“How new?” Hudson interjected.
“The past few weeks, I’d say? Maybe a month or two.”
A question bubbled in my brain and I blurted it out in case I forgot it. “Had Prescel changed in the time she’d been hanging around these new friends? Acting differently than she normally would?”
“Same old attitude,” Pomini huffed, half-annoyed and half-sad, like she missed the annoyance her daughter tended to give her. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
Hudson stood, which made us all ascend from our seats. The detective had a way of letting you know that things were wrapping up even if you didn’t think they were. If the others had any more questions for Pomini, they didn’t act like they were in a hurry to utter them. He gave Pomini a nod, shaking her hand as she quickly molded her hand into his.
“Thank you for speaking with us, Pomini.” He told her. “We’re going to add what you discussed with us today to our reportand see if we can find some type of connection between your daughter and the other missing petrylle.”
“Thank you so much,” Pomini said, walking directly from the detective to me to shake my hand. I hurriedly shook it, not expecting the contact. “And thank you, Mr. Watson, for sticking to your word on wanting to help all creatures and aiding in the recovery of the missing petrylle like my beloved Prescel.”
“Of course,” I said automatically. “Like Detective Rowe said, we’re going do everything we can to make sure we find the petrylle and bring whoever’s causing this to justice.”
She quietly thanked Francyn, Ozmo, and Zxe as we filed out of the house. With one final goodbye, Pomini closed the door and we slowly made our way back to Hudson’s car.
Ozmo had been weirdly quiet during the whole ordeal, and I realized that they were glued to their phone, aggressively swiping through it like they were going through Tinder. As soon as we all made it back to the car, they pipped up.
“There’s a connection between all the kidnapped petrylle,” Ozmo nodded, giving us all an even look when we glanced at them. “Every single one of the petrylle that have now gone missing had a new friend group that formed within the last few months.”
Hudson jerked to a stop, giving Ozmo an exhilarated look. “Can I see that?” He walked over to Ozmo, who offered their phone without fuss as the detective scrolled through it. “Well I’ll be damned.”
“I cross referenced the notes that the others made during canvassing, just in case we came across a similar story with the latest vic.”
“The latest vic,” Hudson laughed, a deep roll that caused Ozmo to jump. Their body stirred even more when Hudson clapped a hand on Ozmo’s shoulder. “Someone’s been doing their homework.”
Smiling, Ozmo shrugged uneasily. “I wanted to be prepared.”
“Well then,” Hudson smiled wide at me. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Chapter 21
The restof the work day was spent stockpiling every piece of information we had about the kidnappings so that Hudson could put together a proper report. Ozmo finding the connection between the missing petrylle gave the detective something concrete to work on, and sure enough, there were several people connected to missing petrylle that commented that they’d been hanging around new people.
Shelvi had learned as such when she’d canvassed one of the missing petrylle’s workplace. Fanna and Kloan learned the same when they’d gone and talked to fellow petrylle who were friends of several of those missing, saying that they’d been really close friends until recently, when the petrylle in question had started running with a new crowd.
The connection couldn’t be overlooked now that we’d uncovered it. Hudson told us that he would bring together a full briefing sometime next week and then we could discuss our next moves.
By the time the following Friday came and went, there was nothing new from the detective. I’d reached out to him earlier in the morning now that it had been a week after we’d first met with Pomini about her missing daughter Prescel, but Hudson had just told me he was still working on figuring out the connection and he’d stop by after the weekend. The board was getting antsy. We’d seen a victory over the horizon, only to be stalled by paperwork and protocol. None of us liked to see the process being stalled, but we all understood that we had to do things by the book. At least no other petrylle had gone missing.
Ever since my office blowjob with Wrex, we hadn’t seen each other. I’d asked him to hookup earlier in the week, but he’d told me he couldn’t because of work. I’d frowned, because I didn’t even know what Wrex did for work. When I’d implored, he’d told me he worked in IT for a construction company, something he’d liked to get out of because while it wasn’t directly working in construction, he hated being connected to the stereotype I’d previously heard from Wrage during the board meetings.
So I jumped a little too quickly when my phone chimed that Friday evening, interrupting my latest gaming session, and I saw that Wrex had texted me.
FINALLY wrapped with this crazy work week. You have any plans this weekend?
I grinned like an idiot. This thing with Wrex was starting to feel like…more than just sucking and fucking. A part of me relished in the feelings that were starting to form, given by how badly I’d felt over not knowing what he did for work even though we’d swapped fluids a handful of times now.
We’d both agreed. This was nothing more than friends with amazing benefits, and that’s what I needed right now. The days that I’d had to myself after work over the past week had been great. Amazing even. I’d been able to watch shows I’d been behind on, gamed with a couple of online friends, and even managed to coordinate with my parents for my next visit. I liked being single, not having to worry about another person while executing what I wanted and needed out of my life.
That didn’t stop the rumbling of affection from roaring through me when I glanced at Wrex’s text. I couldn’t stop this thing between us over the possibility that I might be catching feelings. Feelings were the problem. What we were doing felttoo fucking good. I wasn’t going to let my usually monogamous heart get in the way of more feeling good.
Nothing planned. Unless ?? ?? is on your mind
Can’t get enough, huh?
Of you naked? Never
