“I don't understand what the big deal is, really.”
“It's not a big deal, but is it serious or just an experiment?”
“I don't know if it's serious or not, but it's definitely not an experiment. I've always been kind of attracted to men. Not a lot, but some.”
“Don't mind me, I'm just surprised, I guess. So, where are you taking him?”
“Valero,” I say casually.
“Oh, so it’sserious,serious,” Serena nods.
I roll my eyes. “The restaurant owner owes me, so he gave me a reservation.”
“Hey, I’m not judging. This is a special occasion. Baby’s first date with a man. Of course, you should go to a place that’s fully booked for months.”
No, Serena. It’s because I want him relaxed enough to spill everything he knows about werewolves easily, and why he’s being weird about it. I’m working on the theory that good food will loosen Elliot up enough to make him talkative, even though I have no evidence it will work. I’m desperate, alright? I needonewin.
When we’re close to our destination, it hits me before Serena parks. The heavy, stale air is filled with too manyscents. This time, I put my mask on before the overwhelming smells scrape against my senses like the last time. But something else becomes clear, Tyler Robertson’s killer has struck again.
When we get out of the car, the place is bustling with crime techs and uniformed officers. A mix of panic and nervous energy hangs in the air, or maybe it’s just the horrible smell that’s making me imagine it.
A tall woman in an identical mask joins us when we’re halfway across the front yard. It just goes to show how suffocating the stench is and how much I rely on smell in my daily life that it takes me a second to recognize her as Sloan. You know, one of my best friends?
She must be the crime photographer assigned to the scene.
“Oh, cool, you’re leading this one? Looks like the work of a psychopath, and you love psychopaths,” she greets me.
Serena snorts. “He does love psychopaths,” she agrees.
Look who’s talking. I glare at Serena. “I’m not the one who skipped to the Captain’s office when she heard there was another murder.”
“I just like murder cases,” she murmurs.
Sloan smiles at her. “Aww, you’re adorable,” she says.
If anyone else in the entire world ever called Serena ‘adorable’ inanycontext, they’ll walk with at least one limb missing. Not in this case. Here, Serena just goes quiet. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was blushing. But I do know better, so I won’t say it. But she definitely is.
“Nick, text me when you’re done. I’ve been assigned ‘Nick Welfare Check’ duty today,” Sloan continues, completely unaware of Serena’s reaction.
I tilt my head. “Were you supposed to tell me that there are ‘Nick Welfare Checks’ duties being assigned?”
Sloan winks at me. “As if you can shut it down,” she challenges and walks away.
Serena’s eyes follow her.
“I can't believe you're lusting after myonlystraight friend,”I whisper when Sloan is a comfortable distance away. Even if Serena is a betrayer, I won’t snitch on her, not with something like this.
“I’mnot,” she says quickly.
“Don’t they take your lesbian card away if you crush on straight girls after being out and proud for a decade?”
She punches my arm. “It’s not like people don’t question their sexuality later in life?”
Well, touché.
A uniformed officer with a hideous red mask on his face approaches us as we reach the crime scene. He looks at me for a second like he recognizes me. Ah, it’s the guy Meena is using to teach me the art of delegation. Dominic, the new Bureau agent assigned to the LAPD as a patrol officer.
“The body was discovered by the neighbors when they were mowing their lawn this morning. They called 911 when they saw the body from the window.”
