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CELINE

“ G ood morning, Celine.” A cheery voice calls out to me as I round my desk at the station the next day. Sitting down, I place my leather jacket over the back of the chair and grab the file placed in the center of my desk.

Ava, Captain Barnes’s secretary, and my closest friend, smiles at me from outside his closed office door.

With wavy pastel pink hair and a white flowy shirt, she’s the polar opposite to my ebony locks and black ensemble. I met her my first day on the job two years ago and we’d been fast friends, although her energy took some getting used to.

I suppose in our line of work you either compensated for the constant debauchery by being a bubbly optimist like her or a solemn realist like me. Some called me grumpy, but I wouldn’t go that far. This was a tough profession to be in.

“Are you excited to take on the Mayhem Murderer case?” Her pen sways back and forth between her fingers like she has to find some way to let her energy out.

“Is that what they’re calling these murderers?” I ask without looking up from my file but can see her animated hand gestures out of my peripheral. “You know we’re not supposed to give them names.” I arch a brow in her direction, trying not to smile.

“I know,” she laughs, and folds her hands demurely on her desk.

“But every murder is so...” She flings her perfectly manicured hand out searching for the right word.

“...disgustingly gory and bloody with so many bodies. You have to admit that it’s kind of fascinating that anyone can stomach committing crimes that involve so much gore. ”

“How do you know so much about the case?” I ask, since despite her position she shouldn’t be privy to this much knowledge on it.

“One night over drinks Detective Kerr spilled his guts to me and some of the other staff in attendance. He went off about how he couldn’t take it anymore, gave us all kinds of details he probably shouldn’t have.

I guess it was the case that finally broke that bastard.

You’d know this if you went out with us more.

” She levels me with a firm look. “The team has a done a good job keeping it under wraps for the most part but with the media starting to get a hold of it, panic is going to set in with citizens.” She taps her finger against a newspaper on her desk.

I remember Captain Barnes’s mention of all the detectives that have dropped the case when we were on our way to the scene.

“Captain says he has total faith in me.” Paging through the stack of papers, I mutter to myself, “No pressure.”

I want to live up to his expectations. Captain Barnes has believed in me since day one. I think he feels like he has to make up for my dad’s absence. I can’t help but think he associates his legacy with my potential, which can be a bit much.

“I know you’ll figure it out. You always do, and he wouldn’t have promoted you without a reason.” She turns back to her desktop and her long-manicured nails tippy-tap against her keyboard. I don’t know how she stands having her nails that long. I keep mine filed as short as possible.

Standing, I walk over to the coffee machine in the break room even though I know it’s the same terrible coffee they have every morning.

Man, I really need to convince upper management to upgrade to a Keurig or something. How anyone could do their best investigating on this lousy excuse for caffeine I’ll never know.

Turning around at the sound of footsteps, I see Ava standing there with my leather jacket hanging off her fingertips and brows raised.

“Bean Hive?” She smiles as she mentions the name of our favorite local coffee shop.

“Bless you, my lord and savior.” I grab my jacket and throw it on, following her toward the exit. “I don’t think I could’ve done with this excuse for coffee today.”

“I’ve got you, girl.” Ava pats me on the back.

“It’s on me though.” I stop before she can open the door and give her a look. “You got it last time and it’s my turn.”

“Thanks, Sugar Daddy. I won’t turn down free coffee.” She steps in front of me and holds the door open.

The October air blows my dark tresses around my face.

I unwind the elastic from around my wrist and secure my hair back in a ponytail.

Bean Hive is a quick walk from the precinct and many of the staff make runs there for coffee throughout the day.

I was going to suck it up with the station’s coffee, but I can’t turn down Ava’s offer to get the good stuff.

Beside me, Ava sighs. “You have the longest, prettiest hair and you’ve always got it in a ponytail.” She gives the end a tug.

I shrug, pulling my jacket closer around me when wind gusts around us. “It’s so thick and always gets in my way.”

Despite my statement, I can’t bear the idea of cutting it short.

My dad always told me how much he loved my long hair. Even now, when he doesn’t remember me, it’s my hair he comments on.

Last time I saw him he said, “My daughter is ten and she has the prettiest hair too. It’s halfway down her back. I learned to braid just for her.”

We trek down the street to the shop.

Just before I reach for the door handle, I stop, causing Ava to run into my back. “What’s wrong?” She glances back at the street when I turn and observe my surroundings.

In our line of work, you learn to be paranoid and the creepy crawly feeling spreading down my spine has me on edge. I look left and right and then behind us.

“Nothing,” I mumble with a last sweep of the area. “It felt like someone was watching me.”

Ava pauses, searching the street. “I don’t see anyone staring.”

“Must be my imagination,” I say, but I can’t get rid of the slippery feeling.

Stepping inside, the smell of freshly ground coffee hits me. I let out a happy hum and smile when the owner, Luna, makes eye contact with us, winking as she starts on our order. We find an open booth in the back corner shrouded by plants and wait for our lattes to arrive.

The shop is an eclectic mix of modern and rustic.

The red brick walls have various plants hanging on them and the occasional hung photo frame in between with various art pieces of coffee beans that look like bees.

A mix of booths, comfy chairs, and natural wood tables fill the room with hanging Edison bulbs illuminating the space.

“How’s your dad doing?” The question pulls my attention away from our surroundings.

“The same.” I trace a whorl in the wood of the table with my fingertip. “I can’t help but hope one day he’ll be magically cured but that’s never going to happen. They take great care of him. I can’t complain.”

Sensing my lack of enthusiasm on the topic, Ava drops it and grabs a folded piece of paper from her purse, placing it on the table. “You know what you need? Some fun.”

I eye the piece of a paper, finding it impossible to keep the disdain from my face.

“A club? Ava, I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, but that’s not my scene.

” I grab the flyer and try to straighten it out.

It boasts the grand opening of a new night club downtown.

“Can’t we just paint pottery? Or go to a movie like we usually do?

Our favorite actor is starring in one of the latest releases.

” I try to tempt her into a more introverted activity.

Ava is a social butterfly and flourishes in all kinds of settings, whereas I would much rather be at home, curled into the couch reading or at the small gym I like to box at. Boxing has always helped me clear my head and work out any frustrations.

“Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes. “All you do is go home and talk to that damn cat.”

I open my mouth to refute, and she gives me a stern look which makes me deflate.

“Celine.” Grabbing my hands, she pleads, “You are an intelligent, gorgeous, single woman who deserves to have some excitement in her life. Let’s go out, dance, drink, and have a good time!

Maybe have a one-night stand?” She shimmies and I sigh seeing her scan the shop for any potential partners for me.

“You, not me, of course. I have Spencer.”

The other patrons are mostly elderly people and college students working on papers and projects.

I swat at Ava when she catches the eye of a male student and winks at him, motioning toward me with an over emphasized head jerk in my direction.

His eyes shift to me when she does, and he smiles softly, causing me to shield my face away from him.

I’m no virgin, but I fear my lady bits are covered in cobwebs at this point, and I have no interest in changing that any time soon.

Work and my dad come first.

It’s not that I don’t like the idea of finding a boyfriend, but you have to put in effort, whether that’s by going out, or hopping on a dating app. And frankly, men are like plants, if you don’t water them, they’ll die, and I don’t have a green thumb.

Luna walks over with our lattes saving me from more embarrassment. I tilt my head at her in a silent thank you, both for the coffee and the save. Ava glances over with disapproval like she knows what I just wormed my way out of.

“Any exciting cases on the rise ladies?” Luna asks with a twinkle in her eye.

She’s close to Ava and I’s age, and has already managed to start her own business.

Bean Hive is successful, too. The place often has a line out the door in the early morning hours.

It’s inspiring what she’s done with this once dilapidated space.

I mime zipping my lips and Luna pouts, making Ava laugh into her coffee cup.

“Are you following the sex trafficking ring?” she asks it so blatantly I can’t help but look around and make sure no other patrons have overheard.

“What?” I lower my voice. “Sex trafficking ring?” I hadn’t been briefed on one but that wasn’t out of the ordinary. There are too many cases for me to know everything that goes on.

Leaning in, Luna whispers, “Word on the street is that the new night club, Vex, opening up is a front for them to nab women. Absolutely awful if it’s true.”

“Where did you get that information?” I balk at the accusation and Ava looks at me with wide eyes.

“I have my resources. Oh, just one minute, Z!” Luna calls to a waiting customer with red hair and glasses. He smiles in our direction, but I ignore it. I have more important things to do than to smile at a cute guy.

Turning to Ava with a smile I say, “You know what? I’m down for going out now.”

Ava’s body heaves with the weight of her sigh. “Why am I not surprised this is what gets you to go out? But hey”—she leans back, hands up— “if it gets you out, I’ll take what I can get.”