Page 54 of Sinful Deception

Doctor Patten is worried because that was her team member, on her shift, and that makes it her responsibility. But she’ll be okay, too, because work calms her thoughts, and Chase’s abundance of positivity keeps the whole team centered.

Aubree’s with me, and not Fletch, because she knows I’ll worry for PattenandChase, so she’s doing what she does. Mothering me, fetching my coffee, and working a shift, because normalcy is something we all crave.

“The police have not yet made an arrest following Jada Watson’s death.” Tiffany Hewitt is a much more palatable reporter, as far as I’m concerned, speaking from the front steps of the Midtown police station and flashing Jada’s youthful face—a photograph from her dancing days—on the screen. “Once an award-winning performer,” Tiffany continues while I sip my coffee in the lunchroom.

Totally nonchalant.

Completely uninvested in the story that is everything our lives are made up of now.

“I’ve attempted to gather a statement from Detectives Elen and Balladae, but they maintain they cannot, and will not, comment on an ongoing investigation. Those of us down at Channel Nine respect the investigators’ stance on this in the spirit of not hampering what could be a closure in the near future. But wewillbe here waiting, and we will break this story the moment answers arrive.”

“I could never be a reporter.” Aubree hides behind the lip of her mug. Though she’s too bright—her hair, her eyes, and most noticeably, her rainbow knee-high socks—to hide behind anything. “I enjoy being up in your business. And Tim’s. And even Fifi’s. But to poke my head in on people I don’t even know? To get in faces and demand information I have no right to?” She shakes her head. “It’s not for me.”

“I guess there’s a person for every job. Not everyone could be a medical examiner.” While Tiffany chatters about something else on the news and the weather update is being teased, I think of Archer. My mean-mugging, mafia baby who considers himself pretty bad, but gags at the idea of pulling a man’s tongue down through his jaw. “I couldn’t be a cop. There’s way too much talking to other people.”

“And I doubt Miranda London could survive working in a cubicle, since she feeds on the energy of flashing cameras and professional make-up artists.” She grins and looks up at the TV when the news jumps to New York. Something about a high-profile case. A missing person.

I make a pointnotto pay attention to the details, because my brain is already full with Doctor Chase, Doctor Patten, and Detective Fletcher.

“Tim keeps sending me realty listings,” she murmurs, looking down at the toes of her platform boots. “He really thinks living together could be a good idea.”

“You’re already living together. He’s just asking for more space now that he’s a kept man.”

“Sleeping over at the bar isnotthe same as buying a whole ass house!Youalready have a house, and you haven’t slept in it a single time. So don’t act like you’re any better for preferring the status quo.”

“I’ve pretended nothing.” I glance up when a familiar New York reporter’s face pops onto the screen. But I drop my gaze again. I refuse to watch. I refuse to become invested in a missing person’s case on the other side of the country. “I said all along that I would stay in my apartment. Archer knows this and acted accordingly. At no point have I agreed to move intoa house just because we happen to own one.”

“Mmhm.” She digs her beeping phone out of her pocket and reads the screen, only to huff and turn the phone to show me. “See! Seven bedrooms, Mayet.Seven! A three-story home on the hills with anexpansive garden,” she mocks the words, “an entertainer’s kitchen, a putting green for thegolf enthusiast, and space for a pool if a buyer were so inclined.”

“A putting green?” My lips curl into an odd smile. “I don’t see Tim as the golfing type.”

“He’s not! And he doesn’t want a pool either, but he’s showing me this stuff like it’s totally normal to spend,” she checks the screen and gnashes her teeth, “Nearly two million dollars.” She squeezes the phone in her palm. “Twomillion,Minka! And you know he’s not getting a mortgage with that. He’s just gonna spend all that cash like it’s no big deal.”

“Sounds to me like you’re rich adjacent.” Snickering, I push away from the counter when a woman steps in front of the New York cameras and cries for her missing family member.I have no space for that in my life right now, so I stalk out of the lunchroom, pleased when Aubree’s heavy boots thud in follow. “I recall countless days where you were incapable of empathizing with me on this very subject, Doctor Emeri.”

“Don’t youDoctor Emerime. Your money woes were fodder for a good laugh. How does that make me a bad person?”

“Not a bad person.” I stride into my office and release the door, so Aubree is forced to catch it. “But it sure is humorous. I expressed a dissatisfaction with certain spending habits over this past year, and your contribution to the conversation was to mock me. Now yourhusbandwants to buy you a house, a golf course, and the idea of a pool, with cash, and suddenly we’re no longer allowed to tease?”

“You’re being unhelpful.” She plops into my visitor chair and harrumphs until she creates a double chin. “I’m not ready to move into a house and make all this…” She waves her hand. “Ya know?Officialofficial.”

“It’s already official. The documents have been signed.”

“I know! But they go mostly unspoken, so I can pretend what I want to pretend, and he can pretend what he wants. We get along, and the apartment is fine for now. There’s no need for seven bedrooms and a possible future pool. That’s all I’m saying!”

“Unless he wants to fill those rooms with babies.” I poke a finger into my mouth and faux-gag as I sit and give my computer mouse a little jiggle. Instantly, the screen fires to life. “He wants baaaaaabies, Aubree Grace. And you’re the sucker who has to give them to him.”

“I could go trap more stray cats and give those to him, right? I could get six, so each room is occupied. Besides! You and Archer have been togetherwaylonger! Where are your babies?”

I snort and do the gagging thing again. “Must I repeat myself? Archer and I are a long way off from discussing kids.Like, alongway,” I emphasize. “He’s not even asking about it, except for the one time he considered childbirth for a person with hemophilia. We’re only a year intothis, and it’s gonna be several more before we slow down and consider adding to what we have.”

“So then I can take a few years.” She rolls her bottom lip. “My answer can always be,‘Minka and Archer are a year ahead of us. If they haven’t moved into their house yet, we definitely don’t have to.’”

“Sure. If you want to base your entire relationship on what I’m doing in mine.” I scan my emails to make certain none are overwhelmingly in need of attentionnow. Then I check my phone screen for the same reasons. “You and Tim are you and Tim. You could walk your own journey.”

“You’re just saying that so I can’t use you as a crutch.” She drops her head back and groans. “I’m gonna demand a real wedding first. One where I actually get to sayI do. He stole that from me last time.”

“Do that.” I swipe across to my texts and find Archer’s rocks. Because he loves me. Because he’s not working today, and that means he misses me more than usual. “I’ll probably even show up. Ya know, seeing as how he’s my brother-in-law and all that.”

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