Page 27 of Love in Excess

Ruiz cuts through my concentration as he jostles my shoulder. “How’s Celeste?”

I lean back, rubbing a hand through my dreads. “She’ll be alright but I have no idea what Carter was doing anywhere near her. She’s with our Beta, but…” I trail off, my fingers tapping the table, my chest tight with the memory of her fear shooting through the bond.

“Ah yes, your Beta. I’m jealous. God, he’s yours too, likereallyyours? You work fast.”

I chuckle, realizing that we’re only two or three days in and I’ve already claimed him. “Yeah,” I say, my lips twitching up into a smile. “It was the paramedic who helped her after the first incident with Carter. We just knew after that.”

Ruiz whistles, leaning back in his chair. “Damn, that’s something.”

Roberts looks up from his notes, his weathered face breaking into a rare smile. “Never thought you’d find your Beta,” he jokes. “But congratulations are in order. You two deserve it. Never thought I’d see the day where Celeste finds a happier ending than a computer.”

That’s for sure. I still have no idea how we came to this point, how I was able to swipe her up from that life and bring her into mine. Seeing her happy and satisfied is my entire life’s goal… well, seeing Lincoln the same way is part of that too. Three or four years ago, I would have never imagined I’d have a pack.

But I wouldn’t change it for the world.

I swipe Ruiz’s coffee and chug it, grimacing at the acidic aftertaste. “Damn, that’s nasty. Let’s just figure out a game plan so I can get back to my mates, okay? I’m feeling antsy.”

Roberts and Ruiz both understand even if they don’t have mates of their own. We all have people we protect and love and would hate for anything to happen to them. Roberts slides a file across the table, his fingers tapping the cover. “I found one of the other profiler’s notes on the case and they’re pretty thorough.”

“Good because the artist's renditions of his face make it look like he’s in a boy band.” I shove the picture at Roberts and the guy bursts out laughing.

“That’s the lead drummer from Lunar Ransom.” I just glare at Roberts because I have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about. “Seriously? It’s a pretty popular little rock band. My niece is obsessed with them, pictures all over the walls. I think they’re coming a few towns over in like six months.”

Well, that’s not helpful because there’s no way in hell a boyband is responsible for all these murders. That’s… too much TV magic bullshit. “Yeah, okay, so we don’t have a description. Excellent. Let’s keep piecing together what we do have. Maybe just sort what’s on the table and call it a night?”

Ruiz and Roberts murmur their agreement just as the chief steps inside with a file about as thick as my thumb. He doesn’t say anything, just lays it in front of me and slips back out but the name across the top tells me everything.Harrington, Carter.

I’m not too ecstatic to ruin what’s left of this man’s credibility even if I want to rip him limb from limb. However, if there’s a reason for why he truly wants Celeste, I’ll take it. I push it off to the side and focus on some of the other papers, only mildly distracted when my phone buzzes on the table. Ruiz chuckles as I reach for it.

She woke up and wanted to go home so she’s in her nest but won’t let me leave the room.

I bite back a smile, knowing very well that Celeste is going to keep him pretty close over the next few days.

I text back

Color?

Green. I don’t want to leave her. I just feel like I’m overstepping.

You aren’t, in the slightest. I should be home in a few hours, maybe less, and then we can figure things out over dinner, okay?

Setting the phone down, I refocus my efforts, working seamlessly with the other two to section out useful information while everything else gets thrown into a pile. When the last of the coffee disappears, I realize we’ve made a pretty large dent into the paperwork but not enough. However, for tonight, it’s where we’re going to have to stop.

Carter’s file is open on Roberts’ side of the table, Robert frowning as he reads through the report for what seems like the fifth time. “You see, this Hex guy steamrolled through our city and left a victim like he always does but the location wasn’t as public as his other ones. It was tucked away on the docks as if he didn’t want us to immediately find it. Mailing in the tarot card afterward also seems… it’s not a mistake.”

I nod. “It feels like a ploy of sorts but why do you keep reading Carter’s file like that?”

“Because it’s not just about the lie. Like sure, his phone pinged near the docks at the time of death. He tried to say he had an alibi, switched it up and mentioned something about going to visit his grandmother but it just feels like a bunch of bullshit.” Roberts lets out a small huff as I start to wade through the mountain of information we’ve been given.

If Carter was wrapped up in this stuff, he would have had a better alibi or at least a better lie. He’s been a police officer, so he would know the questioning tactics. He would understand how to weave through whatever we threw at him. But he didn’t.

Unless he wasn’t prepared to be questioned.

It’s such a small city that we all know each other and each other’s business. We rarely question one of our own. Someone can always vouch for them but it’s been a while since Carter has been one of us…

And maybe that’s where the cracks have started to show.

“Yeah,no, I know that look Hunter. Go home to your mates. All this shit will be here tomorrow.”

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