Page 39 of The Rookie's Second Chance

"I'll handle the society stuff," she said, and I could hear the determination steeling her voice. "You don't need to dive into that shit, especially if it's about Lexi."

I nodded, grateful, but a nasty feeling curled in my gut, like I was shirking my duties as a brother. I was about to protest, to claim that I could handle it, when her phone rang, cutting through the tension.

Kayla answered, her tone professional but tight. "Ethan, we need to talk about your college days."

I watched her, reading the conversation in the play of her expressions. Her brows drew together; her lips pressed into a thin line. Whatever Ethan was spitting back, it wasn’t making her happy.

"Yeah? Well, that's not gonna cut it," she shot back, irritation spiking her words. There was a pause, a moment where her gaze flicked to mine, and I knew Ethan was giving her the runaround. "In person? Seriously?"

She hung up with a click, her eyes flashing. "He's being a dodgy asshole. Says he'll only talk if we do it face to face."

"And he's on the East Coast?" I asked, the pieces falling into place like a fucked-up puzzle.

"Yep, where all this shit started." She looked at me, and I could see the ‘what now?’ hanging unspoken between us.

"We're running out of damn leads, Kayla." I stood up and started pacing. "We might need to make the trip. We can keep poking around here, but Silver Creek's only giving up so much."

Her chair squeaked as she stood, mirroring my restlessness. "I know. And the trip could give us what we need to really crack this thing wide open."

I stopped and faced her, feeling the pull of that damn sense of duty. "Let's plan for it. But first, let's squeeze Silver Creek till it bleeds dry of information. The stalker is or was here. There has to be some trace of him."

A sharp nod from Kayla, and we were back in it, heads together, planning our next move. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were stepping into a storm that we could only hope to survive.

The door to the evidence room closed with a click that seemed too loud in the silence that enveloped us. Kayla shot me a look full of determination and that raw edge that came with hunting for something personal. I felt it, too, like a thrum under my skin, the need for answers about Lexi's stalker pushing me on.

"Alright, let's dig through this crap from the break-in again. Maybe we missed something," I muttered, scanning the shelves lined with bagged items and tagged evidence.

Kayla nodded, her hand brushing mine as she reached for a box. "Yeah, sometimes it takes a fresh—"

Her words cut off when my hand found hers, gripping it firmly. She looked up, her eyes locking with mine, and for a moment, there was nothing in the world but us. No stalker, no unsolved cases, just Kayla and the way my heart seemed to beat in time with hers.

Before I could second-guess it, I leaned in, and our lips met in a kiss that was half desperation, half reassurance. It was a moment of something good amidst all the shit we were wading through.

A sound from the door had us springing apart like guilty teenagers. I glanced at the entrance, half-expecting to see our boss or another detective. But it was nothing, just the echo of the station, the creaks and groans of the building settling.

We stared at each other, and then the absurdity of it hit. The tension broke, and we both laughed, low and quiet. "Fuck, that was close," I whispered, the adrenaline from the near miss mixing with the rush from her lips.

Kayla's laugh was a hushed sound, but it filled the room with something light, something needed. "Yeah, we're definitely not teenagers anymore," she said, her eyes bright with mischief and something else, something deeper.

I shook my head, still chuckling, and turned back to the task at hand. But that shared moment of humor lingered, hanging between us like a promise that no matter how dark things got, we had this—us—to come back to. It was a sliver of normal in the chaos, and I'd take it, every damn time.

Chapter Nineteen

KAYLA

That night, the station was quiet. I stayed behind after Jake left, knowing there was more work to be done. I dug deeper into the research, determined to uncover any hidden secrets about this secretive society.

As I scoured the internet for any mention of this clandestine organization, my thoughts often drifted to Jake. I knew that if there was a sexual component to this society, it would be uncomfortable for him to learn about his sister's involvement. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to discover such a thing about a loved one, and I was determined to spare him from that pain.

Hours passed, and I found myself reaching a frustrating dead end. There was barely any information available about the secret society, let alone any details that would hint at a sexual nature. It was maddening, but I couldn't give up. I had to find a way to get to the truth.

I tapped out an email to the chief, requesting approval for a trip out east to meet with Ethan, the elusive link to this enigmatic society. I explained our need for more information and the urgency of the situation, hoping he would grant us permission.

The chief's response came sooner than I expected, and my heart soared with relief as I read the approval. We were a go. I quickly called Jake, my excitement barely contained.

"Hey," I said when he answered, "We have a flight in the morning. We're going to meet Ethan."

He didn't hesitate. "Okay. I guess I should get some sleep then, huh? Unless… you wanted to come over?"

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