Page 50 of What We May Be

“What happens when Sean leaves again?”

Thatwas the million-dollar question. Would she and Trevor crash and burn again? Did they have to with Sean in DC too? They were all leaving, yet all going to the same place. A first. But if they gave it a shot, what happened years from now if something happened to one of them?

“Hey, sis,” Annie said. “Where’d you go?”

Charlie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Trying to find the answers.”

“Good thing you’re an awesome detective. The FBI would be lucky to have you.”

The smile in Annie’s voice both pleased and confused Charlie. “You mean that? You seemed upset with me the other night. About DC and the job.”

“I’m sorry about that,” she said. “I’m doing better since everything, but sometimes the emotions still get the better of me. I got scared about possibly losing you too.”

Like she had Mom, Dad, and Cal.

“Annie—”

“But we can’t let fear hold us back. That’s what my therapist says. We move forward, the best we can.”

Her upbeat certainty helped put Charlie at ease. As did Maggie cutting across the bullpen toward the conference room and flagging her down with a stack of papers. Time to go to work, to be the detective Annie was proud of. “Speaking of moving forward, Maggie just got here and looks like maybe she has something helpful on this case.”

“Go,” Annie said. “I’ll finish up here, then I’ll swing by Trevor’s and throw some stuff in a bag.”

“That’d be great. He’s at the Sand Dollar.”

“I’ll get it to him.”

“Thanks, A.”

“Sure thing, sis. Bye for now.”

Charlie ended the call and slumped in partial relief. At least that conversation had gone well. The nugget of relief evaporated, though, at seeing Sean following in Maggie’s footsteps. Clean-shaven and dressed in a dark suit, she couldn’t deny how well he still wore one.

The case, Henby, focus!

If she wanted any future with Trevor and possibly Sean too, she had to solve this case and get them all on the other side of it—alive.

* * *

Charlie entered the conference room where Sean and Maggie were gathered with the rest of her team. “Talk to me.”

The ME slid a folder across the table. “Tox screen results on Julian confirmed Diprivan. Same as Professor Marshall.”

“Anything else?”

“Clean. He took a shower when he got home, so no fluids or fibers. Unfortunately, I don’t expect much more.”

“Diprivan is a controlled substance?”

Maggie nodded and pushed another document across the table. “I called the manufacturer and got a list of all the recent orders in Hanover and the county.”

Sean peered at the document over her shoulder. “There’s only one buyer. HU Med.”

Charlie’s head shot up, her gaze split between Abel and Maggie. “You don’t think?”

“It’s an anesthetic,” Maggie said.

Sean snagged the list and reviewed it more closely. “What am I missing?”

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