Page 22 of The Rookie's Second Chance

"Think he'll cooperate?" I asked as we approached the cruiser.

Kayla smirked, buckling in. "Oh, he will. One way or another."

The cruiser hummed as we merged onto the highway. I gripped the steering wheel, trying to focus on the task. But the heaviness of the silence between Kayla and me was hard to ignore. My thoughts were swirling, constantly being dragged back to that unexpected kiss.

Glancing over at her, I searched for the right words. How the hell do you shift a conversation from a potential stalker to...well, us?

Before I could figure it out, the opening notes of a familiar tune floated from the radio. My heart thudded loudly. It was our song. The one we’d dance to at those ridiculous high school parties, the one we'd belt out in the car, the soundtrack to our summer all those years ago.

She turned to me, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Haven't heard this in ages."

"Yeah," I replied, my voice surprisingly steady. "Brings back memories."

A soft sigh escaped her. "That night at the lake... under the stars. Remember?"

"How could I forget?" The memory was vivid—us, young and carefree, tangled up in each other as the waves lapped nearby.

She hesitated before speaking. "That kiss, Jake. Was it just...?"

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," I admitted, glancing at her.

She looked surprised but not displeased. "Even after everything?"

"Especially after everything," I whispered, my gaze locking onto

hers. "I know it was my fault, Kay. I messed up, big time. But I never got over you."

She bit her lip, a sign I knew meant she was thinking deeply. "You weren't the only one. I tried moving on, I really did. But it never felt right. You were always there, in the back of my mind." The rawness of her words hit me hard.

"I'm sorry, Kay."

She nodded, looking straight ahead. "Me too."

We rolled into Jared’s neighborhood as the last light of day faded. The houses were all similar, little post-war builds with neatly trimmed lawns and peeling white picket fences. The address led us to a small brick house with blacked-out windows.

Kayla checked her notes. "Last known address is nearby. Let's hope he's there."

But when we reached Jared's place, it was clear he wasn't home. It was dark, and there were no cars in the driveway.

"Looks empty," Kayla observed, squinting as she tried to peer inside.

"Let's see if any of the neighbors know anything," I suggested. We approached the house next door, where an elderly woman was tending to some roses in her garden. She looked up as we approached, wiping her hands on her jeans.

“Evening,” she greeted, a guarded expression on her face. "Can I help you?"

“Hey,” I started. “We're looking for Jared Ravenna. Do you know when he might be back?”

Her eyes narrowed for a second, assessing us. "You police?"

Kayla nodded, flashing her badge. “Yes, ma’am. Just need to ask him a few questions.”

The woman hesitated, then sighed. “Jared works nights. Construction. He won't be back till morning.”

Shit. This wasn't going as planned. Out of our jurisdiction meant we had to play by a different set of rules, and barging onto a construction site unannounced wasn't one of them.

“Well, thanks for your help,” I said, forcing a smile.

“He does go to that diner out by the highway after his shift, though,” the woman said suddenly. Her eyes lingered on Kayla and me. “Jared knocked around my niece, my sister’s kid, while they were dating. He’s an asshole.” She turned back to her rosebush.

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