Page 46 of Soul of Discretion

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Nick watched Augustus Baronne fight against his cuffs as he was taken from his fourteen-bedroom mansion north of the city. The old man was blustering about suing them all one moment, and threatening the officers’ lives the next. Nick felt a sense of satisfaction for his part in causing the Baronne family to go out of business.

Things had moved quickly after Nick had showed his inspector the evidence Jack had gathered. Getting the warrants proved a bit of a challenge—at one point Simon had to listen to the tape in front of a judge then swear the voice narrating the tape had belonged to Jack. After the warrants had been issued, a plan had been set in motion to hit each of the Baronne warehouses, storefronts, and offices simultaneously so that no one got away.

The crime lab had no difficulty in identifying the Baronne cocaine as the one killing people across southern Ontario. Apparently, Augustus didn’t care what he cut his drugs with as long as it was cheap. Now that the last warrant had been served, Nick was looking forward to spending a little down time with Simon.

Over the past few weeks, Nick and Simon had hardly been apart. Peter had left to go back to his wife shortly after he was sure Simon was healing and in good hands.

The first few days Simon was back at the hotel were spent recuperating. They spent their time together with no interruptions, and the bond Nick felt growing between them strengthened. Nights wrapped in each other’s arms sharing intimate moments brought out a completely new set of feelings that he wasn’t quite ready to face.

Over time Nick had learned so much more about Simon’s life back in the UK and knew he’d have to return to it soon enough. Simon had held various Skype sessions with his board members and senior management teams to ensure everything was running smoothly, and to update them on the situation in Canada. He’d said he’d be back to the UK, and while Nick knew Simon’s departure was inevitable, with each passing day he felt the clock ticking down on their time together.

He wasn’t ready for that. And he was beginning to think he never would be.

Nick leaned back against his cruiser and watched as Inspector McKenzie closed the back door of the wagon, silencing the head of one of the largest crime families in the region. That had to feel good. McKenzie turned and locked his gaze with Nick’s. When McKenzie’s smile fell, Nick knew it was time to pay for the choices he’d made. Everything he’d done over the entirety of this case would be picked apart, and there was no doubt he’d be facing a disciplinary hearing.

Would he have changed a thing he’d done? When it came to Simon, never.

The inspector seemed to take his time walking over. Nick imagined McKenzie didn’t want to deliver the news as much as Nick didn’t want to hear it. Nevertheless, much like a harsh Canadian winter, it was coming whether you wanted it to or not.

“Nick,” McKenzie called as he neared.

“Inspector.”

“Well, that’s the last of them rounded up. We’re only missing two, who should be easy to pick up, they’re lower-level lackeys,” McKenzie explained. “No one will want to hide them from us now that there is no head to the family.”

“Yes, sir,” Nick answered, knowing full well there was more.

McKenzie rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “Look, Nick. I don’t get any satisfaction out of having to do this, but it’s my job.”

“I understand, Inspector,” And the truth was he did understand. McKenzie had no fault in this. Nick knew when he’d stepped over the line, and had done so with full knowledge of the consequences of his actions.

“Follow me to the station. You’re suspended with pay until your hearing. You are under investigation for breach of the Code of Conduct by becoming involved with a person who was of significant importance to this case.”

Of all the things he’d done to catch these assholes, that’s what they were going with. The fact that he and Simon were sharing a bed seemed to be the problem. There had to be more to this. “What else?”

The inspector’s face darkened, and he squinted. “There’s been a personal complaint raised against you for sexual harassment.”

“Sexual harassment? I’ve never stepped one foot out of place in all my years in the Canadian Forces and as an officer for the RCMP. I have more respect for myself and the people I work with than that,” Nick stated. Of all things, that made him furious. “Who? Who would say that about me?”

“Officer Jeffries laid the complaint.” McKenzie didn’t even bother to hide the angry expression on his face. “Said you made a pass at him.”

Nick was dumbfounded. He couldn’t even respond until his brain caught up with what he’d heard. “That bigoted asshole, seriously? And you believe this?”

“It doesn’t matter what I believe, the complaint has been registered along with your breach of the code with the conduct authorities.” McKenzie turned and began walking away. “Meet me in my office in a half hour. I’ll have the paperwork for you.”

Nick didn’t know how long he stood there, in shock. He was being investigated for having sex with the man who helped break the case open, and for sexually harassing a homophobic jerk who he’d never, ever, wanted to have sex with. How had all this become about his sex life?

When he arrived at the detachment, he didn’t waste time. He parked his cruiser out back and locked it. He wouldn’t be using it again for the foreseeable future. Once inside he headed straight for his desk; there were a few personal items—photos, mugs, and such—he didn’t want to lose. Steph walked in as he was packing the items away in an old plastic grocery bag.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Packing.”

“Why?”

Nick took a deep breath before saying, “I’m being suspended pending an investigation into my involvement with Simon, as well as a harassment claim. Apparently, I came on to Jeffries.”