“Just fine?”
“Yep.”
He lets the silence linger, stirring his coffee like he’s got all the time in the world to watch me squirm. I focus on myfood, pretending I care about anything other than shutting this conversation down.
“It’s good, though,” he finally says. “At least you know who she is. Solid family. Chief Superintendent’s sister, all that jazz.”
I nod once. “Right.”
“But that also means it could get messy.” He pauses, then adds, “Something you’ll wanna be careful of.”
My fork stills mid-air. “Careful of what, exactly?”
He lifts his mug, eyes glinting. “Relax, Daniels. Just stirring the pot.”
“Yeah, well, maybe stir someone else for once.”
His grin widens. “Not as fun.” Then he’s gone, leaving behind the bitter smell of coffee and the sharp twist in my gut. By the time I’m back at my desk, the day’s melted into background noise, and I’m back to cross-referencing incident files when a knock breaks through the buzz.
Emma stands in the doorway, tablet in hand. “Clifftop Haven reports done. Want me to run it past Records or flag anything first?”
“Flag anything overlapping the rural theft case. And highlight any discrepancies.”
“You got it.” She nods and disappears, the door clicking shut behind her. I’m back to being engulfed by the quiet hum of the air-conditioning and the echo of Reynolds’ voice looping through my head. Problem is, the mess already exists. And I’m standing in the middle of it, pretending it’s not creeping up my boots, no idea how to get myself out of it without hurting others in the process. A shadow crosses my doorway.
Fuck me, so much for a breezy day and take five.I haven’t even had a chance to breathe without her taking up space in my head.
“Got a minute?”
I glance up to find Bradley standing there. “For you, sunshine? Always.”
He steps inside, loosening his tie with one hand. “Suits next week. Amelia wants us all there for the final fitting.”
“Can’t wait,” I say, leaning back in my chair. “Nothing says brotherhood like watching you tear up in formalwear.”
He snorts. “You’re a dick.”
“Facts.”
His shoulders relax, just a bit, before he shifts again. “Spoke to Liv this morning. She said Teddy’s doing better.”
A smile pulls at the corner of my mouth before I can stop it. “Yeah. Fever’s gone. He’s back to harassing Diesel and demanding pancakes.”
Bradley nods, then takes the seat across from me. “That’s good. You’re doing well, you know. With him.”
The words catch me off guard. “Did you just compliment me? Is the chief feeling okay?”
“Don’t make me regret it.” He grins, and it lingers for a moment before something shifts behind his eyes. “Liv’s good with him too, I hear.”
I nod. “She is. She’s been very vigilant with him.”
He studies me, elbows on his knees, his gaze steady. “She’s mentioned you. A few times.”
I force a shrug. “All Diesel and Teddy stuff, I’m sure.”
“Right.” His mouth tilts. Not quite a smile. Not quite a warning either. “Keep it that way.” He rises, pats the edge of my desk once. “You know I’ve got your back. Always.”
“Yeah,” I say quietly. “You too.”
