Leave No Trace

Chapter 20

Nolan

It would be the hardest phone call she ever made. But standing, watching the divers search for wreckage, she thought of the funerals that had to be planned. Of people who would have to make the phone call telling a family member that the detectives would no longer be with them.

She had to call Austin. But she was resisting.  She picked up her phone, hesitantly dialing.

He picked up instantly. “About time!” He said, mildly pissed off.

He’s certainly making this easy on me she thought. “I got your text.”

“I sent that text yesterday, Katie, and you couldn’t be bothered to answer it until today?”

“I had a lot going on.” That was an understatement.

“So do I, damn it. I’m leaving for Norfolk tomorrow afternoon! Can you not be bothered to actually care about something other than your job for five seconds?” He asked. He was not pissed, pissed was an understatement. She could practically hear him seething down the phone.

“Austin, you want to take about jobs? What about you wanting me to give up my career, huh?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” He snapped in reply.

“As soon as you and I get married, you want me to quit my job and become a Navy wife!” She cried, angry. “You completely disregard that I also have a job to do! And I do a damn good job too!”

“How? I never know about your day, because you give me that it’s confidential BS. You want to have this discussion?”

“Yes.” She replied quietly. “I am not quitting my job just to follow you to the ends of the earth. I’m not moving to any bases with you, because I am an NRPD detective, and I work in the Niagara region.”

His voice was deathly quiet. “So what are you saying?”

She glanced down at her engagement ring. “You need to start valuing my work, Austin. I’m not just your Katie, I’m Detective Nolan too.”

“You’re not even make a difference.” He snapped impatiently. And that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“How can you say that?” she asked horrified. “You want to know the reason I didn’t text you back, Austin? It was because I was rescuing a girl and watching Niagara’s finest gunned down in front of me. Four cops lost their lives last night, and all you can care about is how long you have until you leave! Five people are dead. And we found her, we found the girl. She’ll live. I made a difference, Austin. I saved a girl’s life. In fact, I almost died. Tell me, Austin, have you ever made that kind of difference?”

“You’re not picking this fight over work.” He said, angrily. “There’s something else. Or should I say, someone else, is that right?”

“What are you accusing me of?” She asked coldly.

“You’ve had someone on the side. So who is it? Your partner Danielson?”

“Are you telling me I’ve had a lover this entire time? How dare you!” She seethed. “The only other man in my life right now is my ex-comrade Sergeant Timothy McKay. He came and helped us out last night. And you know what, Austin? He damn well saved my life. And I thanked him for it. I kissed him. So I guess I did cheat on you. But he and I? We owe each other, not own each other.”

“Is that all?” Austin asked, his voice revealing his fury. “You’re choosing, Katie.”

“Choosing between you and my job? You’ll sink that low, Austin? You must have an incredibly large ego to think that I would choose a man over my career. Because one puts food on the table and a roof over my head. And take a hint, Austin, it’s not the man.”