Fortis nodded, opening his desk drawer and pulling out a file folder. On the label, Powell’s neat handwriting scrawled her name in perfectly looped cursive.
Her stomach clenched, but she held her tongue, setting a placid smile on her face, the way her mother had taught her. She knew how to summon an outer calm that hid the questions running through her mind. Her elite Charleston upbringing and being Helen Kline’s daughter had assured that. But inside, it was killing her to know whether Powell had given Fortis a reason to believe that she wouldn’t be fit for full duty.
He opened the file and slid a single sheet of paper across the desk, along with an ink pen. “I need your signature right here.”
She leaned forward, her eyes widening as she focused on the paper. “Sir, this is a release to return to full duty today.”
“I can read, Detective.” He grinned. “I thought you’d be ecstatic.”
“I am.” Grabbing the pen before he changed his mind, she quickly signed her name on the line and dated it. Passing it back to him, she sat back in the chair, almost afraid to let the relief she wanted to feel settle in. “I have over a week before my thirty days is up, so I’m a little surprised.”
“We’re shorthanded, so I pulled some strings to get your restrictions lifted early. Dr. Powell’s support helped, but you need to know that more than a few people aren’t happy about it.” He glanced up, eyes focused over her shoulder. Ellie turned around to follow his gaze. “A lot of patrol cops would love to be where you are, and there’s still some animosity there. I’ve put a stop to it as much as I can, but I need you to run cases by the book from now on. No heroics, no taking down perps without backup. You understand?”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Good.” He dropped her file on the side of his desk in a gesture that told her he was done with it. “As of this moment, you’re fully reinstated. Don’t make me regret it, Kline.”
No promises.
“By the book, sir.” Ellie moved to stand when he held up a hand to stop her.
“Good. I have a case for you.” He jotted down a case number and a name on a sticky note. “Anderson Duncan. Murder-suicide at an office party downtown.”
“Any witnesses?” She took the yellow square of paper from him.
“Dozens.”
Her brow wrinkled. “Is it a cold case?”
“Yes and no. The thirteenth anniversary is coming up next month. At the time, it seemed pretty open and shut. Man obsessed with a coworker throws her off a balcony and jumps off after her at a party her coworkers are throwing for her. There were dozens of reports of harassment filed with their human resources department.”
“That sounds serious. Why didn’t she get a restraining order?”
“She wasn’t the one filing harassment claims.” When Ellie’s eyes widened, Fortis gave her a knowing smile. “I figured this would be right up your alley.”
“I have to admit, my interest is piqued, but it still seems like a pretty standard case. Why reopen it now?”
“There were details from the case that weren’t shared with the media.” He paused, his fingers tapping the desktop. “A new case came across my desk that is eerily similar to this one.”
“Who caught the new case?”
“Shaw and Decker.” She grimaced, drawing a soft chuckle out of Fortis. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you to work with them. I just want a pair of fresh eyes on the Duncan case.”
She nodded. “How far do you want me to take this?”
“Interview the witnesses and dig into Duncan’s personal life. The notes are thorough, but at the time, it was ruled a murder-suicide inspired by obsession and mutual hatred. Now, I’m wondering if we were wrong.”
Ellie nodded, taking the file as she stood and turned toward the door. “This wasn’t one of Jones’s cases, was it? Captain Johnson made it clear I can’t touch anything Jones investigated for ethical reasons.”
“It wasn’t Jones’s case.”
“I’ll get right on this.” She was unable to hold back the grin that spread across her face. “And thank you, sir.”
Fortis arched an eyebrow at her. “For what?”
“Bringing me back early.”
He nodded and cast a quick glance at the detectives working on the other side of his glass before looking back at Ellie. “Between you and me?”
She took a step closer to his desk. “Of course.”
“You remind me of a promising young detective who cared more about the victims than keeping the peace in the department. He ruffled a lot of feathers, and a few times I wondered if he was going to live long enough to see retirement. Now that he’s older and wiser, he’s learned a thing or two.”
Ellie glanced at the open office through the wall of glass that separated Fortis’s private space from the other detectives, wondering who he was talking about. Coming up empty, she turned back to him. “Which detective are you talking about?”
He laughed, shaking his head. “I’m talking about myself. You don’t think you’re the only one who’s ever pushed boundaries?”
Surprised, it took her a minute to formulate a response. “I guess not.”
“But you have to learn to cover your own ass in the process. You’re no good to these victims if you get fired for insubordination.”
She nodded. “Understood.”
“I hope you do understand, Kline. I’d hate to lose a talented detective like yourself. What you have can’t be taught.” He lifted his chin, motioning toward the door, fingers already poised over his keyboard. “I need your findings on the Duncan case as soon as possible. You’re dismissed, Detective.”
All eyes were on her again as she breezed through the office, but this time the weight of Fortis’s words overpowered their scrutiny. When one of the detectives scoffed, she didn’t even flinch. What they thought of her wasn’t any of her business. They could stay mad; bringing her back to full
