“Butterfly...” His voice is softer than usual. “You drew this?”
Heat creeps up my neck. “It’s just a sketch.”
Walker doesn’t take his eyes off the page. “It’s us.”
Santiago crouches beside me, carefully picking up one of the torn pieces. His thumb brushes the edge without disturbing the charcoal. “You even caught the way Walk scowls when he's pretending not to laugh.”
Walker shoots him a look.
Santiago only smiles.
Levi studies the page for another second before looking at me. “You’re incredible.”
I duck my head, suddenly fascinated by the floor. “They’re just drawings.’
“No,” Walker says quietly. “They’re moments.”
Scooping the shreds into a pile, I hide the image and begin to pace the length of the front wall. Levi and Santiago go back to searching the room, but Walker observes me, which only serves to tighten my stomach into a ball of nerves.
Maybe if I keep ignoring him, he’ll lose interest.
Fat chance.
That man’s concentration is like a laser beam—narrowed and piercing.
Thankfully, Levi steps out of the bathroom, uncomfortably tenting his gloved hands together in front of his chest. “I think it’s safe to say you may owe Mason some damage fees.”
My forehead wrinkles. “What’re you talking about?”
Santiago diffidently raises his hand as he declares, “I found Bear locked in the bathroom and barking his head off when I came in and…”
“He chewed up parts of the bathroom door and the frame, trying to get out.” Levi finished for Santiago.
“What?” My eyes widen, then swing to Bear, who is standing guard in the open doorway.
“Whoever did this,” Levi waves to the mess in the room, “locked him in there.”
“Asshole,” I curse.
Levi crouches down, sliding his finger over a spot on the tile in front of the bathroom door. He rubs his fingers together, analyzing them like they hold important information. Then he crosses the room to Bear and takes a knee.
“Open,” he commands, and Bear instantly obeys.
My arms cross loosely over my chest. “What’re you doing?”
“Checking Bear’s mouth.” Levi’s focus doesn’t waver. “Bingo!”
The rest of us gather around Levi and Bear.
“Nice catch,” Santiago commends.
Walker passes Levi a few forensic swabs while Bear holds perfectly still as if he’s a professional statue.
Another conversation that I’m unable to follow. This is getting old. “What are we looking at?”
Levi wipes the cotton between Bear’s teeth and holds it up for me to inspect. “DNA. Bear bit your intruder.”
Dropping to their level, I wrap my arms around Bear. “That’s a good boy. Someone is getting extra treats. Yes, he is.”
