Page 18 of Forget-Me-Nots and Apricots

"You think this has something to do with suppressants?" Jamie asked, glancing back at the frozen image of Jensen and Elise on the screen.

"I don't know," I admitted, "but it can’t be anything good. I went back to the computer and I open the download window, setting it to capture the file. The blue line stretches and swells across the screen. I don’t let myself blink or breathe until it reaches the other side.

“There. This should be what they need. Lets hope we can go back to a normal life after this.” I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be the last I would be sitting here confused over my security camera.

Chapter Nine

Ipushthedooropen,a flash drive clutched in my hands. I find them waiting in the gray light. I can tell, even from this distance, which one is which. One figure tall, head bent, eyes locked on a spot of sidewalk. The other upright, hands clasped in front of him, no sign of strain. I watch from the shadows of the doorway.

Reeves looks different with his eyes to the ground. Less arrogant, less certain, though it’s hard to know for sure from this angle. I wonder if he still thinks he’s in control, if he knows we’ve found what they need. Collins stands with a sort of practiced calm. His jacket is gone, and the shirt underneath is dark and crisp. He appears untouched, though I wonder how many days and hours they’ve gone without answers, if it has worn at his resolve.

I am still in the shadows, behind the half-opened door. Half-hidden, half-seen, my own hesitation more solid than anything else.I step out, let the light hit me. They look up at once.

They turn to me in the bleak light. There is a jolt in their stance, a tightening, and I feel the tension leap between us. I wait to see which one will speak, watch their faces for any sign.

Collins speaks first, his voice as measured as his stride when he moves toward me. "Ms. Reed." Just my name, but it carries weight, like he's testing the air between us.

"Detective," I answer, matching his tone. I hold up the flash drive, a small black rectangle against my pale palm. "I found what you're looking for."

His eyes flick to the drive, then back to my face. I can see the questions forming behind his calm exterior, can almost feel the weight of his curiosity.

"You found Jensen on the footage," he says. Not a question.

"Yes," I reply, "and he wasn’t alone." Something flickers across Collins's face—surprise, I think, though it's gone so quickly I couldn’t fully decipher it.

Reeves stiffens beside Collins, his posture shifting from subdued to alert in an instant. "Who was with him?" he demands, taking a step forward before Collins's subtle hand gesture stops him.

"A woman," I say, watching their reactions carefully. "Elise Thompson."

Collins's expression remains neutral, but there's a tightening around his eyes that tells me this information means something to him. Reeves isn't nearly as controlled—his jaw clenches, a muscle jumping in his cheek.

"Elise Thompson," Collins repeats, his voice giving nothing away. "You recognized her?"

I nod, still holding the flash drive just out of reach. "She used to be a regular customer. Came in for baby's breath mostly. Hasn't been in for about two months."

"And Jensen?" Collins asks. "How did they interact?"

"Like friends." I hold the flash drive a little tighter, watching their reactions. "They were comfortable with each other, but not romantic. He seemed... protective of her."

Collins and Reeves exchange a glance that speaks volumes, though I can't translate it. Collins reaches out his hand, palm up, waiting for the drive.

"May I?" he asks, his voice gentle but insistent.

I hesitate, something holding me back. "Before I give you this, I want to know what's going on. Why is a missing Alpha buying flowers from my shop under a fake name for six months? And why was he with an Omega researcher who studies hormone suppressants?"

Reeves makes a sound—something between a scoff and a growl. "That's police business."

"It became my business when your partner tackled me to the ground," I counter, my voice sharp.

Collins gives Reeves a sharp look that silences him before he could say anything. Then his blue eyes return to me, studying my face with an intensity that makes me want to step back. I don't. Instead, I hold the flash drive a little tighter.

"You've been looking into her," Collins says. Not a question.

I lift my chin slightly. "I did a basic internet search. It's not illegal to be curious about someone who might be connected to a case that's already dragged me into it."

Collins sighs, running a hand through his hair—the first genuine sign of frustration I've seen from him. "This is a complicated situation, Ms. Reed."

"I gathered that much," I reply dryly. "But I think I deserve some answers."

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