Page 65

A PROPOSAL

Pember

The police station was closed to the general public, the Constabulary flag fluttering at half-mast. Taylor and Johnny were laying bunches of flowers by the reception desk, the lilies and tulips already beginning to wilt in the poorly air-conditioned room.

Pember watched as Taylor wiped the back of a hand across his face, and Johnny squeezed his shoulder.

“Pull yourself together,” Johnny whispered. “Sam would rip the shit out of you if she saw you like this.”

Taylor gave a watery smile and nodded, leaning into Johnny’s touch. “It’s the pollen,” he said with a sniff.

Pember and Blake moved through the waiting room in near silence, the other two alphas only looking up when Pember pressed his card to the keypad.

They were wearing full uniform, but both their gun holsters were empty.

Taylor sniffed, his dark eyelashes coated with tears.

“Sarge,” he said, wiping his nose across one massive, tattooed forearm.

“Make sure you get the fucker that did this. She didn’t…

She…” Taylor returned to crying loudly; Johnny only patted his back and nodded at them.

They meandered through the corridors, taking the long way round to Major Crime.

A solemn air of disbelief had settled over the police station, and unease permeated deep into the heart of the building.

People kept their heads down, not making eye contact with one another, as though doing so would force them to acknowledge what had happened.

Police officers didn’t just turn up dead. They weren’t just murdered .

“The alphas are worried,” Blake uttered as they passed through the flashing screens and heavily air-conditioned Cybercrime Unit. “And the ones that aren’t alphas are worried for the ones they know.”

Pember swallowed, pressing closer to Blake’s side. “Perhaps I should start walking you to your car at night,” he said through a tight-lipped laugh, only half joking. “And you?” he whispered, glancing up at Blake’s stoic face. “Are you worried?”

Blake held open the door to Major Crime.

“Yes. But only about what this could mean for West Newton. What it could mean for you and the others in forensics. The scandal it would cause. The police are an easy target for blame as it is, this could—” Blake shuddered.

“The public would never trust us again.”

Pember slowly nodded. “Shit.”

“Indeed.”

The mood through the Major Crime Unit was sombre. Even the young detectives were lacking their usual bluster. Lily nodded to them both as they passed. “Tea’s on your desk, Sarge,” she said, then glanced at Pember. “And… um, coffee, two sweeteners?”

Pember inclined his head and gave her a small smile. She dipped her gaze and quietly shuffled into the report-writing room.

“She’s perceptive,” he said, squeezing Blake’s arm. “I can see why you like her.”

Blake coughed quietly. “She has her quirks, but her heart is in the right place. I’m thinking of mentoring her through the promotion programme.”

“Yeah?” Pember said, eyes going wide.

Blake chuckled. “Why do you look so shocked? I mentored Oliver.”

Quietly pulling up the collar on his jacket, Pember held his fingers up to his eyes as though they were glasses. Putting on a deep voice, he whispered, “I’m DS Blake Smith and I hate everyone and everything. Rah, rah, rah, I’m a big scary alpha.”

A string of quiet laughter rumbled around the other detectives, followed by shushing.

Blake cleared his throat, dipping his mouth to Pember’s ear. “Do you mind? I have a reputation to uphold.”

Shrugging, Pember tapped his leg. “Tell that to your pink flamingo socks. Not very alpha, if you ask me.”

Blake tutted. “I’ll have you know they were a gift from a very grateful social worker after I saved her arse during a board meeting.”

“Uh-huh. And what about the hamster ones? In fact, I’m sure I saw a tie with hippos on in your wardrobe.”

Blake scoffed and pressed his fingers to the nape of Pember’s neck. It sent a gentle flutter through his belly. “The socks were chinchillas and the tie was a secret Santa gift from Oliver three years ago.”

“Sure,” Pember said with a smirk.

As they reached the far end of the briefing room, Blake knocked once and pushed open the glass door. DS Vaughan was already sitting at the round conference table, running a hand through her choppy blonde bob. She blinked several times, looking confused.

“Oh, Blake, you were… smiling?”

Blake frowned. “And?”

“It was… traumatising.”

“Piss off, Cait.”

DS Vaughan grinned and pulled out a chair for Pember. “Phew, that’s better. Back to scowling. Take a seat, Mr McArthur, the boss will be with us in a sec.”

Holding up a hand, Pember flushed. “N-no, that’s alright, thank you. I’ll stand.”

Because the car ride to the station was uncomfortable enough, and the plug in my arse isn’t helping.

DS Vaughan raised her eyebrows, gaze flitting to Blake with a knowing look. “Sure, no worries.”

Pember let out a breath and backed towards the door. “I’ll… um… How about I get the drinks from your office? Wouldn’t want Lily’s hard work going to waste.”

Blake nodded, picking up on his intense discomfort at being appraised by the other alpha. Because it was quite clear from the way DS Vaughan’s nostrils twitched that he had Blake’s scent all over him, despite their additional shower after ‘breakfast.’

Scurrying down the corridor, he walked through the CCTV room, then into the exhibits room.

He had been in Blake’s office before, but now that he was in a hurry all the rooms looked the bloody same.

By the time he re-entered the briefing room, drinks in hand, he was met by a sea of black overalls belonging to the Falkington forensic officers.

Isla was there, her shiny black heels clicking on the laminated floor.

“He’s here!” she said, tossing a bundle of papers onto a nearby desk.

She smiled widely and opened her arms. “Pember, right?” She gently placed both hands on his shoulders.

“We were hoping we’d see you again. The guys from the lab wanted to meet you.

What you did yesterday, it was… well it was damn near heroic! ”

Pember swallowed and shrank back towards the doorway. “O-oh, well, you know, I… someone had to do it.”

She let out a soft breath and smiled. “You’re way too humble. What you did, the way you crawled through that tunnel and took those samples… it’s been the talk of the nick, to be honest.”

A middle-aged man appeared at her side, his dark hair thinning on top. “Freddy Burbridge,” he said, holding out a hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m the SOCO supervisor over at our lab.”

“Um,” Pember said, glancing around for somewhere to put the drinks.

Freddy waved a hand as another five people crowded around him, each touching and squeezing his shoulders. He felt like The Blessed Madonna with a load of tourists closing in to get a better look.

Looking up through the crowd, he saw Blake leaning against the wall, smiling and nodding.

“Sorry,” Pember said, ducking underneath their arms. “I have a meeting.”

They all sighed, letting him go. “We’ll take care of your lab, Pember! Don’t worry about anything,” Isla said, waving as he walked away.

When he stumbled back into the office, they had been joined by the inspector and Mark Matthews.

“Why didn’t you save me?” he muttered, handing Blake his mug of green tea.

The alpha shrugged. “You were being appreciated. And headhunted, by the looks of it.”

Pember flushed, taking a few hurried sips of coffee. “Nah,” he said, placing the cup on the table. The coffee tasted terrible, but he appreciated the thought. “I think they were just glad to see a familiar face. This place can be pretty intimidating.”

Blake sniffed, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Nope, they came looking for you.”

“Ahem,” Caitlin said, clearing her throat.

When Pember turned to them he found her, Mark and the inspector looking at him from their positions around the desk. A low sound rumbled through Blake’s chest, more of a feeling than a noise as the alpha pressed himself against his back.

“Welcome,” the inspector said, holding out a hand. “Blake, please close the door.”

His hand looked dry and unpleasant, but Pember shook it, causing Blake to tense behind him. Reluctantly, Blake shut the door and Pember sat, because his legs were quickly turning to jelly under the growing tension in the room.

“Sir,” Blake said, standing behind Pember’s chair with his knuckles grazing his nape. The other alphas’ eyes immediately flicked to it, then back up at Blake. It was a statement, Pember realised—one that he was all too happy to make. “With all due respect, can you just get straight to the point?”

The inspector nodded, steepling his hands on the desk. “Very well. For the last twenty-four hours we have carried out covert surveillance on Maya Sharma, Sal Maverick, Leo Chantry and Rueben Atkinson.”

Pember shuddered at the mention of Ru.

“We have been actively monitoring their phone calls, and have covert surveillance units stationed close to each of their homes. Do you know what we discovered?” The inspector gave Blake a pointed look.

“Absolutely fuck all. They’ve gone radio silent.

None of them have left their homes and it doesn’t seem like they plan on leaving any time soon. ”

“They’re waiting us out,” Blake said flatly. “To see if we’ll show our hand.”

The inspector nodded, sucking his teeth. “We’ve been granted authority to utilise certain… other, covert assets.” His eyes were unyielding as they snapped to Pember.

“ No ,” Blake said, the crack of his voice making them all flinch. His hand slipped from Pember’s neck to around his shoulders, cradling him protectively against his side.

Caitlin cleared her throat. “We have?—”

“No,” Blake repeated, his voice a low growl.

The hairs on the back of Pember’s neck prickled, and he automatically pressed his cheek to the back of Blake’s hand.