Page 21 of Detectives in Love

“A bit late for a work call, don’t you think?” Xavier’s voice takes on a dry edge. “You were supposed to meet Henry that night. He didn’t show. You called—again and again—but he never picked up.”

Penelope doesn’t answer, but her silence says plenty. Her eyes flicker with something close to panic, like she’s only now realizing where this is headed. She glances at me, like she wants me to intervene, but I don’t.

I feel bad for her, caught in Xavier’s crosshairs, but he wouldn’t push this hard if he didn’t know she was hiding something—and we need answers. So I stay quiet, my stomach twisting as I watch her realize she’s on her own.

“We were supposed to meet—but just as friends,” Penelope says at last, her voice low.

“Hmm,” Xavier says, like the word tastes off. “Then why not mention your little rendezvous to the police?”

She takes a step back, crossing her arms over her chest. “Because I thought it wasn’t relevant… He didn’t answer, so I figured he forgot or changed his mind. I didn’t think…” Her voice trails off.

Xavier studies her, an almost predatory gleam in his eyes. “Maybe. Or maybe you were worried about how it would look—worried someone might think you knew more than you let on because you were involved with him.”

God, when he gets like this—calm, relentless, completely sure of himself—I’m just glad I’m not the one he’s going after.

Penelope’s breath catches, and for a second, I think she might crack. But she pulls herself together, blinks, and meets Xavier’s gaze, her voice almost wounded. “Are you accusing me of something, Mr. Ormond?”

“Not accusing,” Xavier says smoothly, but there’s an unspoken warning in his tone. “Just observing.”

She blinks, shakes her head, and for a moment, I think she might actually come clean, admit what we already know. But then she chooses the lie instead.

“There was nothing between us.”

Xavier exhales, patience gone. “You’re wasting our time. If you actually want to know what happened to him, tell us everything. And don’t play dumb—we know you were sleeping with him.”

“I…I don’t know what you mean,” she mumbles, pale, thrown off by the blunt accusation.

“You don’t know what I mean?” Xavier arches an eyebrow. “It’s obvious. He had no relatives. Lived alone. So he must’ve been fucking someone.”

“Xavier!” I snap, shooting him a furious look. “That’s enough.”

Penelope just shakes her head, stunned. Tears pool in her eyes, but she wipes them away quickly, straightens, and says, “Let’s go inside. Miss Fairfax is waiting for us.”

Without another word, she hurries to the doors and disappears into the building, not sparing us a single glance. Xavier starts after her, but I grab his elbow, pulling him back.

“What’s with you today?” I ask, frowning at him.

“What?” Xavier echoes, flat.

“It’s obvious she’s not ready to admit it, so why are you pushing? You can see you’re upsetting her!”

“What was I supposed to do? Hold her hand?” he says, completely unfazed. “Maybe I should’ve opened with that joke about sex and math you told me when you came home drunk yesterday…”

“She just lost someone she loves!”

“…but that might’ve been a bit crass.”

“What?”

“What?”

We both fall silent, trying to process what the other just said.

Xavier smirks, almost triumphant. “So you agree.” He gestures toward the building. “She lied. They were fucking.”

“Stop saying fucking!” I snap.

“Isn’t that what it was?”