Free Fractured by Kate Watterson Page A

counseling by order of the police department after he’d been shot in the line of duty and he’d been pretty unfazed by the event as far as she could tell. This particular patient was suffering from an entirely different sort of problem.
    â€œSpeaking of that topic, I understand you and Detective MacIntosh have a new case.”
    â€œShe told you about it?”
    â€œYou know I don’t directly discuss anything a patient and I say during a session. That policy is why you can freely say anything you want to me, and have the confidence I will never tell her or anyone else either.”
    His grin was irreverent. “You are a hardass about that, true.”
    â€œI assume you want me to be.”
    He sobered. “I don’t even know why the hell I come here half the time.”
    That sounded familiar, but she’d heard it more than usual lately.
    Georgia said noncommittally, “Most people find it helpful to discuss their problems. I doubt my input is a miracle cure, I’ve never thought so even from when I first went into active practice. It’s more saying the words out loud instead of ignoring what is troubling you.”
    â€œThis case would trouble anyone.”
    She’d seen that horrific picture and didn’t disagree but had to choose her words carefully. “I am not a detective but it is an easy assumption the two of you are working on the recent similar murders that have been very brutal according to the news.”
    â€œFor a refreshing change of pace, the media is telling the truth.”
    â€œIt sounds like you are dealing with someone who might be acting out their anger at the world in an interesting way.”
    â€œDo you think?” Jason Santiago shook his head. “A sick one, that’s for sure. Tell me, Doc, who wants to destroy someone’s face? Not to mention punch holes in their chest in a religious symbol.”
    â€œI don’t know.” It was the truth. She’d been thinking about it quite a lot.
    â€œNeither do we unfortunately.” He shifted in his chair and changed the subject to why she suspected he came to see her in the first place. “I have a feeling Ellie and Grantham are having some kind of problem.”
    Now they were getting to it. It was no secret Ellie had only recently moved in with her lover, so Georgia responded neutrally, “When two people decide to live in the same house it is often a difficult transition.”
    â€œYeah.” He ran his fingers through his hair, which he often did. “Kate and I … we just expected it to be different when we decided to live together. All sunshine and happiness and not just sex and the occasional night out. There was toothpaste in the sink and mutual laundry and all that sort of crap. We just weren’t good on an all-the-time basis.”
    â€œAre you hoping they aren’t either?”
    â€œWho? MacIntosh and Grantham?” He tried to look disassociated and failed.
    He’d just called her Ellie, but it was MacIntosh now. “Detective, you know exactly who I mean.”
    â€œI don’t know if I’m hoping for anything.”
    He was, though. Police officers might be used to people lying to them, but so was she. Half of what she did was sift through the falsehoods to try and find a truth.
    â€œMaybe you should tell her about your feelings.” Georgia had wondered about it all along. As far as she could tell, Ellie MacIntosh was completely unaware of her partner’s attraction to her, and they dealt with each other on a professional level pretty well. Personally, Georgia was like a voyeur, looking in and waiting to see what might happen next.
    That ended the session. He got restlessly to his feet and said in an unemotional voice, “I’ve a bit of a problem with that advice, Doc. I’ve never really loved anyone my entire life. It’s like trying to teach a cripple to walk. I need to get the hang of it first,