Page 17 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

“So how was New York? How was the presentation?” Max asked.

“It was good. Pretty certain I nailed the presentation.” Maddie said.

“Nail anything else?” Max said laughing and Maddie laughed with him.

“I can’t believe you just said that.” She said seeing a few of the team trying desperately to hide their sniggers too.

“Well I’m guessing those dark circles aren’t just from jet lag.” He pointed out and she narrowed her eyes. It had been a delicate balance of layering her concealer to hide the bags without it all caking and ending up doing the exact opposite.

“By the looks of it you didn’t sleep at all.” Max said smirking.

“Because I was working really hard.” Maddie stated.

“Working the boss hard.” Max said and she shook her head too shocked to reply.

“Anyway, I was thinking now would be a good time to review our open cases, maybe up the focus on a few others seeing that Harrison isn’t monopolising our time.” He added.

“Good idea.” Maddie said happy the subject had finally moved away from her love life.

“I’ll get everyone in the briefing room then.” Max said standing up.

“And I’ll get some coffee.” Maddie said feeling like no amount of caffeine was going to fix the slowly impending headache she had coming on.

“Oh and Maddie, you might want to pull your…” He indicated to her collar and her eyes widened. “Just a little.” He said grinning and she picked up a pen and threw it at him as he cackled and walked away.

Fucking Cole, Maddie thought walking over to the kitchen and trying to see her reflection in the glass. It was alright for him, no one battered an eye at the man for sleeping with his subordinate but everyone judged the girl. She could see the mark, just creeping up slightly, the gigantic god damn hiccy he’d given her like they were horny teenagers and not fully grown adults.

“Please say the coffee is on because I’m hanging.” Tania said walking in and then stopping as she realised it was Maddie in the kitchen.

“Don’t worry, it’s been one of those weeks.” Maddie replied grabbing two mugs and filling them up as the relief spread over Tania’s face that she wasn’t about to get a bollocking from her boss for being hungover on a weekday.

“How was New York?” She asked after thanking Maddie.

“Great. How’s it been here?” Maddie said.

“Urgh you know the usual. Shit weather, shit work, shit boys.” Tania said before turning bright red. “I mean not actual shit work, it’s just we’re not getting anywhere with…”

“Relax. I’ve been where you are. And I don’t judge I promise.” Maddie said. “We’re all going through cases now if it helps?”

“Yeah that’d be great.” Tania said smiling and looking like she didn’t quite believe her luck at missing a bollocking twice in less than five minutes.

“Come on then. We both know Max is grumpy when everyone turns up late to his meetings.” Maddie replied and Tania chuckled as they both headed into the briefing room.

Max was already sat down with most of the two teams. Everyone seemed to be flicking through files and paperwork and Maddie had to fight the urge to not point out the fact that they were meant to be going paperless, digital, saving the trees and all that but she figured old habits die hard and they absolutely did in the security world.

She’d persuaded Brandon and Cole that the Major Crimes Department shouldn’t be in BlackWater HQ, that they needed their own space, their own offices. They weren’t the spooks after all, and she wanted them to act like it. Of course Brandon had still insisted on the same levels of security, blacked out windows, all personal phones locked away in cabinets, computer systems with a full encryption platform and secure networks.

But the location they’d let Maddie and Max decide and when they’d found this building, tucked away amongst the non-descript offices behind Bond Street it felt it fitted their purpose perfectly. And it had the additional benefit of not being too far from actual HQ so the team could still use all the gym facilities like the rest of BlackWater.

“So who wants to go first?” Maddie asked as she pulled up a chair and angling herself in a way she hoped covered her neck from any potential viewing.

“I can.” Jason said. “Got the Colton Case. It’s gone a bit stagnant of late. We’ve been tracking the Police’s main suspect but we’re just not convinced he’s actually the one behind it…”

Maddie nodded, making notes and asking questions.

“So you’re saying you think it’s more of an inside job then?” Max asked when he’d finished.

“Yeah I think it has to be. How else would they know that painting was even there? It was meant to be in a vault in Switzerland and what two days after it arrives in London they just happen to have a burglary and it’s nicked?” Jason replied. “It’s just too coincidental.”

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