Silenced Justice: A Josh Williams Novel by Joe Broadmeadow Page A

out the right way. It's why I love you."
    The door to the interview room opened and Chief Brennan started in. "Oops, sorry. I ah…," backing out the door.
    "It's okay Chief, she's dressed now." Josh laughed. Keira smacked him on the side of the head.
    Brennan poked his head back in. "Someday you're going to have to explain to me what the hell it is you see in him."
    "I'm not sure I can, Chief, I’m not sure I can," she answered, smacking Josh again.
     
    * * *
     
    Once Keira finished giving her statement to the detectives, they brought her to Josh's office. Josh got her a cup of tea and sat with her.
    "So, you want to go home or are you still going to the office?" Josh asked.
    "Are you coming home with me?" she asked.
    "I can't, I have to stay and work this. No way Brennan would let me leave."
    "Okay then, if carrying on with your day is good enough for you, it works for me as well. I'll go to my office," Keira answered.
    "How about you let me take you there? I had one of my guys drop your car off for the oil change. I'll take you to the office and when I pick you up we can stop and get your car on the way home."
    Keira smiled, "I can take myself to work, Captain America. You don't have to protect me every moment."
    "But--"
    Keira held up her hand, "No buts, Josh. We'll meet at home after work and you can fill me in. I'll be fine."
    The door to the office opened and Chief Brennan walked in. "The truck is out front, Keira. You sure I can't have someone take you to your office, or home?"
    "Don't bother, Chief. I already tried talking her into it," Josh said.
    Brennan took a seat next to Keira. "If it's any consolation, I don't think they were after you. Although based on your husband's work product, I can't imagine anyone wasting time trying to get him." He smiled, patting her on the shoulder.
    Josh chuckled at the Chief's comments. His cell phone rang and he pulled it from the holder. "Hey, Chris, what's up? Oh yeah, of course you heard. I'll tell you the story when I see you. She's fine, sitting right here." Josh handed the phone to Keira.
    "Hi, Chris, no I'm fine thanks. They have everything under control. Sure, stop by. I'll be at my office within the hour," handing the phone back to Josh. "Chris said she'd call you later."
    Josh put the phone on his desk.
    Brennan stood up, "Josh, can you come to the office for just a minute?” Turning to Keira, "I'll have him right back. You take care and call if there is anything I can do."
    "Thanks Chief," Keira nodded and picked up her tea.
    When Josh left the office, Keira rested arms on the desk trying to think. What is going on here? They couldn't be after me; it must be Josh. Something the SIU is --Josh's cell phone ringing interrupted her thoughts. After the ringing stopped, she turned the display to read the caller ID, Doctor’s Office .
    What the hell?
    The door opened and Josh came back in. Handing him the phone, Keira said, "You had a call, the display said doctor's office. What doctor, Josh?"
    The look on his face said it all; he knew she knew.
    "I was hoping to tell you this later. Once I had talked to the…" Josh said, sitting next to her.
    Keira took his hand, "No time like the present, what's wrong?"
    Josh fumbled with his phone, avoiding her eyes. "Remember around my birthday, when I had those headaches?"
    "Yes, of course," Keira said.
    "Well, I went to see Dr. Phillips. He ran some blood work, it was all negative for anything, told me it was stress related and I needed to learn to relax, get a hobby. If you remember, I took those five days and did some of the Long Trail in Vermont. You didn't want to go."
    "I didn't want to sleep in the woods and the mud," Keira retorted. "You asked me to go to Vermont. I pictured a quaint Bed & Breakfast with long, pleasant walks through rolling hills. Not suck-stepping through mud, devoured by black flies." Keira pulled him closer to her. "Stop trying to change the subject. Why didn't you tell me about the doctor? And why are you