Page 12 of The Butterfly Killer

“Close it.”

Marcus did. His heart sunk as he started to think this was really bad if Chief was sitting down. He only delivered bad news when he decided to sit down. Otherwise, he’d tell you out right in the middle of the room where everyone could hear.

“Sit down,” Chief ordered.

Marcus didn’t think twice about it. He sat his ass in the uncomfortable leather chair in front of Chief’s desk.

Chief ran his fingers over his short beard.

“I know how important the Butterfly Killer case is for you.”

Marcus inwardly cringed. This could not be good. Chief rarely brought up Marcus’s connection to the butterfly case. He made sure anything personal was left at the department’s door when officers walked in. It was an unsaid policy that “feelings” and “emotions” were not tolerated.

“However,”—Chief leaned forward and placed his clasped hands on the desk—“that does not give you permission to impede on the investigation.”

Marcus gaped. “But I?—”

Chief held up his hand. “I got a formal complaint from Detective Blevins that you not only started looking at the Calloway residence without permission, but you also werehanging around the room reserved for the FBI agents on the case.”

“Sir, may I explain?”

Chief sighed as he tapped his fingers. “Before you do, I want to make myself clear. I value your work. You are one of the most upstanding police officers this department has seen. You alone make the district look good. But I won’t tolerate this behavior. It could jeopardize the whole case.”

Marcus felt like he’d been shot in the gut. It took a lot of power for him to take his next breath. His hands were clammy when he opened his mouth.

“I will apologize for overstepping at the Calloway residence,” he said, pausing. “I didn’t mean anything by it. And it was Agent Mercer who asked me to make copies of the case file for him.”

He left out that he’d been stalking the outside of the room, but that wasn’t a crime. He could have just been going to the bathroom—as he made up to explain to Mercer.

Chief gave him a doubtful look like he knew Marcus was leaving out something. He didn’t mention it though.

“You should apologize to Blevins too. He’s been yapping about it all morning to anyone who will listen.”

Marcus took that as permission to leave. He shot out of the chair, already knowing he wasn’t going to say jack shit to Blevins.

He was about to head out the door when chief stopped him.

“Oh and thank Patrice for the coffee this morning. He mentioned you need a new desk.”

Marcus hid his horrified look with an awkward smile. “S-Sure.”

Chief quirked an eyebrow. “He is a friend of yours, isn’t he?”

Marcus nodded, his smile going tight.

Chief nodded and that was Marcus’s queu to get the fuck out of there.

When he saw Patrice again, he was going to tear him a new one.

He made it a couple feet out of the office when Blevins decided to show up and make his day even worse.

Marcus started to walk faster and hoped Blevins would take a hint to leave him alone, but he already knew he was done for.

“Well, well…” Blevins sounded like a villain character from a cartoon. “Chief had a talk with you, didn’t he? Are you going to stop meddling in others’s work?”

Marcus gave him a dark look. He tried to walk by Blevins, but the detective stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

“What do you want, Blevins?” He gave the detective a tired look. He couldn’t believe he thought about sharing what he thought about the case with the man. Of course Blevins would laugh in his face and call him crazy.

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