Page 10 of Rookie Days

“Correct.” Quinn’s own anger and frustration came through loud and clear on that one word. “Tell me then: were you trying to?”

“No!”

“Then what happened to you this morning, Detective? Lost your temper because the guy cut you?”

Ellie recognized the challenge in Quinn’s flashing blue eyes. Daring her to grab hold of an excuse, an easy way out. To lie in order to protect her own skin. But Ellie would not. Not just due to the fact that Quinn had witnessed the event, and it would be useless to try to twist the truth. Not even because she was her commanding officer, a woman Ellie respected and admired in equal measures. She just would not lie, period. So she shook her head.

“No,” she repeated.

“No, you didn’t lose your temper?”

Ellie bit on her lip. Quinn sounded cold, remote, and she had no trouble recognizing the tone. This was an interrogation, alright.

“I did, but not because he cut me.”

“Then what caused your reaction?”

“I was angry.”

“Yeah, no kidding. And now, you’re stalling.” Quinn kept her eyes locked onto hers. “You were crying. I saw tears running down your face. What was that all about, uh?”

Ellie swallowed, shaken once again to be told that.

“I didn’t realize... I genuinely don’t remember it.”

“Yeah, well, I do. And all the rest of it.”

“What do you mean, the rest of it?”

Quinn’s expression was fierce and also concerned when she asked.

“Ellie, who the hell is Laura?”

chapter 4

That name on her lips hit harder than if Quinn had punched her in the chest. In a way, Ellie would have preferred that. Her eyes burned, tears threatening to flood again. She clenched her teeth, determined not to let that happen, and fought for control. The heartrate monitor that she was still hooked up to registered a big spike, prompting an alarm and sending a worried nurse running into the room.

“I’m fine,” Ellie proclaimed before she could say anything.

The nurse shot her a dubious look, and glared suspiciously at Quinn.

“You can stay one more minute but then she needs to rest,” she warned her. “Dr Fox’s orders. And please, both of you: keep upsetting matters for later.”

Quinn flashed an appropriately contrite smile.

“Yes. Absolutely.”

The nurse walked out and a loaded silence descended. The question lingered between them, and Ellie kept her mouth shut. After a bit more unhappy staring, Quinn eventually nodded to her bandaged arm.

“So. How does it feel?”

“Not too bad, considering.”

“Meaning it hurts like hell.”

“Yeah,” Ellie admitted.

“Thought it might.” Quinn sighed and went on to sound a bit more like a friend instead of the ruthless interrogator that she could be. “Your surgeon will be back at some point to talk to you about recovery exercises. I need to get back to the station and see to things.”