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CHAPTER ONE
Roseline hurried along the sidewalk, carefully balancing her coffee cup as she weaved between the morning crowds. The rich aroma of dark roast coffee and the lingering scent of powdered sugar wafted up, but it did little to lift her mood. She took a sip, savoring the taste of her favorite roast from Magnolia Café, before quickening her pace.
Work awaited her, and while Roseline loved her job as a computer forensics investigator, she dreaded dealing with the good old boys’ club at the New Orleans Police Department. They were a bunch of dinosaurs, resentful of any woman in a position of expertise or leadership within the force. And as a specialist in an area most of them knew nothing about—computer forensics—their disdain for her was even greater.
Roseline shook her head, her blond waves brushing against her shoulders. She had to stop letting them get to her. This was her passion, even if it meant working with a bunch of sexist jerks. At least Commander Beckner, the recently appointed head of the NOPD, and her own team respected her skills. She just had to tune out the rest.
As she turned the corner, Roseline took a deep breath, steeling herself for the day ahead. The ornate columned exterior of the NOPD headquarters came into view, rising above the tree line. She paused on the sidewalk, the morning sun glinting off the building’s rows of arched windows.
For a moment, she allowed herself to admire the neoclassical architecture that echoed the French roots of the city she loved so much. The genuine character of New Orleans itself, with its vibrant mix of cultures and creativity, was worth fighting for. Even if that meant battling discrimination day after day within the force sworn to protect it.
With renewed determination, Roseline strode up to the front entrance. She flashed her badge at security and took the elevator up to the second floor. As she navigated the maze of desks in the bullpen, she felt the usual mix of curiosity and thinly veiled disdain thrown her way by the officers going about their morning routines.
Roseline kept her gaze straight ahead, ignoring the muttered comments meant to carry just far enough to reach her ears.
“Well, if it isn’t our official computer nerd reporting for duty,” an older officer sneered.
Roseline clenched her jaw but didn’t respond. Arguing would only make it worse. She maintained her brisk pace toward the back corner of the bullpen, where the Forensics Team had its office space.
Safely inside the unit’s glass-fronted workspace, Roseline breathed a sigh of relief. At least here, she was insulated from the outright hostility and condescension that permeated the rest of the department.
Her teammate and dear friend, Marina LeBlanc, glanced up from her computer station with a sympathetic smile.
“Rough start to the morning?” she asked knowingly.
Roseline just shook her head and gave a wry half-smile in return. She didn’t need to explain. As women in the unit, she and Marina looked out for each other.
Without another word, she went to her small office space and closed the door.
Roseline settled into her office chair and booted up her computer. As she waited for it to start up, she sipped her coffee, hoping the caffeine would help shake off the gloom that had settled over her.
It was always the same old nonsense from the cops out there. After many years in this unit, she’d think they would show her at least a little professional courtesy, but no such luck. The boys’ club was alive and well in the NOPD, that’s for sure.
With a sigh, Roseline logged into her computer and pulled up the case files she had been reviewing the day before. At least with her head down in work, she could avoid thinking about negative jerks.
Roseline glanced at the time in the corner of her monitor. Still a bit early, but she could use a friendly voice right about now. She pulled up the video chat app and called her Hayden Hatcher.
After a few rings, her friend’s smiling face appeared on the screen. Hayden’s wavy hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her bright face lightened the screen.
“Rosie! Good morning,” Hayden said warmly. “How’s my best girl doing down there in the Big Easy?”
Despite the gloom, Roseline couldn’t help but smile at the nickname. Hayden had been calling her that since their first law enforcement conference years ago when they had bonded over being two of the only women in attendance.
“Oh, you know, same old nonsense around here,” Roseline said, keeping her tone light. She gave Hayden a quick rundown of the latest news and the usual morning encounters.
Hayden’s mouth twisted sympathetically. “I’m sorry, hon. I know it’s got to be exhausting dealing with that day in and day out.”
“It really is,” Roseline admitted. She felt herself relaxing slightly just being able to vent about it. “I mean, I love the work itself, but I just feel so...”
“Isolated?” Hayden supplied gently.
Roseline nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “Yeah. Like I’m on my own little island out here while the rest of the department is on another planet entirely. Apart from my immediate colleagues, of course.”
“Have you thought any more about transferring to another unit?” Hayden asked. “Might help to get a fresh start somewhere new.”
“Maybe eventually. But I’ve invested so much in building my expertise here, it would feel like starting over from scratch.” Roseline leaned back in her chair with a sigh. “I just need to make more of an effort in my personal life, I guess. Meet some new people outside of work, so I don’t feel so alone.”
Hayden nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! In fact—” She leaned toward the camera conspiratorially. “What about that new detective you told me about? The cute one from up north?”
