Page 41 of Zero Divergence

Royce spent the next few minutes bringing Mendoza up to speed.

“Christ,” the chief growled in frustration. “Could this fuckery get any worse? This is going to be a media shitstorm of epic proportions. No raincoat, umbrella, or rubber boots will prevent us from getting covered in it. Do you know who the senior partner is at her law firm?”

“The kid said Bill Elderwood,” Royce replied.

“Get his address and make the notification ASAP.”

“You don’t want us to wait until office hours?”

“His agency is actively suing us, Locke. The last thing we can afford to happen is Elderwood accusing us of going through Vivian Gross’s client files or computer while processing her home. I want you to tell him I am personally on the scene and no one will go in or out of her office until someone from their firm can come and remove the law firm’s property.”

Royce didn’t bother to remind the chief that he and Sawyer were in her office with Blakemore. He decided to alter the message for Elderwood slightly. “I’ll take care of it, sir.”

“Keep me posted.”

“Will do, sir.”

Royce blew out a breath and called the station to get an address for Elderwood before going inside the café. Sawyer had already ordered and was waiting at the pickup area, chatting with Levi, who didn’t look quite as deliriously happy as he had the last time Royce saw him. Levi and Diego had stopped by to see Sawyer at the hospital a few times before he was released, and Levi practically radiated sunbeams from his soul on each occasion.

“Uh-oh,” Royce said as he approached, earning a glare from Levi. “Boy problems?”

“Oh, look. It’s Sergeant Obvious,” Levi said drolly.

“Wow,” Royce said. “I thought we made peace.”

“Yeah, I thought so too,” Levi replied. “It turns out I still don’t like you.”

Sawyer looked at him with a quirked brow, and Royce shrugged. He had no idea why Levi was mad at him.

“What did I do?” Royce asked defensively.

Levi heaved a deep sigh, his shoulder slumping in defeat. “It’s not your fault. You were only trying to help, even if you did it out of guilt instead of friendship.” The thing was Royce could see himself and Levi as friends if the other man would let his guard down just a bit.

Royce leaned forward and lowered his voice. “What did Diego do?”

Levi’s cheeks turned bright red, then he looked nervously at Sawyer before meeting Royce’s gaze again.

“Can you give us a minute, GB?” Royce asked.

Sawyer looked between him and Levi, then nodded.

“Spill it,” Royce said once Sawyer was out of earshot.

“Diego hasn’t doneanything. That’s the problem.”

Royce shook his head. “I don’t get it. You’re mad because he hasn’t done anything wrong?”

Levi rolled his eyes. “He hasn’t done anything right either, dumbass.”

The cause for Levi’s grouchiness hit him square between the eyes. “You mean the two of you haven’t…” Royce let his words drift off as he counted back the weeks since he took the bull by the horns and pushed the two fools together. Time had been a blur lately, but at least a month had passed.

Levi shook his head.

“Are you still going out on dates?”

“We cooled off a bit when he was studying to take his detective’s test, but we’ve gone out a few times since his promotion.” Levi smiled gently. “He admires you.”

“That’s good to know. Diego’s going to be a great detective,” Royce replied, then pursed his lips as he thought for a few moments. “Is it possible you’re both misreading the situation or waiting for the other to make the next move?”