Page 103 of Black Bird

There were plenty of pointed stares as he hastily exited the elevator and trudged through the precinct to his desk. He had forgotten what he was wearing—and about the blood that was staining both his hands and white shirt. The jacket would only hide so much. He decided to make a B-line for the bathroom to wash up and then proceeded to his desk. The chair didn’t squeak as he sat down and swiveled it toward his monitor. He wiggled around in it, growing irritated and looking beneath the seat.

“Northwood got one over on you, detective.” Captain Foley snickered, causing Athan to jolt back up. “You can thank Jenkins for the oil.”

“Checkmate.” Athan smirked, brushing a hand through his hair.

“I thought I told you to take a few days, my man.” Foley pulled Rhaena’s chair out and sat down.

“I took a couple. Something came up.”

The captain glanced down at the blood still peeping out from beneath his jacket. “So I see. Are you hurt?”

“No, sir … you should see the other guy.” Athan tried to laugh off. Foley didn’t seem to find it amusing. He leaned over Rhaena’s desk.

“Does the other guy also have bullet holes in the back of his jacket?”

He had forgotten about it. Walked in here with too much on his mind and forgotten all about the exit wounds that were clearly visible to everyone. He couldn’t figure out a damn thing to say. Athan tightened his jaw as the captain stared him down.

“You know, Kane … you’ve always been a weird one. You’re one of my best detectives, and way too valuable for me to ever question about whatever kind of life you live outside of this building. I never claimed to be a genius, but I know when shit don’t smell right.”

Athan’s stomach started churning. “Sir—”

“You’re a damn good cop, Kane. Up until this case with that girl … I’ve never had any issues from you. Never asked why you could only work at night. Never told a single person that until here recently, I’d never seen you drink a drop of coffee, or eat a lunch as long as you’ve worked here. Now I can’t keep the coffee stocked when you’re around and I’ve caught you sneaking bites of Northwood’s food, so I know youclearlyhave a death wish.” He smirked. “But how do you expect me to keep thesequestions to myself if you walk in here with exit wounds showing in the back of a tailored suit that no one taught you to wear properly?”

Athan’s eyes dropped to his lap, and he knew he’d regret telling his captain the one thing that would obviously get him thrown off this case. But he couldn’t afford to tell him the truth about what he really was, either. “I love her, sir,” he breathed raggedly. Foley sighed from across the desk. “She’s changed everything.”

“Does she know that?” Foley asked.

“No.”

“Is it gonna stop you from clearing your head enough to solve this case?Anyof this?”

“No, sir.”

Foley leaned back in the seat and Athan raised his head. “Then I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, either. But you need to go home and clean yourself up. Stop making a spectacle of yourself if there’s some secrets you wanna keep to yourself, son.”

Athan nodded in appreciation. “Thank you, Cap.”

Foley stood, pushing the chair back beneath Rhaena’s desk and started to walk away, but paused and turned back to him one last time. “Check your desk drawer. Tread carefully. There are crazier things than the theory I have about you.”

“Do I want to know what that is, sir?” Athan asked.

Foley smiled. “Women.” With that, he turned and walked to the elevator. “Night, detective.”

Athan waited until he was gone and then turned his chair to the slightly cracked desk drawer. His heart sank when he pulled it open and saw a familiar pendant, broken, but a small piece of the stone still intact … a thin silver chain tangled around it. Next to it was a small sticky note. He wasn’t breathing.

“On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.”

Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

“Nevermore …” he whispered, staring at the picture he’d taped into his drawer. It was a silent plea. The words she couldn’t bring herself to ask through all her reservation and the pain he’d caused her. That she wanted him to stay away … that he’d hurt and broken her so badly … but she still loved him and didn’t want him to leave her. The only communication between them that would make little sense to anyone else. That poem. These immortal words. This tether they’d always have to each other that no one would ever understand. It wasn’t the mark. He knew that then. Sarah was his entire dark heart.

A heart that would never beat for anyone else as long as he lived.

CHAPTER 16

INTO OUR OWN HANDS

“I understand if this is too much, and you never want to see me again.” Rhaena sighed, drinking from her beer as she sat in the open hatch of her SUV next to Jenkins. The smell of burning flesh was almost too much for her heightened senses as they both stared at the charring body of the vampire she’d ask him to help remove from the hotel. Her green dress was ruined. Besides Athan, he was the first person she ever considered bringing to the cabin near Concord. The only place she could think to hide the truth. Jenkins was silent next to her, taking a swallow of his own beer and staring off into the flames. “Please say something, Brandon.”

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