Page 16 of Monsters

“Fine,” I said, nodding, feeling the situation slipping from my grasp. Absently opening the desk drawer, I reached for my pen. Instead, I was pricked by something sharp.

“Ouch!” I muttered turning my gaze to the culprit.

A single rose lay on top of my organized stationary, its stem covered in razor-sharp thorns. A Post-it note was positioned under it, a message scrawled across it.

Shh!

Mason had been in here, snooping around my space, making his presence known. I slammed the drawer closed before anyone else noticed. My finger pad beaded with blood, and I snatched a tissue from the box located at the front of my desk.

“Are you okay?” Walsh asked again, this time with a bemused smile. My continually odd behavior was raising her suspicions.

“I’m fine.”

“Yes, you say that a lot. Your behavior tells me otherwise.”

“Look, I will assist you in any way I can,” I placated. “And I’ll contact you if need be. But for now…” I stood up and smoothed my skirt, “… I do have to attend to another pressing issue, and that’s our overnight break-in.”

The Detectives didn’t move.

“Was anything stolen?”

“Ahh…” I rubbed my temple in suppressed frustration. “No. Just vandalized.”

“Seems like a dangerous mission to break into an institution such as this just to destroy someone’s work.”

My patience was up.

“Detective Walsh, people do crazy things without a second thought. Especially when it’s personal.”

She gave a knowing smile, one I found overly patronizing. “Yes, yes they do, Ms. Sinclair.”

They both stood and made to leave before Walsh stopped by the door. “Just remember, hate-fueled crimes of the personal nature are often the worst.”

---