My heart twists and I look back at the photo. I’m sitting on the roof of the pier, my hair caught in the wind as the sun reflects off the sea behind me. My gaze is slightly off center because I’m not looking at the camera, I’m looking at Flynn.
I started caring for my gran when I was fifteen, I’m not sure I remember ever being as carefree as I look in this photo. That day on the pier, I could almost pretend we were just a normal couple. That it’s completely fine that Flynn makes my heart race every time he smiles, that all I want to do is kiss him stupid and spend all day hearing his god-awful jokes. I could almost believe that I was just a girl and he was just a boy. Not a man on the run from the police.
I now pronounce you murderer and accomplice.
Not exactly how a wedding is supposed to go. I click the screen off and the photo disappears.
“Am I bad person?” I ask, staring at my reflection in the black screen.
“What? Of course not.”
I hop off the filing cabinet and spin around to face them both. “I’m serious, Wright. Because a good person would have turned him in by now. A good person wouldn’t be helping him find evidence against his nextvictim.A good person wouldn’t be falling in—” I clamp my lips together but it’s too late.
Wright looks at me, her lips parted and her eyes gentle. “Wouldn’t be falling in love with him?”
Tears sting my eyes and I press myself back up against the wall. “I can’t love him. Ican’t.”
Wright and Olivia share a look. “But do you?”Livi signs.
I sink down the wall till I’m sitting with my knees to my chest. I can’t bring myself to say the words, but I nod, my heart tearing itself in two.
“Has he ever hurt you?”
I shake my head.
“Has he ever hurt anyone who hasn’t hurt other people worse?”
I think of what those men did to Hope and shake my head again.
Wright slips off the filing cabinet and sits next to me on the floor. She takes my hands and I rest my head on her shoulder. “You’re not a bad person, Hazel. You just love someone a little morally gray.”
“How is this supposed to work?” I hiccup. “The entire Seattle police force is looking for him.”
Livi joins us on the floor. “It’s been three weeks andthey haven’t found him yet.”
“So, what, we just carry on sneaking around and hoping no one recognizes him?”
Dear Agony Aunt, my boyfriend’s a serial killer and I want to show him off in public, what do I do?
Wright squeezes my hand. “Honestly, Hazel, I don’t know. Maybe you just let it happen. If it’s meant to be, you’ll figure it out.”
“We do get to meet him though, right?”
I snort and lift my head to look at Livi. “You want to meet the serial killer?”
“Yes. One hundred percent yes.” Olivia’s voice is so serious both Wright and I laugh. I’m not sure she’s ever spoken at work before and the fact that wanting to meet my serial killer boyfriend is the thing that got her talking only makes me laugh harder.
We’re still in fits of giggles when there’s a knock and the door cracks open.
Detective Derek smirks down at us. “Figured I’d find you all in here. You know most people go to the break room for their break. Hence the name.”
“Ah but why would we do that when we have this tiny, dark room to squeeze into?” Wright quips.
Derek rolls his eyes. “You make a fine point.” He shifts his attention to me. “Hazel, can we have a word?” He glances at Livi and Wright. “In private.”
I hold back my sigh because I knew this was coming. Derek hasn’t spoken to me since he stood me up for coffee two weeks ago. I could say no, but honestly, he’s a decent guy and he did message to let me know he wasn’t going to make it. “Sure,” I say, getting up off the floor and brushing off my jeans.
I follow him through the dispatch desks and out into the aforementioned break room which is basically just a smallkitchen with a microwave, a coffee machine, and a couple of tables.
