Page 192 of Detectives in Love

Even after everything—even after overhearing that last conversation Xavier had with Bernard, which made me empathize with the guy more than I wanted to—I still feel relieved that he’s gone.

That doesn’t mean I don’t feel sorry for him now—I still do. Mostly because he wasn’t wrong about a lot of the things he said. He just lost himself somewhere along the way. Took the wrong path and never came back from it. But I’m not going to be torn up about it. Not after what he did. The people he killed. The children he left without parents.

He made his choices. And I’ve made mine. That’s life.

Xavier nods, his gaze still on me, his face going quiet, closed off.

I reach for his arm and give it a reassuring squeeze—only then realizing everyone’s still watching us.

Fuck it. I don’t care anymore.

Xavier seems to catch that too—he gives me a faint smile in return.

“Wait, was that the man who broke in here?” Mrs. Waverly asks with a small gasp.

“We still need to officially confirm it,” Crowley says with a nod, “but we’re pretty sure it was him.”

“Well, good riddance then,” Mr. Waverly mutters.

It’s surreal, honestly—having both the Waverlys and half of the Shorewitch Robbery-Homicide Unit in our apartment for coffee. Maybe even wilder than that time we had Monica here with Ernest and Mrs. Waverly.

And the weirdest part? Crowley’s here, and she’s actually being decent. Just sitting there, her expression neutral, chiming in here and there to keep the conversation going.

Even Xavier’s politely tolerating her, which—considering their history—is also surprisingly decent of him.

Half an hour passes in conversation about everything that happened yesterday. When the Waverlys finally suggest they should let us rest, neither I—nor Xavier, obviously—put up much of a protest. We’re both exhausted; neither of us has slept well last night, or really the past week.

Willand and Crowley take it as their cue, and the Waverlys, Xavier and I follow them out into the hallway downstairs.

“Thanks again for everything,” I tell Willand, shaking his hand. “We’ll probably take a couple of weeks off investigations,” I add, shooting a quick look at Xavier.

To my surprise, he doesn’t argue. He just nods. “We’ll be in touch after New Year’s.”

“Great,” Willand says. Then, with a trace of hesitation, adds, “Hopefully I won’t be suspended by then.”

I frown, not following. “Why would you get suspended? You saved our lives.”

Willand smirks. “There’s going to be an internal investigation into Nimoy’s connection to my department. And I doubt that bug in my office is going to make me look good.”

I smirk. “Well, if you ask me, the bug’s actually a good thing. It proves Nimoy didn’t get all that information out of you or your officers.”

“Let’s hope so,” Willand says with a shrug.

We say our goodbyes to him and Crowley, and once they’re gone, Xavier and I start back toward our apartment. But at the bottom of the stairs, Mrs. Waverly stops us.

“I need to tell you something, boys,” she says, her expression suddenly serious as she looks up at us. She’s so tiny, even I feel like a giant standing next to her. “I’m really glad you’re both okay, but from now on, please—make sure you communicate with each other.” She pauses, fixing us with a stern look.

Xavier and I trade a quick glance before turning back to her, waiting.

“Especially you, Xavier,” she goes on, zeroing in on him. “If you disappear one more time without warning Newt—I’ll call your mother, I swear.”

To my surprise, Xavier’s lips twitch into a faint smile.

“Don’t you smile at me,” Mrs. Waverly scolds, though there’s a softness under the words. “You scared us all. Especially Newt. He was worried sick.”

“That’s true,” I say, shooting Xavier a look, a crooked smile tugging at my mouth.

“Alright,” Xavier murmurs, blinking at me, his eyes so uncharacteristically tender it makes my skin prickle. He turns back to Mrs. Waverly. “What else?”