1
Kaden
The office door swings open, the familiar smell of burnt coffee and old paper greeting me as I step inside. Fluorescent lights flicker overhead, washing the worn carpet in a harsh glow. Behind the front desk, Jack looks up from his computer, his tie askew and a half-eaten bagel perched precariously on a stack of case files.
“Hey, K. How was the vacation?” Jack asks as soon as I walk through the doors.
I chuckle, “It wasn’t exactly the Bahamas.”
However, it has been nice to spend time with my parents and sisters more than just a weekend. For the first time in years, I slept in my old twin bed, the same faded posters still taped to the walls. I borrowed my dad's beat-up Honda for errands; the engine coughing every time I turned the key. Mom had stocked the fridge with all my favorites—fried chicken, leftover pie, even the cereal I used to eat before school. It was a throwback, a messy, comfortable nostalgia that reminded me how much had changed and how much had stayed the same.
On my birthday, they threw a BBQ for the neighbourhood, our entire family and anyone that I’d ever had any contact with whilst growing up. It’s a small town, and everyone knows everyone.
Of course, the pleasant moments had been broken up by the ‘when are you going to settle down?’ lectures.
I’d jumped off the plane half an hour ago. My suitcase is still in the back of my car. I don’t like to think I’m a workaholic, but I love my job and don’t have much else going on. So, when Cass told me to come in as soon as I got back, I didn’t object.
I’m not an office guy; I like being in the field, so I only visit the office when it’s unavoidable. My worst nightmare is being stuck in a 9-5 office job. I look around to find that the space rented as our headquarters is relatively quiet. Archie is in the IT room, Lee is smoking by the fire exit, and Jack is at his desk surrounded by a mess of files.
I head straight to my cubbyhole to see that the file on top is not one I recognise. This is the case Cass was talking about. Usually, I pick and choose the cases I take on, but this one is specifically marked for my eyes only. As soon as I open the file and read the first line, I know why.
Marcus Burke.
An old acquaintance of mine. Not a good guy, and I most definitely didn’t work for him. Seven years ago, when I was fresh, he helped me identify and find my target. You could say it was mutually beneficial.
I finally pull into my driveway, city lights flickering in my rearview mirror—bright, distant, and a little lonely. The apartment is quiet as I unlock the door; the air musty from a week away. I dump my keys and case file on the chipped kitchen counter, eyeing the bag of dirty laundry slumped by the door. The silence is a little too sharp after a week of family chaos. Before the nightmare of unpacking begins, I throw a containerof beef stew from the freezer into the microwave, listening to the hum fill the empty space.
As the microwave whirls, I take a quick peek through the case file. Marcus Burke is receiving threats against his daughter, Ashleigh Burke.
Interesting. I didn’t even know he had a daughter.
Ashleigh Eliza Burke, 24.
I scan the document again for any other information on her. There’s nothing except a photo of a pretty young blonde woman. From first glance, I’d say the photo wasn’t recent; she looks about sixteen.
I pull out my dinner and start chowing down, but my eyes scan over the pile of death threats the young Ms. Burke has acquired. By the time I’m finished eating, I’ve picked up a pretty decent image of the pervert that’s stalking Ashleigh.
A knock interrupts my thoughts. I open the door to a familiar grin—Jules, with two more friends hovering behind him. “No time to get comfortable, birthday boy,” Jules announces. “Get your coat. We’re going out.”
Jules owns a shooting range located a few towns away. It’s how we met, actually, along with Jamie and Link.
I start to protest, but he’s already picking up my keys and guiding me out to his truck. The guys exchange grins as I agree to one drink. We pile in, and they start questioning me about my vacation. I give standard run-of-the-mill answers until Link asks about my sister, Livvie.
“Dick,” I growl and throw a punch at his arm that shuts him up, but causes Jules and Jamie to crack up.
2
Kaden
The city blurs past, neon and rain on the windows, until we pull up outside The Lucky Duckling.
My life can be split into three parts: life in my hometown, the abyss, and life in Cupid City. I’ve lived in Cupid City for five years, but everything in my life changed when I moved here. A change that I had desperately needed.
Cupid City is a charming river city full of lively characters, each with a unique story. The streets filled with historic architecture and romantic features. Mom calls it the “American City of Love”.
When I first arrived, I was running from my past, from the person I had become. I was looking for just another place to lie low and avoid the heat. I was in deep, a bad guy doing bad things for even worse people. I travelled around for work, going wherever I was needed.
Trevor, my college roommate, is Cupid City born and raised. It was by chance that he rang and invited me to town just when I needed an escape.
