn’t that good anyway.”

“
You’re an asshole.”  Chance sat on the floor.  Everything came crashing down.  Tuck, the once sturdy presence had turned into the biggest disappointment.  It hurt worse than being shot.

“
At least I’m not crazy.  More than I can say for you.  You and your talking ghosts, these supposed men who led you to this magical bag and compass and all of those delusions you talked about.  The ghost plane.  There is no fucking plane, Chance. You cocked this whole story up, didn’t you?  There probably weren’t even any poachers.  I could see you being fucking crazy enough to shoot yourself.”

Chance dropped the phone on the floor and tremble
d.  Paul came from the living room.  She’d asked him to give her a moment and he obliged.

“
Talk to me, Chance.  What happened?”

“
I made the biggest mistake of my life.”  The words came out barely audible in her hyperventilation. 

Paul knelt down and hugge
d her.

“
What did he do to you?”  Paul asked more sternly.

*****

Tuck dropped his phone into the console and turned up the radio, his pulse raced.  It was a good thing it was a twenty minute ride to where he was to meet with a fellow warden to go looking for yet another MIA hiker because he needed the time to cool down.  The more he calmed, the more guilt crept into his conscience for what he’d said to her.

Stop feeling guilty.  She
’s the one fucking another guy. 

Chapter Twelve

Chance didn’t want to get out of bed.  Paul never spent the night at her house, ever.  But he wouldn’t leave her in the state she was in.  She was worse than when she’d been shot.  Paul truly was the only man she could depend on.  He have may be busy with his job, personal life, and other obligations, but he made time for her when she absolutely needed him.  And he would never treat her like Tuck had.  Tuck’s true colors showed vibrantly.  And they weren’t pretty.  Chance wiped her eyes.

“
Do you want me to stay with you?”  Paul sat beside her on the couch and rubbed her back.  “I’ll take the day off.  I haven’t spent a day with you in too long anyhow.  Me and you.”

“
No, go to work.  You have plans with Jon tonight, the UMaine hockey game.  I saw it on your Facebook.  You guys go and have fun.  You don’t need to baby me.  I’ll be okay.”  She couldn’t even get through the sentence without crying.  Her eyes were puffy and her nose bright red.

“
Oh, Chance.”  He hugged her.  “I’m not going anywhere.  Jonathan can come over here and we’ll both keep you company.”

“
I miss Jon.”  She admitted.

“
And he loves you as much as I do.  We’ll get some take out, wine, chocolate, and whatever depressing chick flick you want to watch.”

Chance smiled.  “
Why can’t all men be like you?” 

“
Because the birthrate of the world would flat line, sweetie.”  He hugged her.  “There are good ones out there.  He’s just not one of them.”

“
I know.”  After what he’d said, she no longer wanted Tucker Johnston holding her, comforting her.  She felt tainted by his touch and broken.

*****

Tuck opened the door to Kerr’s office.

“
You wanted to see me.”

“
Take a seat.”  A Lieutenant stood on the other side of the desk beside Kerr.  This wasn’t good.

“
I warned you.”             

Tuck
’s stomach churned.  “About what, sir?”

“
Getting involved with your cases.”  Kerr took his reading glasses off his face.  “You need to consider your words very carefully.” 

“
If you lie to us, you’re done Johnston.  End of the road.  If you tell us the truth, we’ll see what we can do for you.  You know how this is going to work.”  Kerr crossed his hands on the desk. 

Tuck
’s jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.

“
You’re vehicle has been seen parked at Chance Phillip’s house several nights this past week, all of which are documented and photographed.”  Kerr tossed a photo over the desk at him.  “If you were going to screw around, you should have been intelligent enough to be discrete.  Lyman Police Department took the liberty of noticing your presence and also making sure to notify us. A disgruntled former warden now works with Lyman, as you know. We can’t look the other way on this.”

Tuck saw his c
areer flash before him.

“
What is the extent of your relationship with her?  This is your chance to tell us the truth.”

Tuck leaned forward placing his head in his hand
s. 
Chance
.

“
Johnston.”  The Lieutenant addressed him. 

“
You kicked me off the case.  So, how is this an issue?”

“
Don’t turn this around.  Make no mistake, this is not a debate.  Answer the question.  What is your relationship with her?”

“
I’ve been seeing her.”

“
You’ve spent the night at her home on several occasions.”  Again, they were coaching him to get information.  Tuck straightened his back.

“
If you’re asking if I had a sexual relationship with her…”  Tuck took a deep breath.  “Then yes, I did.”

“
Okay.”  Kerr didn’t seem relieved by the admission.

“
What happens now?  Am I under suspension?”  He half expected them to ask for his gun and his badge.

“
Not yet.  The Colonel will make that decision pending the end of an investigation.”

“
Investigation?  I just admitted the truth to you, sir.  I had sex with her.”  He looked down from Kerr’s stern glare.  “Open and closed case.”

“
As I said, that will be the Colonel’s decision.  You have a meeting with him in two hours, so you need to move.”

“
Yes, sir.”  Tuck didn’t move.

“
You’re dismissed.” 

“
I’m sorry.”  He stood up and started for the door.

“
You’ve put the department in a hell of a position, Tuck.  One of our best men gets caught screwing an attempted murder victim only a few weeks after the incident.  If the news gets wind of this…”

Tuck tried to keep his head high, but it worked against him.

“A year down the road it might have been seen as romantic.”  He shook his head.  “Two or three weeks later—she fell for the warden who saved her life and you took advantage of that.”

Tuck felt an inch tall.

“Get out of my office.”  Kerr said dryly.  He put the photos back in the folder and Tuck walked out of the division headquarters garnering the stares of the office secretary and Mitch.

Tuck walked to his truck
with Mitch not far behind.  He got to his truck and hit the side of the truck with his open palm frustrated.

“
Tuck.”  Mitch jogged to his side. 

“
You heard.”  Tuck opened the door.

“
Everyone has man.”

“
Fucking wonderful.”

“
It’ll all work out.”  Tuck got into his truck.  Mitch held the door open.  “You aren’t the first one who’s fallen for a victim.  They can’t fire you for this.”  He caught his breath after his jog.

“
You’re wrong.”

“
No, I’m not.  Keller and Hanson, remember them?”  Tuck didn’t.  “It was before your time.  They were in similar situations to yours.  They didn’t even get a slap on the hand.  They got atta boys from all the guys.  If they threaten to fire you, mention those two names.  That’ll change their mind.”

“
I really fucked up this time.”  Tuck leaned his head back.

“
Unlike Keller and Hanson, you care about her.  Those two assholes fucked their whores on duty, in their trucks, and got caught.”

“
They were victims?”

“
Not the same exact circumstances, but yes.”

“
And nothing happened to them?”

“
They got high fives.”

Tuck nodded his head.  Mitch finally caught his breath
from his sprint.

“
Good luck.”  He patted his shoulder.  “Sorry this happened to you bud.”

“
Me too.  It wasn’t even worth it.”

*****

Paul left to run errands for a few hours and Chance continued her previous activities: crying, making tissues dance, and curling up under a dozen blankets. 

Her phone rang.  God, why did her phone ring so much?  What was life like before phones and
computers?

“
Hello.”  Her voice was hoarse.

“
You want to know what happened to John White.”  The old man said in statement form.

“
Mr. Fitton?”

“
I live at 25 Grove Street Apartment 12.  If you want to talk, I’ll tell you in person.”

“
You’re admitting they weren’t in a car accident?” 

“
You already know that.”  He was munching on some hard item, Chance heard the crunching.  “The truth deserves to be told.  It’s been buried long enough.”

“
Great!  Thank you!  When can I come down?”

“
I don’t go far from home.  I’ll be around.”

“
Um, it’s too late today.  I’ll be there first thing in the morning if you are free.”

“
I’m free.”

“
Thank you Mr. Fitton.”

“
I’m not doing this for you, Miss Phillips.  Or your newspaper.”

“
How’d—”

“
I may be old, but I know how to use Google as well.”

Chance laughed.  “
Fair enough.  Thank you regardless.”

Chance ran around her house
and packed an overnight bag.  Her aunt lived in Massachusetts and she would spend the night there under the guise of a visit.  She hated hotels and she hadn’t seen her overbearing aunt in more than a year, so it would work on both levels.  She’d interview Mr. Fitton in the morning. 

A
bby’s food and water dishes were filled to the brim and she kissed the fur ball good night.

“
Hey Paul.”  It went to voicemail.  “A little change of plans.  I need to get away, anywhere but here.  I don’t mean that against you and Jon.  I love you both.  I’m going to visit with my aunt in Lowell and I’ll call you later.  Don’t worry about me.  I promise I’ll be okay.”

Off Chance went.  She
’d be in Mass before dark and would have dinner with Aunt Linda.  Linda was not a culinary expert.  Frozen pizza would likely be the menu.

*****

Tuck sat in the dimly lit office.  The Colonel was supposed to meet him at 3 p.m., but kept him waiting more than thirty minutes.  He wouldn’t point that out that out to him however.

“
Johnston.”  The surprisingly young looking Colonel called his name.  “Follow me.”

Tuck rose to his feet and followed him into his large office.  The Colonel, Terry McGuiness, was a towering man.  He was 6
’4”, stocky but fit, and had a shaved head. He looked to be in his young forties, hiding his age well.  He was in fact 52 years old.

Rather than sit in the seat behind his desk, the Colonel sat with Tuck on the oversized couch beside the window.  Considering it was a state paid for off
ice, it was rather upscale.

“
I’m going to be blunt with you and I expect the same in return.”

Tuck nodded his head.

“Sergeant Kerr filled me in on the basics.”  Tuck kept his eye contact.  “You had a sexual relationship with a victim.”

“
Yes, sir.”

“
You’re admitting to this.”

“
Yes, sir.  I am.”

“
I respect the truth.”  The Colonel looked out the window.  “Is this just sex?  Or, is it something more?”

Tuck didn
’t expect the Colonel to care.

“
It was something more, I thought.”

“
Did this happen on duty?”

“
I was never on the clock when anything happened between us.”

“
Explain your duty vehicle parked in her yard.”

“
I was on call, sir.  I wasn’t on paid time.”

The Colonel nodded.  “
How’d this happen?”

“
I got too close to the case.  It wasn’t about the sex, sir.  Don’t get me wrong, it was…a reason most men wouldn’t stray, but I thought, I thought…”  Tuck put his hand on his forehead.

“
You have the look of a man who has had his heart stomped on.”  The Colonel propped his leg on his knee.  Unlike Kerr, the Colonel gave the feeling that he indeed did care.

“
I made the worst mistake in the book, sir.”

“
You fell in love.”  The Colonel’s eyes widened.

“
Is my career with the warden service over, sir?”

“
No.  How could we fire you when others have done the same, or worse.”

“
Am I under suspension?”

“
You admitted to your misconduct, so things will go smoother than the alternative.  There still will be a full investigation.  You will be talking to a detective within the next few weeks and Miss Phillips will be interviewed too.  A decision will be made from there.”

“
Yes, sir.”

“
Tucker, I’ve known you for six years, you should know by now I don’t like the term ‘sir’.  My men are to call me Terry.  The only expectation I have to be addressed by rank is by outsiders.”

Tuck nodded his
head.

“
For now, you are not to be in contact with Miss Phillips.  I suspect you will be given two weeks unpaid leave and not allowed to see her for six months when the investigation is closed.”