Page 17 of In Death, Love Survives

NINE

Wolfe

I watch as my girl puts herself back together using a small handheld mirror from her purse. You can barely tell that she was freshly fucked, and something primal in me hates that.

Nova glances in my direction, clearly sensing something is wrong. She raises her eyebrows expectantly.

Dating a psychiatrist is going to take some getting used to. She knows all too well that I have a look of concern.

“I wish today could have been better for you,” I say.

Her head tilts back slightly before she snaps the mirror and sits down next to me in another guest chair.

“I loved what we just did.”

“I want you by my side in every way imaginable. I hate that we have to separate soon, as if this is nothing.”

She takes my hand in hers.

“But we know this is everything.”

My girl has a way with her words.

“I’ll get out of here soon.”

“Oh! Yes. Well, that’s actually the main reason I asked you here,” she starts.

“What happened?”

She squeezes my hands.

“What’s your attorney’s contact information? Write it down,” she says as she pulls a pad of paper and pen from her desk and hands it over.

“Why?” I ask as I do.

“I snuck into Crawley’s office.”

“ Nova .” I set the pen and paper back on the desk.

“Don’t ‘Nova’ me. I did it for you. For us. I told you I’m all in. Don’t you realize I’m on your team?”

Fucking straight to the heart.

“I do. I really do.”

“Well, I did find some documents. I couldn’t take the originals, but I have photos I can provide to your attorney to at least start with.”

“What did they have on them?”

“They want you here.”

I stare knowingly.

“That’s not it,” she continues.

“What do you mean?”

“They want you here until they can arrange for you to disappear.”

I hang my head back for a moment before facing her again.

“They are going to have someone in the prison do it. Then make it look like a suicide. Whoever it is will get a reduced sentence for helping,” she finishes.

“They want me to disappear from Montana altogether.”

“That’s right. Whatever you’ve been up to… well, they clearly aren’t happy about it.”

“Yeah, apparently,” I say with a laugh.

“I’m here, Wolfe. Whatever I can do to help.”

“You have no idea what that means to me.”

“I do, actually. I’ve been alone for a long time. I’m happy I found you too.”

I take her hands in mine and squeeze.

“Nova girl, I promise I’m not going to let them take me. I’m getting out of here. I’ll call my attorney tonight and schedule a meeting for tomorrow. If you can, email him the photos.”

“And I’ll be waiting.”

“Nova. Since we’re alone for once.”

Nova raises her hand to interrupt.

“I can fix that.”

“How?”

“I can schedule our next session in here.”

“That’s not suspicious?”

She shrugs.

“I can make it work.”

“If you’re sure. I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

“I’ll try at least.”

I glance up at the clock and know Walls is going to be coming through any minute.

“Until then.”

I lean forward and place a soft kiss on her cheek. Getting up, I look like I did when I came into her office.

Nova unlocks her door and gives me a small smile.

“I can’t wait to see you again,” she admits.

“Me either.”

Walls bangs on the door, making Nova jump. Her hand clings to her chest for a moment, and then she manages to regroup.

“Until then.”

She opens the door, and Walls walks through the doorway and pauses. He looks from Nova to me before focusing back on Nova.

“Everything okay, Dr. Fletcher?”

“Fine. It’s been a long day for me, so I’ll be packing up and heading out.”

Walls accepts her answer.

“Officer Walls?”

“Yes?” he answers.

“Please remember I’m the only one who ends my sessions.”

“Will do.”

He gestures for me to follow behind as he disappears down the hallway. I glance over my shoulder to see Nova watching me walk away.

This has to be one of the last times I do this to her.

“Did you get the thing?” I ask.

“I did, and it was everything I thought it was going to be.”

We were already worried about who was listening to our meetings. After what Nova shared with my attorney, we’re taking extra precautions to speak in code.

“Any next steps already?”

“They are in development.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Perhaps.”

“Protection.”

Michael tents his fingers together as we try to decode what the other is even implying. Right now, I’m wondering if this could have just been a call too.

“It wouldn’t hurt for you to make a few friends if you haven’t already. I’m doing what I can, as quickly as possible, but you and I both know even the gray path takes time.”

I sigh as I stretch my arms behind my head.

“That I do.”

“In the meantime, keep your guard up. Even around… friends.”

I’m not sure if he’s talking about Caleb or Nova, or hell, even anyone else I’ve mentioned or have yet to mention inside of here, but I’ll take his words for what they mean.

“I will.”

He stands abruptly.

“Good. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have something concrete.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

The corrections officer comes into the room, having noticed that Michael is standing up.

“Walker. I’m to take you to Dr. Owens.”

“Why?” I ask.

“Yes, why?” Michael adds.

“Medical checkup. I don’t make the plans. I just take you there,” the officer answers.

“Right,” I reply as I step ahead of Michael.

“I’ll keep you updated,” he says.

I follow the CO out and into the medical wing of Roper State. A surreal feeling of memories floods my mind. Just last night, I was in here with Nova, having a completely different experience than the one I’m about to have.

Medical appointment, my ass.

Something is up with Dr. Owens. I have no fucking clue what it is, but these types of appointments are scheduled in advance.

I have a gut feeling that the doctor is in on the whole ploy to make me disappear. That or he somehow found out about Nova and me.

I chuckle as I wait outside his examining room.

If that fucker knew I just fucked Nova, he would be losing his goddamn mind instead of trying to see me here.

A doctor can’t fucking kill me like this. No, when the time comes, it’s going to be one of the pricks around me, like Sam Snow.

He’s already out to kill me, so he’ll sure as fuck do it for a chance at a suddenly reduced sentence.

Dr. Owens opens the door. As he focuses on the chart in front of him, he gestures for me to follow him inside. The officer who accompanied me takes a large step back.

“Mr. Walker. Pleasure to see you again,” Dr. Owens says as he finally looks at me.

“Doctor.”

He gives me a tight smile back.

“Why don’t you take a seat. I’m going to do a routine checkup.”

I take a seat without saying a word.

Dr. Owens starts to examine me as if any of this checkup is necessary so soon after my arrival.

“Have you been settling in okay?” he asks.

“As well as I can.”

“That’s good,” he answers as he listens to my heartbeat.

“Deep breath for me,” he says.

I do. A few more times, and then he moves on to the next body part he’s using as a stall tactic.

“I hear you and Dr. Fletcher have been seeing one another,” he says.

There it is. Jackpot.

“She’s an excellent doctor,” I boast.

“That she is. One of the finest in her field and out of Roper State’s league.”

“I can see that.”

“Thankfully, I’ve just been given the opportunity to transfer her.”

“Transfer?”

“To Bower State.”

“The other side of the state.”

“Best prison medical unit in Montana. Maybe one of the top in the country. She’ll thrive there.”

I try to stifle my annoyance, knowing that’s what he wants.

“Has she accepted it?”

Dr. Owens starts to write down notes in my chart.

“She doesn’t know yet. But she will.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“I’ll be going too.”

He pauses.

“Well, in a few months, once their head retires. They have an immediate need for Dr. Fletcher.”

Dr. Owens is acting wildly suspicious. I’m not sure what he’s found or why he’s oversharing with me, but something is up.

“I’ll have to tell her my congratulations next time I see her.”

“Which is tomorrow?”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’ll only be a matter of days before you’ll have to start getting used to Tim.”

“Tim? Who’s Tim?”

“He’s a psychologist who reports to Nova. We just got to hire another therapist, so maybe you’ll be assigned to the new person when they’re selected.”

Dr. Owens clasps his chart tightly against his body.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

He looks at me like I’m a threat.

“I want you to know that any infatuation you have with Dr. Fletcher is just that. You aren’t the first person who’s come in here and tried something on the innocent woman.”

“I respect Dr. Fletcher.”

“Good. We won’t have any problems then until she leaves.”

“If she leaves.”

Dr. Owens gives me a tight smile.

“She will be leaving. In addition to this opportunity, Dr. Fletcher and I will be an item. It’s what’s best for someone of her caliber, don’t you agree?”

It’s a rhetorical question and one that I’m not going to be baited into answering.

“Officer Barnes?”

The corrections officer who brought me here opens the door and waits for his next set of directions.

“Mr. Walker here can return.”

“Will do, boss.”

“Until next time, Dr. Owens.”

Dr. Owens scoffs as he turns his back, and I’m led out.

The next day, I’m brought into Nova’s and my familiar territory, the original therapy room we’d been meeting in. I know she had planned for us to meet in her office, but after my encounter with Dr. Owens, I wasn’t surprised to learn that Nova and I wouldn’t be meeting there.

“Good morning, Mr. Walker,” she professionally greets me as I enter.

I take my usual seat across from her. Nova’s holding onto a black pen tightly as she taps it against her yellow notepad. Everything seems too professional for our usual sessions.

“Dr. Fletcher.”

I clasp my hands together in my lap and wait for her to take the lead.

“Like always, I’ll be pressing record on the session today. Please confirm you’re comfortable with this.”

I nod.

“Please use the words for the record.”

“It’s fine.”