Kit followed him down the hall to the garage. “Where are you going?”
Angel wasn’t worried about Rocco overhearing him; he’d already gone down to the bunker to resume his work on Blade’s mom’s Omni World Order papers. “Rocco’s on a death march. I’m going to see Dr. Kimble, find out if there’s anything I—or we—can do. Letting him beat the crap out of me isn’t getting him anywhere.”
“You think he’s suicidal?”
“Just fucking look at him, Kit.” He dug Rocco’s bullet out of his pocket. “Mandy found this in his hidey-hole in her barn.”
Kit shut his eyes, folded his lips together, and clenched his jaw. When he looked at Angel, his eyes had a granite edge to them. “Go. Make Kimble hear you out.”
Angel nodded. “Copy that.”
It was early afternoon when Angel entered the brick building that housed the shrink’s offices. The front door was a heavy, six-paneled thing fashionable in the seventies. The hours posted on the door showed the doctor’s office was still closed for a midday break, but the door wasn’t locked, so Angel walked in.
A middle-aged woman sat behind a chest-high wall, working on a computer. “May I help you?”
“I’m here to see Dr. Kimble.”
She looked down at an appointment book and frowned. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No. Is he in? This is an emergency. I need to see him right now.”
“I’ll check. Just a moment.”
Angel couldn’t tell if she dialed an inside or outside line, but he heard the phone ring in a nearby office. He went down the hall to the room where it was ringing.
“Just a minute. Sir! You can’t go in there—” She hurried after him, but realized she still held the corded phone and had to quickly hang up. By then, Angel was already in the room. “I’m sorry, doctor. I—”
“It’s all right, Gretchen. I’ll handle this,” the white-haired man behind the desk said.
Angel glared down at him, wondering if he was Rocco’s salvation or just a wrong turn that would result in help coming too little and too late. “I need to talk to you.”
The man smiled as he came to his feet. “Somehow I knew that.” He held out his hand. “I’m Dr. Kimble.”
Angel took his hand and introduced himself. “I need to talk to you about a friend.”
The doctor’s eyes took a walk over the bruises on Angel’s face. “Oh?” He gestured toward the sitting area in his office. “Why don’t we sit down?”
Angel sat on the sofa. The doctor sat in an adjacent armchair. All of the furniture was in the sleek Scandinavian design that was so popular when Angel was a kid. His mom had loved that style, but they’d never been able to afford it.
Dr. Kimble opened his notebook then looked at Angel. That made him nervous, so he got up to start pacing around the office. “How do you know when someone is suicidal?” Angel asked.
“There are many signs sometimes. And sometimes none. Do you think your friend is suicidal?”
Angel nodded.
“Does your friend have a name?”
Angel didn’t immediately answer that. What if he told him it was Rocco and then Rocco found himself listed on some register of suicidal maniacs, his life ruined? But what if he didn’t and his neglect let Rocco stay on his current path?
“Is this in strict confidence? Or are you obligated to report my friend to some national clearinghouse of crazies?”
“Are you crazy, Angel?”
“It’s not me, it’s my friend.”
“Right.” The doctor nodded.
“Answer the question.”
“I’m obligated to treat your visit with the confidentiality of doctor-client privilege.”
Angel narrowed his eyes. Jesus, he didn’t want to wreck Rocco’s future with the team. “Is that a yes or a no?”
“Nothing you say will leave this office.”
There was a commotion out in the front office. A second later, Kit walked in. Angel introduced him. “Please, gentlemen, won’t you take a seat?” Dr. Kimble offered. “I’m going to get a crick in my neck looking up at you.” Angel and Kit exchanged a look, then sat on the sofa. “Are you here about a friend as well?” he asked Kit.
Before Kit could answer, Max, Greer, and Blade came into the room. They looked at him and nodded. Angel introduced them, too. Blade took a seat between him and Kit. Greer sat in the only other empty chair, leaving Max standing.
“Let me get you a seat,” the doctor said. As soon as he opened the door, Val and Kelan stepped inside. Dr. Kimble took a look at the whole group. “Why don’t we move this meeting to the conference room? Will others be joining you?”
“No,” Kit said. He lowered his voice as he told Angel, “Owen and Selena are manning the fort.”