by Kris Jacen
“Nah, send out a group message. I’m sure they’ll all show up at my house before we get there.” Jack turned to the officer and said, “I’m ready. Let’s get this over with.”
§ § § §
Tank was tired. It was late and he was over being amused. Barbie was about to rip someone’s head off; he was hoping it wasn’t his. He’d known that Barbie could be dangerous and that some underestimated her because of her looks but this was beyond stupid. The guy was holding to his story about Jack attacking him; the woman had passed out in the ambulance and hadn’t come to yet; and apparently taking Tank’s and Jack’s word about how it all happened didn’t equate to letting Jack go.
“Someone is going to die,” Barbie said as she sat down beside Tank. Even though he’d woken her up, she’d thrown on a suit before she came down. Barbie adjusted her jacket before saying anything else. “They’re now waiting for the security footage from the restaurant before they’ll decide on the charges. The officers on the scene don’t want to charge Jack with anything. They got statements but the moron desk sergeant is bucking for promotion. If they even think of bringing any charges against Jack, I’ll have his badge. He stopped that man— and I use that word lightly for him— beating that woman again. I saw the notes from the EMT, she had all the signs of repeating beatings… scars, old bruises, flinched when they examined her, wouldn’t look them in the eye… yeah, if she isn’t the classic case of a battered woman, I’ll let you beat me on the mats. This is beyond ridiculous and when I see the ADA for this case, Lord help them.”
“Thanks for coming down, Barbie. I know we woke you.” Tank didn’t know what else to say. His brain really had stopped working about an hour ago.
“If you hadn’t called me, I’d be beyond pissed. I’m not angry with you or Jack. The desk sergeant here is a moron that wants to be a lieutenant and doesn’t like women. I’d heard about him before but I didn’t think that there was any way that they were right. I was wrong on that one. He’s not the sharpest tack and is going to read every regulation he can on this one. He was mumbling about public intoxication. Since Jack voluntarily took a breathalyzer and blew a zero, how that moron is going to make that one even a possibility…” Barbie paused and looked at the door. “If the ADA doesn’t walk through that door in the next ten minutes, I’m calling the DA myself.”
Tank nodded, agreeing with whatever Barbie was saying but then jerked his head in her direction. “You’re calling the DA yourself? Umm, how do you have the DA’s home phone number?”
Barbie squirmed a bit. Tank couldn’t remember ever seeing her squirm. He’d watched as she dealt with Jack’s old neighbor without breaking a sweat. “Well, you know about my family, right?”
“Your family? I know you’ve got two brothers and your father runs a business?” Tank thought he was right.
“Dad has a consulting business in international trade. Joey, my oldest brother, is a dentist over in Arlington and Teddy is finishing up his degree to go work with dad. And my mother is the president of the board of directors for the hospital. Get the picture?”
“Joey and Teddy? What are your parents’ names?” Tank was getting a bit suspicious now.
“Caroline and Jack.” Barbie had a look on her face like she was waiting for Tank to put something together.
Tank started shaking his head. “I know your last name and it is not Kennedy.”
“I know but my mother is convinced that somehow she is a distant relative of the Kenney clan. Hence the boys’ names.”
“Your name isn’t a Kennedy one, right? I think?”
“It’s not. Dad put his foot down and got to name me. He chose his favorite political wife, Barbara Bush.”
Tank blinked and blinked again. He wasn’t sure what to say to that.
“Anyway, now that you’ve got the family background, does that explain how I have the DA’s phone number?”
He nodded then shook his head before nodding again.
“He’s a friend of the family. If he heard that one of his ADAs left a well-respected veterinarian sitting in a cell while his lawyer sat in the lobby because the desk sergeant was looking for promotion? He will not be happy and his office will not be a pleasant place to work tomorrow.”
A haggard looking man walked up to them and held out his hand to Barbie. “Nicholas Kramer.”
Barbie stood and shook his hand as she introduced herself. “Barbara Davis-Miller.” It took a beat but then a look of horror passed over the man’s face.
“Ms. Davis-Miller, I am so sorry that you’ve been here this long. I just received the call a little bit ago and—”
“Mr. Kramer, can we just skip all that and get my client released? He did nothing except protect a woman and then defended himself. The sergeant here didn’t want to take his word nor that of his friend here… a decorated soldier stationed with the President’s Firing Battery… over the word of a drunk man that was beating a woman. I’m sure you can rectify his grievous error quickly.”
The ADA stood there nodding so fast that Tank thought he was going to give himself whiplash.
“Right away. Give me five minutes to clear this all up.” He turned and headed through the doorway to the sergeant’s office.
“Please, if I ever piss you off? Take it out on the mats?” Tank begged.
“Oh, you’d be feeling my kicks for weeks,” Barbie said, smiling at him… evilly.
Chapter Sixteen
A few days later, Jack was at the clinic getting ready to see a new patient. It had been a frustrating few days but thank God for Barbie, she was enjoying ripping the ADA apart. The jackass that he’d put on his ass was still saying that Jack had attacked him; he was just pissed that his woman had gone to a shelter and wasn’t backing his story any longer. There was no way that Jack would face charges, but it was still a pain in his ass.
“Jack? Did you forget to tell me something?” Kate asked as she leaned against the wall.
Jack thought about it for a minute then shook his head. “Nope, can’t think of anything I didn’t tell you.”
“Are you sure?” Kate drawled out. Jack had no idea what she was talking about but whatever it was, it was amusing her.
“Kate? I’ve got nothing I’m hiding. You heard all about the ‘fam-damn-ily’ celebration from Briar and how I lost my shit until Tank’s mother took over. Briar thought it was hysterical, well, all the crews did.”
“Nope, not the holidays. Besides, that was weeks ago.” Kate waved that off.
“Then I have nothing. You know about me and Tank. Saw the flowers that he sent me for Valentine’s Day.” Jack was blushing about those still.
“Did you go out the other night with Tank? Maybe to the steakhouse?”
“Yeah, how did you know?” Jack was getting suspicious now. Did Kate have a tracker on his phone?
“Got to play the white knight. You just couldn’t resist, could you?”
“White knight?” Oh, Lord, please tell him she didn’t know about the quasi-fight.
“Oh, yeah, didn’t even look like you broke a sweat in the video. Maybe I need to give this sports Jiu-jitsu a try after all.” Jack closed his eyes and let out a huge groan. There was no way he was getting out of this now.
“Video? Tell me that someone didn’t put it on the internet?” He hoped this screw up didn’t impact the practice. They’d worked too hard to build a good reputation.
“I can’t lie. YouTube. Did you call, what’s her name? Barbie?”
“Barbie is all over this. Christ, things were settling nicely. But I couldn’t leave someone to get beaten.”
“No, you couldn’t. There was something in the paper this morning, too.” Kate held out the folded paper so Jack could see the headline “Local Vet Saves Woman.”
Jack reached for the paper and started reading as Becky walked up. “Jack? The new patient is in exam four.”
He looked up and couldn’t focus for a minute. Kate must have seen something on his face.
“
Becky, I’ll take the patient. Jack, you go give Barbie a call about the latest. It’ll work out.”
“Thanks.” Jack headed into his office and closed the door. Barbie was either going to be pissed as hell or gleeful with the attack she was going to be on soon. He wasn’t sure which he really wanted.
§ § § §
Tank was in a meeting with Staff Sergeant Ramirez when his phone started buzzing out of control. He reached in his pocket and flicked it off without looking at the screen. “Sorry, sergeant. I thought I had turned it off.”
“Not a problem, Martin. Do you need to take that?” Ramirez asked. He was Sergeant Love’s replacement and they were all happy to have him. He was much more in tune with the changing regulations and standards. He actually cared about his soldiers, too. If Tank didn’t know better, he would have sworn that Ramirez had learned from the heptad. Some of the things that came out of his mouth sounded exactly like things that Mooney had told him.
“It’s not my mama’s tone, so it should be okay to wait.” Tank knew the tone that had been sounding and it was the tone for the WhatsApp for the crews. If it was really important, one of them would call him.
“If you’re sure…” Ramirez paused for a minute then continued. “I’ve been reviewing everyone’s files, trying to get up to speed. When I got to yours? Yeah, you’ve been screwed.”
“Screwed?” Tank wasn’t sure what he was talking about but it was worth listening. It wasn’t like he could walk out.
“Yes. I looked at the reports that were filled out putting you into the overweight program and Love did not look out for you at all. I’m not sure who reviewed his numbers but he was— excuse my French— a fucking moron that could take two plus two and get twenty-seven. Who assisted when you were taped?”
Tank thought about it for a minute. That whole week, never mind day, were a blur. “I don’t remember anyone assisting him. He called me into this office, pulled out a tape measure and measured a few places then said I was over.”
“Wait. You weren’t in PT uniform?” Ramirez was taking notes while Tank talked.
“No sergeant, I was in duty uniform.”
“Did Love at least have you take off your blouse?” Tank never could figure out why it was called a blouse but that was above his place.
“No sergeant.”
Ramirez leaned back in his chair and threw the pen on the desk. “Well, fuck. Top had said that I might find things that hadn’t been done to standards but this is beyond fucked up. He’s not going to be pleased and I’m sure that the captain is going to be having a certain lieutenant in front of his desk post-haste.”
Tank really couldn’t figure out what the sergeant was talking about. “Sergeant Ramirez, may I ask a question?”
“Absolutely. This affects you more than the others I’ve found.”
Tank wasn’t sure what others he’d found. “What are you talking about? You lost me a few minutes ago, and I have no idea why you asked me those questions.”
Ramirez ran his hands over his face before sitting up. “Love screwed up when he put you on overweight. His math is wrong. He took the measurements improperly. He didn’t remeasure you after sixty days. The lieutenant didn’t question him or check it over before signing off. I’m pretty sure that if I measured you right now, correctly, you wouldn’t be on the overweight program any more than I am. Are you more muscular and built than me? Oh, hell, yes. I could never get into the shape you’re in no matter how much time I spent in the gym. But that’s the difference in how we’re built.”
There was no way Tank had heard Ramirez correctly. He shouldn’t be on the overweight program? Never should have been? What the fuck! And he wasn’t apologizing to Mama for that one.
“I don’t know what to say, sergeant.” Tank really didn’t.
“Let me do some follow up on this… mess for a politically correct term. You go see who’s trying to get in touch with you so badly and I’ll talk to you again in a few days.” Ramirez stood up and Tank instinctively stood also.
“Thank you, Staff Sergeant.” Tank thought he was probably in as much shock as he had been last summer as he walked out of the office.
Chapter Seventeen
This week had sucked on all levels. Seems with his “notoriety” from the video every pet owner wanted him to treat their precious little furballs. Briar, Becky and the other techs were pulling their collective hair out screening clients. Kate was having a ball picking on him, calling him ‘white knight’. Siah had kicked his ass on the mats as had Bree. During the kids class the other night, one of the new white belts — a very cute little blonde girl with ponytails— ran into him, getting him right in the nuts.
All Jack wanted tonight was to eat something bad for him while snuggling on the couch with Tank. He was coming over after work and they weren’t going anywhere. Barbie had strongly suggested that they not go on any date nights for a few weeks while she straightened everything out. Apparently, the jackass had some previous charges for assault that were bringing things out of the woodwork. She had started going on and he’d tuned her out. He trusted Barbie to make everything good.
Jack had changed into some sweats and was vegging on the couch to the Travel Channel when he heard the front door open and close. “I’m in here.”
“Be right there after I change,” Tank called back. Over the past few months, Tank had left a collection of clothes here. He hadn’t officially moved in but Jack thought they were heading in that direction.
When Tank walked back into the room, he was wearing sweats, too. He came right over to the couch and crawled over Jack, dropping down on top of him. Tank whispered, “Hey” then proceeded to give Jack the dirtiest kiss they’ve ever shared. Tank was mapping out every bump in Jack’s mouth. His tongue was moving in and out of Jack’s mouth, then he would suck on Jack’s tongue. It was becoming hard for Jack to breathe but what a way to go.
Tank pulled back a little to shift to nibbling Jack’s neck as he pushed up Jack’s shirt. His fingers slid right to his nipples and started pinching and releasing. Jack wasn’t sure what had got into Tank but he was ready, willing and able for anything he wanted. After he got the shirt up to Jack’s armpits, he dove for one nipple licking and biting.
“Christ, I’m not sure what… holy fuck! Don’t stop,” Jack demanded. Tank had moved down his chest to the waistband of his sweats and was licking under it. Tank looked up at him and grinned wickedly.
As Tank was pulling the elastic back, Jack heard the one sound that was guaranteed to stop them. The ringtone for the clinic.
“Shit, shit. Fuck!” Jack was pissed. The clinic better be on fucking fire. Tank gently replaced the sweats and laid a short kiss against Jack’s stomach. Tank leaned over and grabbed Jack’s cell from the coffee table.
Jack took a deep breath and answered, “Doctor Dillon.” He listened for a minute before interrupting the person on the other end. “Becky. Stop. Take a deep breath. Okay, now start again. I didn’t understand one word you just said and I’m sure it’s important since I’m not on call this weekend.”
“The deputies brought in one of the K-9 dogs that’s been stabbed. Bobby is as white as a ghost and isn’t sure what to do. I know that we’ve got to get some x-rays to see what’s going on, but I don’t know if he’s going to be okay to operate, and this dog is going to need surgery.”
“Shit, I’m on my way. Are you the only tech there?” Jack gave Tank a look that he hoped said ‘I’m sorry’ and shifted off the couch.
“Yes,” Becky replied, and she sounded scared. If she was scared, then things weren’t great.
“Call Briar and Tasha. I’m on my way. Have Bobby take x-rays of the chest cavity and abdomen. They should be done by the time I get there.” Jack turned to Tank who already had Jack’s wallet and keys in his hands. “I’ll be late but I’d love to come home and crawl into bed with you.”
“I’ll keep the bed warm. It sounds like they need you for this emergency, go!” Tank smacked his lips
to Jack’s then pushed him toward the garage.
§ § § §
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” Jack was muttering repeatedly. There was a bleeder in this poor guy that he couldn’t find. “Bobby, more suction. Briar, how’re the vitals?” He knew they’d been operating for close to two hours at this point and he wasn’t sure how much more the animal could take. He’d already closed two jagged cuts in his side.
“Stable, but on the low side. I wouldn’t keep him open much longer if you can help it,” Briar said, adjusting the oxygen mask on the dog’s muzzle.
“Doing my best. That fucker did a lot of damage.” He did not want to tell the deputies that he couldn’t save their partner. These dogs did so much for the department and were more than just a dog to their handler. “Bobby, retract just a bit more.” Jack bent over and once Bobby pulled back, he saw it. The knife had nicked the liver and that’s where the blood and fluid were coming from. “Sutures. I’ve got it.” It took another twenty minutes for Jack to close the opening to his satisfaction and another ten to close completely.
He stepped back from the table and rolled his shoulders. “Tasha, put a light bandage on… I didn’t even get this dog’s name.” Jack looked to Tasha and Briar.
“Honcho. This is K-9 Officer Honcho. His handler, Deputy Green, is in the waiting room with several other deputies,” Tasha answered.
“Honcho needs a light bandage and he’ll need to be watched closely for the next two days. Bobby, can you supervise transferring him to one of the kennels?”
“Certainly. I’m really sorry that I—” Bobby started to apologize and Jack cut him off.
“Stop right there. You’ve only been out of residency for what? Not even a year? This was a challenge for me and I’ve been doing this for a bit longer. That last cut I didn’t think I’d find. You make some notes, mental or physical, and learn from tonight. One day, you won’t need someone to back you up. Kate and I knew when we asked you to join the practice that you were still learning. It’s all good and Honcho should recover without a hitch.” Jack took off his gloves and went over to the sink to wash up. Looking down at his scrubs, he was glad he’d opted to put on a gown over them. He tossed the gown into the basket and then rinsed off.