“This was in his hand.” I took it off him, turning the tiny device over in my fingers. “A friend of ours who’s a detective has asked us to verify if what’s on here is fake or not because it all feels a little… well, off.”
“You want to tell me any more?”
He shook his head. “No, I want to get your take on what you find. Fresh eyes and all that. I also want you to track his movements from the time he left the mayoral announcement,” he tapped the picture again, right over where the other photo had shown the bullet entered his forehead, “street cameras, CCTV, traffic cams. The usual. I want to know where he went, the exact time stamp and if he met anyone. Then can we find anyone who went to his house? By whatever means necessary.” The insinuation hung in the air. The police would be looking into it, but they didn’t have the tech or the skill that we did, so we’d find more and find it faster.
“Okay. Leave it with me, and I’ll make it a priority.”
“Good. Just keep your team small and on a need to know basis until we know what we’re dealing with. Use Jarrid if you need him. Do not put yourself in danger, Roman. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Sean,” I replied in a sarcastic tone, but I appreciated how he and Thomas protected the people who worked for them. They’d created a family, and I couldn’t deny how nice it felt to be a part of something bigger than just me.
His phone rang, and I could have laughed at how much his face lit up as he answered, “Well, hello, Dr Slone, are you readyto go home?” he practically purred down the phone as he left. I was keen to get started, but it was already nearly 7 pm, and I knew I’d end up being here all night, so I closed my laptop and decided to go and do something else instead.
17
HANA
I was exhaustedand ready for bed; my body ached from being on my feet all day. I wasn’t complaining about how busy we were, but if I didn’t want to work all hours, I needed to find more staff, and fast.
Knocking on Amber’s front door, I decided to make this a flying visit. She didn’t know I was coming, but I’d not seen her for a few days and, knowing how scatty she was, I wanted to make sure my new friend had eaten and wasn’t in a pile on the bottom of the stairs or something worse.
She answered, giggling, her eyes widening when she saw me. “Hana?”
I looked her up and down. Wearing only a short T-shirt, her hair was all over the place, and her cheeks were flushed. I quirked my brow accusingly, but before I could speak, a loud voice boomed, “Hurry up with that pizza and get that fine arse back in here and sitting on my cock again, baby.”
Laughter burst from us both as Amber’s hand slammed over her mouth. “I’m so sorry you had to hear that,” she mumbled.
Still laughing, I held out the trays of food I’d brought her. “Not pizza, but I was worried because I’d not seen you for a while, so I came to check you’re alive and eating.”
Her eyes grew glossy. “That’s so sweet. Thank you. Do you want to come in? Jarrid’s here.”
I backed away. “Er, no. Not after what I just heard. Go have fun, but don’t be a stranger, okay?”
She blew me a kiss. “Cocktails next Friday? My treat.”
With a nod, I turned and glanced back over my shoulder at her. “It’s a date. And I want to hear all about whatever is going on between you two.”
She practically had love hearts in her eyes as she let out a contented sigh. “Promise. See you then.”
I walked away and heard the door click closed behind me, followed by a loud scream and a giggle, and I was glad I wasn’t Amber’s neighbours. Feeling like I’d been a good friend, I began walking through town to get back to my car.
It was relatively quiet, despite it being early, but small town life was a stark comparison to the city I’d lived in for the last few years. I liked it—the slower pace, people knowing and caring about each other. It felt like the family I’d never really had.
I glanced up at the sky, melancholy settling over me like a blanket as I thought about my brother. Despite how long he’d been gone, remembering him never got any easier, although recently, I’d felt that connection to him I lost for a while. Like he was here, watching me, and I liked the idea.
I was obviously distracted by memories as I didn’t notice the figure standing in a dark alley until they grabbed me and pulled me against them, their hold tight. Instinct took over. I slammed my heel down on their foot before bringing my elbow back, hearing the satisfying crunch of bone and a grunt before they released me, and I set off running.
“Hana!” A familiar voice came out muffled, and I came to a stop.
Roman?
I turned, and he stepped out of the shadows, his hand cupping his nose.
“Jesus, what were you playing at?”
“Surprising you,” he replied, like it should have been obvious.
I pointed at his face. “Right, and how did that go for you?”
