Page 62 of By the Book

“I don’t know, I went to use it today and couldn’t find it.”

“And when was the last time you did use it?”

Jackson looks down at his hands and shifts in his chair again. “Like a week or two ago.”

“I’m going to need you to write down your whereabouts on these dates,” I tell him, sliding a paper across the table with the dates of each act of vandalism. Thus far, I have to admit that he’s looking better for this than Reid.

“How am I supposed to remember back to some of these?” he bites. I track the slight tremble in Jackson’s hand and the glisten of sweat across his forehead.

“Let’s just hope you’re smarter than you look.”

“I might need a minute here.”

Folding my hands behind my head, I settle back in my chair once again. “I can wait.” It’s easy to be relaxed on this side of the table. I hold the cards.

I watch Jackson with a steady stare, catching every one of his nervous ticks, every hesitation as he tries to recount his past movements. And as I do, my mind drifts to the person behind the mirror. I like having Ivy here, doing this together. Even if it is in secret.

Although it seems people have been suspecting this secret. It’s about time I get ahead of my own reckless choices.

“Here,” Jackson says gruffly, sliding the paper back over to me.

“Thank you, I’ll start looking into these. In the meantime, don’t leave town.”

“Can I ask what this is about?”

“Do you need to ask? I’m sure you’ve got a good guess.” I will tell him, but I want to hear his reaction first.

“All the vandalism around town, based on these dates.”

So, he recognizes the dates. I nod and rap my knuckles on the table as I rise. “See, you’re smart after all, Jackson.”

Stepping out of the interrogation room into the side hall, I find a waiting Millie. “He’s good to go for now,” I tell her, motioning behind me and reaching for the next door over.

“Should I put a do not disturb sign on there?” she motions to the handle I’m currently turning.

“Goodbye, Millie.”

“Talk to her!” Millie calls as I step through the open door and close it swiftly behind me again.

“Talk to who about what?” Ivy asks, sitting perched on the edge of the table against the window. I like her there. Crossing the room, I lean forward and brace my hands on either side of her hips, keeping her in place.

“It was more mundane than I hoped. But what did you think of your first interrogation?” I ask, dragging my nose up her jaw line.

“I like it when you get like that. Serious, commanding.” Ivy sounds breathy as she replies, spurring me on further.

“Mmm, I’ll keep that in mind. Although you haven’t done a great job of listening to me lately.”

She tilts her head back and sighs when my lips finally meet the soft skin beneath her ear. “Maybe you should be more like Sheriff Forester towards me then.”

A deep laugh rumbles in my chest. “I have a feeling it still wouldn’t work.”

With fistfuls of my button-up, she pulls me flush against her. “Probably not,” she admits, turning to catch my mouth with hers.

We sink into the kiss together, like we’ve been doing this far longer than a few days. Like we should be doing this for every day that remains.

Chapter 25

Ivy

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