Gone From Me: Hearts of the South, Book 10 Read Online Free

me. I might get it.” When Rob lifted his head, Calvert watched him with a rueful grin. “Hell, I physically attacked the local head of the GBI a few years back.”
    “Botine?”
    “Yeah.” Calvert rubbed at his jaw.
    “Why?”
    “It’s complicated, but made perfect sense at the time. Now, what has you wound so tight?”
    Rob fingered the nick on his wedding ring. “He’s…he was one of my oldest friends.”
    “Was?”
    “I caught him making a pass at my wife last night.” Rob rolled his shoulders, trying to relieve the tension there. “I guess he wasn’t the buddy I thought he was.”
    “That…explains a lot.” Calvert leaned back in his chair. “So what about the next time Stringham pushes your buttons?”
    “The same as today. He can push all he wants, but I’m not breaking. He’s not worth it.” He couldn’t lose this job, couldn’t lose everything at this point. Rob leaned forward, attention locked on Calvert’s unreadable expression. “I’m not the kind of agent, the kind of cop , that loses control. I have never lost it, with a suspect or in any situation, and I didn’t lose it today. It’s not the kind of cop I am.”
    He glanced away, his gaze lingering on Calvert’s FBI award hanging on the wall, and blew out a disgusted breath. “It’s not the kind of man I am, either.”
    “Well.” Calvert’s quiet voice held a hint of satisfaction. “Now that’s what I needed to hear.”
    “So I’m not fired?”
    “No, you’re not fired.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    “You are getting some extended time riding with Troy Lee before we turn you loose.” Calvert rested his elbow on the chair arm, a finger at his temple. “Having some backup might be a good idea for a while.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Calvert cleared his throat. “It’s important that you have an outlet, Bennett. Someone to talk to, a way to let the anger and frustration out.”
    He swallowed. “I’ll talk to someone.”
    Hell if he knew who, though. He had a few college buddies left, but in the past few months, they’d all drifted away. Honestly, Jake had been the last one. His dad was gone, and if he were here, he wouldn’t get it, any of it, his failures as a husband and a cop. And not like he could turn to either Amy or Jake any longer.
    “Even as much as he talks, I understand Troy Lee can be a good listener. He’s smart too.” Calvert rubbed a hand over his jaw once again. “Considering you two will spend a lot of time in that car together… All I’m saying is talking to him might be a place to start, if there’s no one else.”
    Rob nodded. He waited for Calvert to tell him he was done for the day, to go home and try again tomorrow.
    The older man leaned back in his chair. “You think you can compartmentalize this enough to do the rest of the day?”
    What the hell? He was getting another chance? A smile, the first real one of the day, pulled at his mouth. “Yes, sir.”
    “All right.” Calvert pushed up from the desk and crossed to open the door. “Get back to work.”
    When Rob emerged into the hall, he found Troy Lee and Chris waiting, lounging against the wall with assumed nonchalance. Troy Lee straightened immediately, hands spread in inquiry. “Well?”
    Rob glanced back at the door that had shut softly behind him. “He told me to get back to work.”
    Troy Lee’s mouth dropped and he closed it with a snap. “You’re kidding.”
    “No.” Rob shrugged. He still couldn’t fathom it. Shoot, if he’d seen himself as wound up as he’d been earlier, he’d have sent himself home.
    Chris whistled, long and low. He and Troy Lee exchanged a look, and Troy Lee chuckled. “Son of a bitch, he’s mellowed. Well, hell, let’s get back to work then.”
    As they moved down the hall toward the side exit, Troy Lee clapped Rob’s shoulder. “Dude, I’m buying you a beer tonight.”
    Rob frowned. “Why?”
    Chris laughed and pushed the door open. “Because if anyone deserved an ass-beating, it’s