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STONE

I had just one day of freedom left before I knew I had to face my Supervisory Agent. I’d made the call and agreed to meet him in Briarport. What he didn’t realize was, I was already there. It bought me a few days, but Sunday, I had to finally meet him.

For now, I had one last day.

It was Len’s birthday, and instead of spending it with her, I was running around town to find everything I needed to make it perfect.

This was what unprepared felt like?

Not a feeling I was familiar with.

When I got back to the house, finally, Len wasn’t anywhere to be found. I was slightly thankful, since I would have the opportunity to finish what I started.

Everything I planned was almost completed. There was just one last thing to do.

What I hadn’t expected was for it to take me another few hours to finish. By the time I was done, it was already well into the afternoon. Len still hadn’t turned up at the house, and I had a sneaking suspicion I knew exactly where she was.

I packed everything I prepared into a picnic basket and closed the lid. The basket had been laying around in the house, perfect for the rest of the day I planned for her.

The door shut behind me as I walked out of the rental and made my way through the garden. I could hear the ocean and knew if I just followed it down the path, I’d find Len.

I took the first outlet I saw to the private beach, free from tourists but a perfect spot for locals. I spotted her long, curly hair straight ahead of me, sitting in the sand, her favorite place.

“There you are,” I said, reaching out a hand as I approached her.

She was already turning around, tipped off by my shadow. There was a gloom in her eyes that made my heart sink.

She took my hand and stood without a word.

“Come on. I’m taking you somewhere new,” I said, trying to be upbeat.

You’re imagining it. It’s her birthday; she can’t possibly be this upset, right?

She barely reacted.

Wrong. Time to work double time to fix it.

It didn’t take us long to walk back to the rental and to my car.I opened the door for her like I always did and shut it behind her.The drive would only be fifteen minutes, from everything I calculated. The chance I was taking was starting to feel like a bit of a miscalculation. Maybe I’d been wrong to think this was what she’d want…

The car shifted to park as we arrived just on the outskirts of town. Before I could get out, Len had already opened her door and hopped out. I hurried after her, grabbing the basket and a blanket I’d placed in the back seat.

“A picnic,” I said. “Follow me.”

She walked behind me as I headed for the path. I knew exactly the spot. I’d spent hours researching online to find it. It was only a quick walk, and from what I could tell, it was a lesser known location.Most tourists didn’t bother coming out here when they had the beach.

The spot was empty, a small hill leading to it. I paused and waited for Len, holding out a hand, which she hesitantly took.

We climbed the small hill to the cliffside. The grass was plush in this area, and the view was beyond what I’d expected, the sky a pink and orange mix as the sun started to set.

Sunrises over the ocean and sunsets over a view like this? I was starting to see why so many chose to remain in Briarport.

Len let go of my hand, her grasp already reluctant before releasing me. I spread the black gingham blanket I packed on the ground, plopping the wicker basket on top of it. We both sat, and already, I could sense her reluctance.

“What’s wrong, Len?” I asked, searching her rich brown eyes for answers I couldn’t quite grasp myself.

“It’s nothing,” she muttered.

“It isn’t nothing,” I pushed. She was holding back. I didn’t want her to hide things from me, to close herself off.

She’d done enough of that for the last three years; there was no need for her to carry that pain alone. I knew something was wrong. I could see it in the way her eyes focused on a single spot on the blanket, and her brows furrowed ever so slightly. Her gaze was distant, like she was barely there in the moment.

“It’s just-” she started. “It’s seriously nothing.”

“Lenny,” I pushed, the name grabbing her attention.

“You’re the only one who calls me that,” she pointed out, avoiding my prodding.

“I’m the only one who noticed the way your lips slightly pull up into a smile at the sound of it, or the way you sometimes blush when you hear it.”

That brought a familiar pink to her cheeks.

“You can tell me,” I added. “I won’t judge you.”

“The past three years, I have had no one. No one to celebrate with, no one who wanted to do anything for my birthday. Sure, I get the yearly birthday call from my parents, or the occasional visit from my brother, but they have been far too busy to make a day of it. I’ve never really cared much for my birthday, but it would be nice just once to spend a day forgetting about the rest of the world. I thought this might be that year, but-”

She cut off, averting her gaze again.

“I didn’t show,” I guessed, finishing her thought.

My heart sunk. She’d been waiting all day for me to show, and I let her down. Why had I been so insistent on getting the details right? I should have been there; maybe putting together this entire afternoon had been a mistake.

“You barely know me,” she whispered, her eyes settling on a bunched up portion of the blanket. “You weren’t obligated to spend my birthday with me.”

A twinge of guilt shot through me. I’d assumed Mallory or Calvin would have spent the day with her while I was out. I never wished for her to sit alone at the beach on her birthday, but gathering everything I needed had taken all day before I could make it to her.

Communication and feelings were never my strengths, and I was already drowning trying to show Lenny today mattered.

“I do know you,” I said quietly.

Her rich, dark eyes glanced up to find mine, and I pulled the basket I’d brought closer, slipping a hand inside.“I know that every few days, you change out the flowers in the vase on the counter, but they are always the same,” I said, pulling out a bouquet of daisies and handing them to her.

Her eyes widened, taking in what I’d calculated to be her favorite flower. Each time I’d seen the vase, daisies sat inside, but as days passed, I noticed they were changed out for new ones.

I pulled out a small gift wrapped in simple brown parchment paper and handed it to her.

“What’s this?” she asked softly.

“My gift to you.”

Her fingers fiddled with it until she finally unveiled the gift hidden inside. She pulled out the book, flipping it in her hands. The edges were a shining gold, and the cover was embossed with a floral design. I’d found the special edition in a tiny bookshop in town.

“Little Women?” she asked. “Like the classic?”

“Yes. I know you mainly read romances, but I wanted to share one of my favorite classics with you. One I thought you too may enjoy, based on the books I found on your shelf.”

Her cheeks turned pink at the mention of me browsing through her own collection.

“Thank you,” she answered, struggling to find more words. “I-” She turned it in her hands again and flipped through the pages. Her eyes widened, and my own smile grew.

“You annotated it?” she asked, looking quickly to me.” When did you have time?”

“I did,” I said. “I’ve been adding the notes the past few days when I could. I wanted you to have my own thoughts and comments as you read through as well. ”

I didn’t add the part I’d been avoiding.

In case I was back in Virginia by then.

Her face started to fall reading between the lines. My clever girl, too smart for even my distractions.

“I know you spend time reading every single food label you pick up. Some probably assume you’re just checking the calories or sugar, but I’ve seen the way your eyes read over every ingredient.”

I continued trying to avoid the topic of when I leave all together.

I saw her eyes water a little. She grasped her bouquet of flowers, and I could see her taking in every word I said. Her attention was entirely mine, and I wanted to savor every second of it.

“I also know you don’t keeps eggs in your fridge and avoid the ones in mine because you’re allergic. It’s why you check every single label. Eggs, a staple and key ingredient in most birthday cakes. It took me a little longer to find you today, because after quickly realizing not a single grocery store or bake shop in this little town makes eggless cakes, I decided to give it a try myself. Admittedly, even though baking is a science I am familiar with, I seem to lack that magic touch bakers have.” I laughed and opened the lid of the basket fully.

I pulled out the small plate with the makeshift cover, revealing the small cake I had made. It was crumbly and the frosting was lumpy, but it was chocolate cake and frosting with strawberries on top. Again, her favorite.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I do know you, Lenny,” I stated. “And I wasn’t going to let you spend another birthday alone. I’m sorry I wasn’t there sooner. I should have found you this morning instead of this.”I nodded to the cake.

“No.” She stopped me, placing a hand on my chest. “It’s perfect.”

“You deserve nothing less,” I said, watching her flip through the book still.

She set it down and reached out for one of the strawberries on top of the cake, taking a bite and giggling in delight.“You didn’t have to do all of this, really. I’m sorry I let my emotions get to me today.”

“Do not ever apologize for feeling,” I quickly said. “That is what makes you so perfect in my eyes. You never once hide what you feel. You care, and that is what matters. You care enough to find justice for victims many forgot about. You care enough to put yourself in danger just to protect this town.”

“I can’t help it. Someone needs to care for them,” she said.

“I am glad I met you, Lenny,” I admitted, and she glanced up from the book.

She sucked in her lower lip trying to hide the growing smile, her cheeks warming.

“You are my aftermath,” I continued. “After every horrible thing we’ve been through, this is the future we deserve. I promise you, we will get justice for the victims, and you will never have to live in fear again.”

Before I could say another word, Len leaned in and crashed her lips into mine, taking me by surprise.

They were light and delicate, gentle. Shock overcame me for only a moment before I returned the kiss just as passionately. Each second that passed I wanted to savor forever. It was everything I imagined, sweet but desperate. There was nothing that could take this moment from me.

Not the thoughts I kept trying to shove away, not Agent Grey and the rest of the FBI, and certainly not the Coastal Killer.

Len’s hands draped over my shoulders and clasped behind my neck as she settled in to the kiss. I pulled back for only a second, our noses practically touching. The warm flecks in the brown of her eyes were even more noticeable up close.

I wanted everything she had to offer. Those were dangerous thoughts, but in the moment, I couldn’t help myself. All logic went out the window.

“Are you sure?” I asked Len.

Never once did I want her to feel she had to take this risk.

“I have never once been more sure in my life,” she whispered.

If I don’t kiss her again, I might lose my mind.

There was nothing that could hold me back anymore. I kissed her again with even more intensity. My lips pressed to hers, and I let my hand drift up to cup her cheek. I was gentle, but I let myself hold her with a certain level of desperation.

Len was everything.

Every logical thought in me told me to pull back, that the FBI would find out and throw me off the case the moment they arrived. That this would only incite the killer further, their obsession with Len growing by the day.

Her fingers dug into the back of my neck, like she was clinging to me, afraid to let go. The cool summer breeze up on the cliffside blew her curls forward, tickling my skin. An eternity passed before I even considered pulling back.

Her lips tasted like strawberries, the fruit still fresh on her tongue. I bit gently at her lip and felt her fingers curl in response. If this was all I ever got, then that was enough. As much as I wanted to give myself fully to Len, I knew it wasn’t that simple for her.

Len had a life in Briarport. Even if we found the Coastal Killer, I would be leaving for Quantico after. It wasn’t fair to promise her something I couldn’t give her here.

She continued to kiss me, each second more passionately than the last. We were in our own little bubble of peace and blissful ignorance to the problems we left behind in the coastal town.

A sound off to the side had Len pulling back.She giggled, catching sight of two squirrels chasing each other across the grass.

The sky over the cliff was already growing dark, and I didn’t want to keep Len out in the park when it finally grew pitch black.

“We should head back,” I said, each word paining me.

The wince that escaped her lips hurt me even more.At least I hadn’t imagined her wanting this as much as I had.

“I don’t think we want to find out what it’s like here after the sun sets,” I pointed out.

“Stop being so reasonable,” she said and shoved my arm.

“Unfortunately, there’s no off switch,” I laughed.

She rolled her eyes. That was the Lenny I knew.

“Let’s go,” I said, cleaning up the picnic. “If we hurry, we can get back with enough time for you to read at least two chapters of that thing before you fall asleep.”

Len’s smile grew even more, something I didn’t think possible.

“We need to stop somewhere on the way back,” she said.

* * *

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

Len still had a key to the museum and had used it to let us in. No one else was around, and she dragged me to the back, to the filing system.“I need to find an old article.”

Folders sat a mile high on top of the cabinets as she pulled them out and disregarded them.

“Can I help?” I offered.

“No,” she stated, pulling another folder out and setting it aside. “I organized this. I know it’s in here somewhere.”

The stacks only grew, and eventually, I took a seat in an office chair to watch. I wanted to give her the space to search without me hovering over her every move.

With each folder that came out, I tried to catch a glimpse. I saw dates labeled on some and event titles on others. Most were from three years ago, and I tried not get too far ahead of myself, assuming Len had something to help our case.

My phone buzzed from where it sat on the desk I had commandeered. My mother’s name flashed on the screen.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Winston?” my mother said through the phone.

I noticed the way Len slowed her search, listening while she worked.

“Is everything alright?” I asked.

“It’s been a bit since we’ve heard from you. I know you’re on an assignment in the field, according to your sister, and I just wanted to make sure everything was going well.”

Even in my late twenties, the worrying never stopped.

I appreciated the concern. More than anything, my mother cared about Lyla and me.

“The case is moving along,” I said, careful not to share much detail. “I believe it will be wrapping up soon.”

Len froze at those words. The way her body tensed made me immediately regret them.

“That’s perfect!” she said, her voice growing more excited. “That means you may just be able to make it home for the holidays this year after all.”

Ah, there it was.

I knew it was coming eventually. It’d been far too long since I last visited, and I was longing for a trip anyway.

“As long as nothing else comes up, I will be there,” I promised her. “But we have a few months still to plan the details.”

“I know, but you’re hard to nail down with how busy the FBI keeps you. I wanted to make sure I brought it up early.”

“I appreciate it,” I said. “I do have to get back to work right now, but I promise, we can discuss more the moment this case ends.”

Guilt washed over me for rushing her off the phone, but I knew I should get back to supporting Len with whatever she’d dragged us to the museum for.

“I love you, Winston,” she said.

“I love you too,” I answered before hanging up the phone.

Len glanced back over her shoulder, as if she was just realizing I had been on the phone. I knew better than that.

“Sorry,” I said and slid my hand through my hair. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen my mother and sister, so they have been a bit more antsy to get me on the phone lately.”

“I don’t mind,” Len answered with a shrug.

She turned back to flipping through the files. I watched her for a few more minutes, waiting for her to give some hint of what she was looking for.

“Here!” she shouted.

The folder was thin, and she pulled a single sheet of paper from it. I walked over to get a better look at it. The Briarport Chronicle header was on the top, an article and photo printed on the sheet.

“The sheriff?” I asked, immediately recognizing the man.

“Look at the date,” she insisted.

My eyes wandered to the top to find it dated three years prior. June 10 th , to be exact. The date immediately stood out in my mind. I’d memorized every detail of the case, and my stomach sank, knowing what this meant.

It couldn’t be him.

“The last victim before you,” I said.

She nodded.“My brother went on this trip. He reminded me today when he stopped by this morning, and I asked about Chris. It’s when he stopped being friends with the sheriff’s son, but it also means the sheriff wasn’t here to commit one of the murders. That trip takes place an hour away. They bus the kids and chaperones out there. It’d be almost impossible.”

“That takes him off of our suspect list,” I confirmed.

“That just leaves us with Ethan, then?” she asked, a disappointed look on her face.

“You don’t think it’s him?” I asked.

“It’s just-” she started. “It’s nothing.”

She put the article away in the folder, returning everything to where she’d found it. I grabbed folders to help her and passed each to her as she started asking for specific ones.

“It’s not nothing,” I urged. “If you know something more, it could help us.”

“It’s just a feeling,” she answered. “When I saw Ethan, I barely remembered him from that night. I just don’t feel like he’s the one who attacked me.”

It only took a few minutes for us to return all the folders to their spots.

“I told you it was nothing,” she said pointedly.

“That isn’t nothing. You should trust your instincts. We don’t have enough evidence to point to Ethan either. We will keep investigating and keep our options open,” I assured her.

Ethan fit the profile, but I also trusted Len’s instincts. There wasn’t enough to convict him, but I would keep going until I had enough to make an arrest. Whether that was Ethan or someone else we’d missed was yet to be decided.

“Thank you,” Len said.

“This took no time at all. You don’t have to thank me,” I assured her.

“Not for this,” she answered. “For believing me.”

My heart swelled, and I took Len’s hand as we left the museum. There was nothing that could take this night away from us.

Our last night of normalcy.

* * *

There was a package sitting on the steps when we returned.

The automatic lantern lights were turned on, hanging on the porch. It was hard to see in the growing darkness, but the package was placed right by the door.

A perfectly tied red ribbon sat on top of the white box. I froze to examine it, but Len kept walking toward the package. The gift had a tag that became visible the second Len picked it up.

“For me,” she beamed.

Calvin already stopped by, and Mallory didn’t strike me as the type to be thoughtful enough to drop off a gift…

Someone else whose attention was on Len.

The way my heart sped up had me rushing toward Len, but she pulled the lid off before I could stop her.

The way her face blanched, I knew something was wrong. She almost dropped the package before I managed to grab it from her hands. The lid fell to the ground, but the package itself remained in my hands.

Inside sat two items, perfectly placed on top of white tissue paper partially stained red.

A note, scrawled in red writing, the words the first of many gifts written on it. The red was still sticky, like paint that had yet to dry.

In the center of the box, placed perfectly, sat a ring finger. The cut was clean, the nails perfectly polished. Red.

“Len, come inside,” I instructed.

I guided her inside and placed the box on the table, not touching anything. There could be fingerprints or other pieces of evidence inside. The more intact the box remained, the way we found it, the better for the FBI techs.

“Was that blood?” Len asked, her eyes distant.

“What?” I asked gently, guiding her to a chair.

“The note—was it written in blood?” Her eyes widened as they met mine.

“No,” I assured her. “It looks like paint.”

She nodded.“And the finger, it belongs to the victim from the other day, right? I saw her hand, the nails…”

“Yes,” I answered.

I wouldn’t lie to her, no matter how hard the truth was.

“This is all my fault,” she muttered, her eyes filling with tears.

“No, Len. You can’t think like that.” I knelt next to the chair. Her gaze was set on her lap, but she moved to find me staring at her.

“This is not your fault. The sadistic things this unsub does are not your fault. They are toying with you,” I explained.

“What do we do?” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

“I don’t have the technology needed to examine this, and it’s technically evidence in an active investigation. Hiding this would-“

Her face melted in both understanding and devastation.

“We have to turn it over?” she asked, but I knew she had the answer.

“Len, I would never suggest this if I didn’t think it was the only option, but this unsub is escalating quickly. I need back up,” I said.

Her hand found mine, and she held it in her lap. I needed back up; I couldn’t do this myself. The last time I’d tried, someone died. That couldn’t be Len. I wouldn’t repeat my mistakes.

“I need to correct the past. I ran last time; I won’t do that again, no matter the consequences,” Len said, a determined look on her face.

A tear slipped down her cheek, and I reached up to brush it away.

“I’ll be here every step of the way.”