Page 49 of Absent Feeling

Amberlooked at him levelly. “I don’t know. That’s for you to investigate,Detective.”

Shesaw the detective nod. “If there’s anything there to find, I’ll find it.”

Amberwas grateful for that. She didn’t want to leave a loose end behind her when sheleft Guisborough. Amber didn’t like the idea of leaving anything unfinished. Shecouldn’t imagine going back to her life in DC without ensuring that this part wouldbe investigated.

Thequestion now was just what kind of life she was going to go back to in DC. Amberhad spent her time in the hospital thinking about little else while she waited,trying to weigh up what was there for her back home against what she could haveas an agent.

Amberwas still thinking about that when she saw Simon approaching, his jacket overhis shoulder, a bandage wrapped tightly around his right forearm.

“Howbad is it?” Amber asked him.

Simonshrugged. “A few stitches, but it will be fine. It wasn’t as bad as it looked.”

Amberwas grateful for that. She’d been worried when she’d seen Gideon slash at himwith the knife, even though she knew that he was more than capable of takingcare of himself.

“Youdid well on this, Amber,” Simon said. “I was sure that there wasn’t anything inthe inkblots, but you kept going with them. If you hadn’t found the link thatled to him, we might never have found Gideon.”

Hearingthat felt better than Amber could have imagined. There was a satisfaction thatcame from knowing that she’d managed to make a difference, to catch a killer,maybe even to see a dangerous institution investigated further. And that waswhy Amber had come to the decision that she had.

“Simon,I need to ask you something. It’s about Agent Palliser’s offer.”

Simonlooked worried then, staring over at Amber as if he were afraid of what shemight say next.

“Whatdo you need to ask? You aren’t still thinking of saying no, are you?”

“Iwanted to ask … would you still want me as your partner? After all of this?After the way we argued through some of this investigation?” That was the onepart that still worried Amber when it came to Palliser’s offer. She wasn’t surethat she could handle being treated like she didn’t have anything valuable tooffer.

“Arguingis normal,” Simon said. “I’d be more worried if you agreed with me oneverything. We’re always going to come at things from different angles, Amber,but you’re prepared to fight your corner with it, and I respect what you’reable to do.”

“Butwould you still want me as a partner?” Amber asked.

“Ofcourse, I would,” Simon replied. “I think, together, we can stop a lot more badguys. We can save a lot more lives. We have a chance to do something specialhere, Amber. Together.”

Ambernodded. That had been almost exactly what she’d been thinking. Whatever therisks of being an agent, whatever it meant for the rest of her life, therewasn’t any feeling quite like that of having caught a killer, knowing that herskills had made a real, life or death difference. Amber couldn’t let that go.

Shestuck out a hand for Simon to shake. “All right,” she said. “I’m in.”

*

Amberwas glad to be back in DC and even more glad to be out with Joseph on anotherdate. Although that wasn’t exactly easy.

“I’mso sorry that I didn’t tell you before I left,” Amber said, reaching across thetable to take Joseph’s hand.

“Iwould have just liked the chance to go with you,” Joseph replied. “It sounds asthough there was a hell of a story out there.”

“Astory about the FBI catching another killer?” Amber asked. That was the storythat was running across the news channels right now—well, that and a storyabout the fresh investigation the Guisborough PD was conducting into the town’smental hospital. It seemed that Detective Heart was as good as his word.

“Iwas thinking more about a story of the puzzle editor who managed to catch yetanother killer,” Joseph replied. The touch of his hand against Amber’s wasalmost electric.

“I’mnot sure that I am a puzzle editor anymore,” Amber said. “I’ve decided toaccept the offer to work in Agent Palliser’s department. I won’t have any timeto make puzzles for people.”

“Isuspect that puzzles will always be a part of who you are, Amber,” Joseph said.“I couldn’t imagine you never doing another one.”

Ambercouldn’t imagine that either, but now, she had bigger puzzles to focus on,puzzles that involved life and death.

“Wouldyou like to come back to my place?” Amber asked Joseph.

Joseph’shand tightened on hers. “I’d like that a lot, but I can’t tonight. I have astory to file. Harry’s pushing me hard on this. I just wanted to see you whenyou got back.”

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