“What’s your issue with being someone's Daddy? It has to be more than just not being your kink. Which is understandable. Everyone has their thing. Robert wasn't that way before me. I was surprised. I just used it as a bratty endearment because it made him smile, and then after a while, he would drop his eyes to my lips every time I said it. So what's your aversion?”

  I collapsed back in my chair as he seated himself on the edge of my desk and waited me out. “I have no aversion towards it. I never even thought about kink. You said it. I'm vanilla.”

  “And nothing wrong with that, but you can't lash out at someone. Explain it to him. You could've simply said you weren't interested.”

  He looked like he was going to say more, but giggles and deep laughter preceded Robert and Doc's return.

  “Now, there's our adorable Doc.” Remy slipped off my desk, and I watched him as he approached Doc, cupping his cheeks. “You okay now?”

  “Yeah, I feel all better. Although, I'm gonna take the rest of the day off. The boss already told me to take it. Forty-eight hours was too long without sleep. Thanks for loaning me Robert.”

  “Little man, any time, you just have to call.” Robert hugged Doc from behind and dropped a kiss on his damp hair. “Want me to drive you home?”

  “I'll drive him home. I have someone I need to meet.” I offered, and as Doc started to protest, I arched my brow, and he closed his mouth so quickly his teeth clicked. “Get your jacket and your things.”

  “Doc, are you okay with Stevenson driving you home?” I didn't miss the look Remy and Robert shared as Robert asked.

  “Yes, Robert, I'm fine.”

  “Call us when you wake up, and we'll bring you dinner. Or you can come to the house and play dolls with Roo.”

  “I'll be by the play with Roo. I miss my niece, and she doesn't think it's weird I like playing dolls.”

  Doc kept his head down, and I watched him as he grabbed his stuff, put on his coat, and I clenched my jaw as Robert buttoned him up. He got that serene expression again, and all I saw when I looked at him was the way he flinched or refused to even look at me. I fucked up, I'd admit it, but I still didn't get why.

  Once Robert had Doc ready, I motioned for Doc to go first, and I followed him from the building and then led him to my truck. I opened the passenger door. “Do you need help?”

  “No, I can climb in just fine.”

  I stepped back and observed as he struggled to get his short leg up enough to step on the sideboard. I rolled my lip between my teeth as he grunted and then threw a glare over his shoulder. “Are you done?”

  “I can do it myself.”

  “I'd like to get home before it gets dark out.”

  “Fuck you, Stevenson.” I widened my eyes as he mumbled a series of curses as he struggled.

  “Stop, honey. I'll lift you.” I grabbed his sides and lifted him into the seat, and then I got him settled. He sat there stiffly, still refusing to look at me. “Doc, I'm sorry about the other night, okay? I was frustrated, and I took it out on you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you.” I lifted my hand to pinch his chin and forced him to turn his eyes to mine. “Honey, you are not pathetic. Let's get you home so you can get some real sleep.”

  “I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable with my flirting. I won't do it anymore.”

  “Flirt all you want. It's kinda nice. No one’s flirted with me in a long time. My ex-husband wasn't the type.”

  “Isn't the beginning of a relationship all about the flirting and the fun, finding out about the other person? Robert and Remy were adorable when they were first getting together. I'd never seen Remy like that with anyone. I was happy for him and jealous as hell.”

  I stroked my thumb across the curve of his lower lip as he smiled, but the smile fell before he turned away, jerking out of my hold. “Let's get you home.”

  I closed the door and walked around the front of my truck, paused to take a breath, then a second, before I got into the driver's seat to take Doc home.

  “Doc, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Does anyone ever call you Morgan?”

  “No, hell, some days I forget that my name isn't Doc Warner. I don't think I even know yours. It's something with a C because you sign your reports C. Stevenson.”

  “Carter, but like you, I forget that my name isn't just Stevenson.”

  “Carter is a really nice name.”

  “You can use it if you want.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Fair enough. Did you want to stop and get something to eat?”

  “No, I have stuff at home. I'm ready to get into comfortable clothes and curl up in bed, and then go play dolls with my favorite niece.” He started to smile at me, and then it fell, and that was my fault.

  All his shame and fear were my fault. I just didn't know what to do to fix what I'd done. “Would you help me find Major? Tomorrow night?”

  “Um, I have a clinic from two to six, but I can help after that. I'll be on the strip between sixth and seventh. I can lock up the van after and take you to find Major. We can check the soup kitchen at Boss's Outreach first. From there, I know of about five places he usually beds down for the night.”

  “Thanks.”

  He went quiet, and I backed out of the spot, heading toward his place. I'd fix it tomorrow. I'd make up for being an asshole because I had some fences to mend. I just had to get it right, but past experience told me I wasn't exactly the best at making a man happy.

  8

  Doc

  My last patient for the day shifted on the exam table in the too-cramped van. I needed to upgrade, but I just didn't have the time, and while I kept my medical license up to date, my clinic wasn't exactly approved. I flushed the infected wound and grimaced behind my mask. “Phil, you have to change your socks more often. Your wound isn't healing. You're going to lose it. I know you don't want to, but you need to go to the VA for the wound care clinic.”

  “You know I've been waiting months for a damn appointment.”

  “I know, but I want you to wash and change your socks daily. Go see Boss to use the Outreach laundry room. I want to see you again next week.” I cleaned up and dropped everything in the biohazard bin. “Here's a prescription for antibiotics. Take them. I already priced them.” I handed over the script and a ten-dollar bill.

  “Doc, it's too—”

  “And I don't want to find you dead from sepsis. If you need me before the next clinic, get Boss to call me. Promise me, Phil.”

  “I promise.”

  I patted his knee as the van shifted, and I turned my head to find Stevenson watching us. “Hey, I'm almost done.” I wrapped the wound in clean gauze and then set a paper bag with supplies beside his leg. “Here's a wound kit and some extra socks. If you need more, Boss is stocked. Use it.” I carefully eased the clean sock over his bandages and put his walking boot back on. “Cree is across the street serving soup and sandwiches. Go get something to eat and then go fill your prescription. The corner pharmacy is open for another few hours.”

  “Thanks, Doc.”

  “No problem. I'll see you next week.” I smiled at the man who was in bad need of a shower and new clothes. I straightened from the stool I was seated on and helped him down. Removing my gloves, I threw them in the trash and took off my mask. “Sorry, I'm running a bit behind. Line was longer than normal. This time of year, a lot of ear infections for the little ones. Just let me clean up, and we can walk to the Outreach building.”

  “Take your time. You do this every week?”

  As I started sanitizing the space, I shrugged. “Every Saturday, same spot, and Cree sets up across the street to serve a hot meal while they wait or for afterward. Sometimes I get calls from Boss if someone shows up there. A lot of people can't afford to go to the ER or a regular doctor. Sadly, most of the people I see are Vets who are waiting for appointments and tests at the VA. All visits and care are free, and I pay for scripts when I can.”

  “That's a lot, Doc.”

  “I don't have many needs, Detective, a few hundred won't break me, but a generic script can mean the difference between losing a limb or their life. And trust is a big thing down here, and they trust me to make sure I try my best.”

  “I learned that from working closely with Remy. Did you want to grab something to eat before we start our search?”

  “It's meatloaf night at the Outreach.”

  He opened his mouth to argue and then stopped himself. I cleaned myself up and removed my white coat, and dragged my hoodie on.

  “I'll just lock up. It's safe, I don't keep anything in the van other than over-the-counter meds, and everyone knows it. When I first started, it got broken into several times. Do-gooder, supposedly rich doctor and all that.” He motioned me past him, and I turned sideways to avoid touching him. “We'll hit the Outreach first. Major sometimes shows up on Saturdays for his dinner, but like I said, there's about five or so places he beds down. Hide the badge.” I pointed to the shield clipped to his waistband exposed by his unzipped leather jacket.

  I glanced behind me as I descended the two steps to catch him zipping up, and I turned back forward, waving at Cree. She was a longtime volunteer with Boss. She'd been a sex worker back in the day before she met her girlfriend through a job fair.

  “Did you catch up on your sleep?” he asked as he stepped up beside me as we started the short walk to the Outreach center that was housed in three remodeled warehouses.

  “I slept until one…barely got here in time. Learn anything from the lab results?” I didn't want to admit that I hadn't slept until well after I got home from having dinner with Remy, Robert, and Roo. The sun had already started to rise by the time I'd stopped tossing and turning.

  “Not a lot. There was no semen on the swabs you took in the rape kit. The other samples were degraded from poor storage.”

  “Sorry.”

  “I kinda expected it, ya know? I was told about twenty years ago there was a power failure, and the generators didn't kick on, so the evidence was compromised. And what they thought they saved was useless. Thanks for talking to Coleman, though.”

  “Threatened him more like it.” I tilted my head back to grin up at him as he chuckled and shook his head.

  “Whatever you did, I appreciate it. I've never been to Boss's Outreach before. As many times as I’ve been to the strip, just never made it over here.”

  “He's worked miracles in the last thirty years. It's an entire compound. He does everything from job training to sliding scale childcare. He runs afterschool programs. The meals are prepared by low-income or homeless people from the neighborhood, and since he trains, they can use it as job experience. Pretty much any volunteer work can be used as work experience or training. The city council sees the Outreach as a revitalization of the area, and with private and government grants, Boss keeps making the safe haven a lot more beneficial to the neighborhood.”

  “And you volunteer?”

  “I teach a sexual health class once a week, help organize the mobile testing clinics for the sex workers, and really teach overall health and nutrition programs.”

  “And the mobile clinic.”

  “That, too. But I keep my medical license up to date in order to be able to provide prescriptions and general practitioner medical care, but my clinic isn't exactly approved. The one run through the hospital won't write prescriptions. They do basic triage and referrals, which a lot of the people they see can't afford.”

  “Why not open a practice then you can do this full-time?”

  “Wish it was that easy. The county and city want to keep their free health clinics under their control, which means independent mobile clinics beyond ones where medical students give less than basic care don't get the funding. Also, a lot of the patients I see have some form of mental health issue, especially PTSD, and the wait times for VA appointments are astounding. Again, they want to see someone they trust, and they always count on me to be here weekly and available for emergencies through Boss.”

  “That's a lot of time you volunteer.”

  “Fills my downtime.”

  “Honey, do you even have any downtime?”

  I tried to ignore the way him using an endearment made me feel. “Not really, but it's fine.”

  “No wonder you crashed and burned yesterday.” I flinched as he tucked my hair behind my ear, and I sped up my pace.

  “It's not always like that. Did you see those people you mentioned yesterday?”

  “Yeah, again, wasn't much help. I tried to track down Sandowski to question him and see if he had any notes not included, but no one’s seen him around his office.”

  “Did you take a break at all since yesterday?”

  “Mindless TV and a frozen dinner. Comes with being a divorced bachelor, I think. Kinda cliché, really. Did you have fun with Roo? She share her favorites? You always seem to get the best ones.”

  Was he making fun of me? I didn't want that. My eyes burned, but I bit back the tears. I breathed a sigh of relief when the Outreach entrance came into view. I made myself smile as Stevenson reached the door before me and opened it.

  “Doc, rescue mission.” Boss's deep baritone reached me, and I shook my head, rolling my eyes.

  “Where?”

  “The tunnel. We have a traffic jam.”

  “Wait here for a minute, okay?”

  “Sure.” His thick brows drew together in confusion, but I didn't stop to explain as I took off running for the daycare room.

  I hoped he didn't follow because crawling around in plastic tunnels to rescue kids that got stuck and panicked wouldn't show him that I was capable of acting like an adult. Laughter sounded around me as I dove into a shallow ball pit that smelled of antiseptic and then crawled into the first tunnel. I heard kids trying to talk someone into moving. As I reached a turn in the tube, there was a little girl of about two, sitting there whimpering as three older kids tried to help.

  “I got her. Go on. We'll be out in a minute.” I shooed them away as I smiled at her red, tear-stained face. “Hey, sweetie, did you get scared?”

  With some smiles and a soothing tone, I got her moving at a snail's pace. We reached the first exit, which was a slide, and she went down, and I followed once one of the workers picked her up.

  “Doc, you're the only one who’ll go into the tunnels.”

  “I think y'all just like laughing at the grown, little man.”

  “That, too.”

  I stood up with a snort and headed for the door. I froze in place seeing Stevenson standing beside Boss. I shoved my hands in my hoodie pocket and closed the distance.

  “Don't even make fun of me.” I warned Stevenson and turned away to catch Boss's frown; that expression meant I'd be subjected to an interrogation at a later date.

  “So, Doc, what do I owe for the visit? Other than it being meatloaf tonight.”

  “Major, you seen him around?”

  “He was in last night, no show today, but it's a little early for him. He likes to sneak in for a to-go when it's quieter. Reason you're looking for him?”

  “Witness to an old cold case. Stevenson asked for my help in tracking him down. You know he doesn't like strangers.”

  “He stopped his meds, so I don't know how much help he'll be. You know they stop when they feel better.”

  “I know. And it's a long shot, but what could it hurt to ask, right? He hasn't come by to get checked out in a while. I'd like to see how he's doing.”

  “Just be careful, Doc, you know how he gets. And you had a helluva shiner last time.”

  “He didn't mean it.”

  “If he's dangerous, we're not going, Doc.” Stevenson’s voice rumbled dangerously from behind me.

  “I moved too quickly. He wasn't present, and you'll be there. It'll be fine.”

  “Go grab some food, grab a container for Major, too. Just in case he forgot.”

  “Will do, thanks, Boss.”

  “Anytime, sweetie. Go take care of what you need to do. I heard Vega was gonna hook you up with some Dominatrix tonight.”

  I giggled as Boss leaned down to kiss the top of my head and patted my backside to get me moving. I ignored Stevenson as I led him through the maze of hallways to the kitchen and cafeteria.

  “Doc, here for your usual?”

  “You know it, handsome.” I winked at Bart. He'd been there almost as long as I had. He was easily three times my size but was as gentle as could be.

  “You know I'm too old to keep up with you. Who's your friend?”

  “Bart, meet Stevenson, Stevenson, meet Bart. He's the kitchen manager around here. Feed me, Bart.”

  The big man jumped to action filling two containers with that night's special.

  “Could you do one up for Major, too? I'm going to check on him.”

  “Sure. I'll throw in some brownies for him. He seemed a little off last night. Don't expect him to show up tonight. Me and Boss tried to talk him into letting us get his meds refilled, but you know how it is.”

  “Thanks.”

  He placed one of the containers and a paper sleeve of brownies in a takeout bag and handed me the two other containers with two packs of plastic silverware. I jumped up and kissed his cheek, and then I went out the kitchen exit. I handed one of the to-go boxes to Stevenson.

  “Thanks,” he said as we walked and ate dinner while we made our way to Major's first hideout. “Is it like this every night?”

  “Yeah. They provide breakfast for the kids before school, bagged lunches for those who need them, and full dinners seven nights a week. They have some of the students from the local culinary school work weekends for credit. People come in for a full menu, for lunch and dinner. People pay what they can, and if they can't, they get a free meal no judgment. Some of the local high school kids act as waitstaff and dishwashers for a little pocket money. They also let people buy meals and tack them up on a board in one of the offices so people can grab a ticket.”

  “Y'all do a ton around here. Still shocks me even after knowing everyone.”

  “We don't make a big production about it. There's no shame in needing extra help sometimes.”