Page 30 of Sinful Deception

“Chief Mayet?” Justin’s booming voice rockets across the lobby and brings me around a little too fast, my feet sliding onthe shiny tile and my heart throbbing as momentary panic zings through my blood. “Come with me.”

“Success!” I spare a last glance for the receptionist. “See? I told you he was expecting me.” I don’t give her time to respond—shit, maybe she had no plans to—because I take off across the shimmering floor and pray I don’t fall on my ass. “Mayor. Thank you for seeing me.”

“Don’t fool yourself for a single second thinking I believe your act. You’re not here for a friendly visit, Doctor Mayet. Which means you have a reason for imposing on my office. And considering you’ve never done so in the past, I’m led to wonder if it’s not me you’re here to see at all.” He taps the elevator call button and steps in when the doors immediately open. Then, backing up and selecting the eleventh floor—noted for the future—he stares down at me from the corner of his eyes. “I’m aware of Detective Fletcher’s loss, Chief. Just as I’m aware of Seraphina’s presence at the hospital at the time of Ms. Watson’s death.”

“She came into work today, even when she had an enormously valid reason to take the day off.”

“And because of her need to distract herself with work, you’ve decided to crash her office and pick a fight?”

“I’m not here to fight with her! I’m here to check in and make sure she’s okay. Besides,” I follow him out when the doors open to slick marble flooring. “Who are you to even speak of her? You stole her from me. She’s mine!”

“She could not have been stolen, had she been content where she was. This is the nature of the beast, Chief.” He bustles past a heavy wooden desk, its contents placed so meticulously, I wonder if it’s Fifi’s. But then he strolls through a door and holds it open for me to pass.

It’s the king hoo-haa’s inner sanctum.

Windows, somewhat similar to mine, looking over the city, though his don’t go all the way to the floor. Three of his fourwalls contain built-in bookshelves, and in the center of the room is a massive desk one could sleep on—with four of their closest friends and still have spare room—if only they didn’t mind how hard the surface was.

He circles his desk and unbuttons his jacket as he sits, but then he gestures to the visitor’s chair and watches with shark-like eyes as I come around and lower down.

His guest chair is legions more comfortable than mine.

“If Ms. Lewis was happy in her current position, she would have declined my offers,” he explains carefully. “Considering she did not, implies she was not stolen at all. She was simply offered something better.”

“You stole.” I fold my arms and sneer because I have nothing more intelligent to say. “She was mine, and I was happy to let you talk to her sometimes. But then you went ahead and took advantage of my generosity.”

“Your generosity?” He laughs. “You poked at her every damn day since you’ve held your position. The days you backed off, those who came looking for you poked at her because you refused to take a phone call. Ultimately, Doctor Mayet, your office is a wing coming off mine. Which means she was always my employee. I simply allowed you to borrow her for a year until I found a better fit for her. Now tell me.” He places his elbows on his desk and leans forward. “What will come for Seraphina and Detective Fletcher now that Ms. Watson has passed?”

“Are you asking if they’ll jump into bed now that she’s kicked the bucket?”

“No.” He doesn’t roll his eyes. But damn, I’m quite certain he wants to. “I mean, it’s obvious to us both that Seraphina accepted the position within my officeonlyaftera falling out between her and Detective Fletcher. I’m aware of her desire to create space between herself and the police force. But yesterday, she broke that vow of distance to be at the hospital for a friend,and soon after, she witnessed a woman’s death. What comes next?”

“A funeral?”

“Chief Mayet!” Finally, perhaps for the first time ever, he loses his patience with me. “You don’t want my concern, but you will receive it anyway. Just as Ms. Lewis does. Oddly, you share a similar personality trait in that both of you refuse to speak about your true feelings and instead, prefer avoidance and snark to get through. Ms. Lewis is at work today when she could be at home. Or with Detective Fletcher and his daughter. She wears a fake smile so convincing, most of her colleagues have yet to notice a difference.”

“But you do.” Sighing, I cross one leg over the other and look down at my lap. “You notice because you’re a glutton for punishment, and you enjoy collecting these emotionally scarred women to take care of. I’m not sure,” I finally answer, bringing my gaze up again. “I don’t know what’s next, but I know she’s going to choose avoidance, and avoidance will ultimately bring her more pain in the future. That’s why I’m here, so one emotionally damaged woman can hopefully help another.”

“By sneaking onto her floor and bombarding her at her desk?”

“What else do you suggest I do? She’s unlikely to take my calls, and even if she did, she’d tell me she’s fine and that I should pay attention to Fletch.”

“Why don’t you?” He sits back now, fixing his jacket and placing his hands in his lap. “Detective Fletcher is clearly in need of his friends today. Why are you not there?”

“I’ll go there soon, and Aubree will be there even sooner than that. Cato is probably already there because he’s not letting Mia out of his sight till she’s able to stop crying for her mother. And Archer is just tying up loose ends at the station, but after that,he’ll be with his friend. With that base covered, I wanted to ensure Fifi is, too.”

“She went out on a limb by being at the hospital yesterday.”

“Yes.” I draw a deep breath and stop only when my chest expands. “She did. She was extremely brave for being there, for a woman who, by all accounts, made her life kinda miserable, and to support a man who, when they were last alone, emotionally tore her to shreds. She loves his little girl, which is no small deal, considering she likes no other, and when Fletch hurt her that time, she gave up the child in hopes to save Mia from future heartache. She’s been through a myriad of pain and torment these last few months, and now she’s watched not only Jada die, but Fletch fall apart. These are the reasons I’m here today.”

“To hug her?”

“What? No. Neither of us likes to touch others. It’s weird.”

A sly smile curls up. “Uh-huh. So you came to pat her head and chantthere there? I’m sure that will help.”

“Ignoring her will help less,” I snarl. “You mock me when I’m clearly stepping out of my comfort zone to help a friend.”

“Not mocking,” he chuckles. “Merely documenting for future study. And now that we’ve covered all that, you expect me to send you to her office and just… let you have at it? Shout at her a little bit, followed by those taps on the head?”

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