Part 15 (2/2)
”Problem solved. Now, please leave.” Jack pointed to the door.
Darren nodded and ran for the door but stopped halfway. ”But she can't tell my wife.” He looked at Jack.
”Of course she's going to tell your wife.” Jack rubbed his forehead.
”She can't. There's no way my wife can work, and we need the money. She'll get so upset. Please?” He turned back to Replacement.
”Listen, Darren. Trust me. Your wife will understand you're being a stand-up guy a h.e.l.l of a lot better than she'll understand you getting some action on the side, and-”
”Jack.” Replacement stamped her foot.
He looked at Darren. ”Darren, go tell your wife you love her so much that you took a dishwas.h.i.+ng job. Believe me, she's going to go crazy in a different way than how you think, and you can thank me later. For now, get the h.e.l.l out.”
Darren practically ran for the door. ”Thank you. Thank you very much,” he mumbled as he left.
Jack grabbed his phone as it buzzed again. It was another text from Kendra.
SO NOT FAIR!!!!! HOW CAN HE suspend U?!?!?!
He tossed the phone down as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Life isn't fair...
Jack opened his eyes to take a good look at Replacement. She stared at the text on his phone, and her face said it all. Her eyes were rounded in concern; her little hands were tightly balled into fists.
I should let her go give Collins a piece of her mind.
Jack sighed. ”I'm taking a shower now.”
He walked into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. As he emptied his pockets on the bureau, he paused.
All my life I wanted to be a cop. Have I just thrown it away?
No, no, no...
As Jack peeled his s.h.i.+rt off, he winced.
”Snap.” Replacement exhaled. ”What the h.e.l.l happened to you?”
Jack leaned against the sink as he looked back at her standing in the bathroom doorway. ”Can't I get any privacy, kid?”
”You're not doing anything I shouldn't see, and you're hurt.” Replacement opened the medicine cabinet and began to take things out. ”You need to wash that sc.r.a.pe off now. It looks like you cut yourself and rolled in a mud puddle.”
Good guess.
She turned on the shower and pulled the curtain back.
”Pants.” Replacement reached for his belt buckle.
”I got it. Turn around.”
”No. I can't take care of you with my eyes closed. Here,” she handed him a towel, ”just think of me like a nurse, okay?”
Jack called her bluff and let his jeans drop to the floor.
She looked up at the ceiling and grinned while he wrapped the towel around himself.
That didn't work.
”Lean down. Let's start at the top. Let me see your face.” She turned the water on in the sink and got a washcloth wet. Jack shut his eyes as he leaned over.
”I feel like I'm four,” he muttered.
”Open your mouth.” Replacement tilted his head toward the light. ”You got a big cut in your mouth, too. You'll need to rinse with salt.w.a.ter.”
”Yes, Mom.”
She dabbed at the cut on his lip; he winced. ”What hit you?”
”A broom handle to the lip and bra.s.s knuckles in the face.”
Replacement made an awful face.
”What's the other guy look like?” She turned him around so she could work on the dirt in his shoulder. Jack groaned and gritted his teeth.
Surprisingly, she looks pretty good.
Replacement felt around his shoulder with the tips of her fingers and then gingerly pulled out a thin shard of gla.s.s. ”Darn it, Jack. You might have to go to the hospital.”
He rolled his eyes.
”Seriously, you might need a shot or something.”
”I need a shot of something. I'm going to go get one when we're done here.”
”You getting drunk won't help anything. I can't get this clean this way. Get in.” She pulled back the shower curtain. Jack grudgingly got in the shower but, once safely behind the curtain, tossed the towel on the floor. He hated being pampered, but he shook when the water hit his wounds.
Replacement walked out of the bathroom, only to come back a moment later wearing one of his T-s.h.i.+rts.
”You had today off. What happened?” She shrugged , grabbed the sides of her pants, and yanked them to the floor. The long T-s.h.i.+rt covered halfway down her thighs.
Jack's mouth fell open as he watched her taking her socks off. ”What're you doing?”
”You won't do a proper job.” She handed him a towel. ”Wrap it around you.” She waited for a second and then pulled back the curtain so she could step into the shower. He moved back, blinking rapidly as the water sprayed off her body, into his face.
”I have a s.h.i.+rt and panties on, so don't worry about it.” She grinned as she held up the washcloth. ”Turn around.” Jack complied.
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