Page 52 of Cipher

Bex’s expression softened, but the strength beneath it remained. “I will always choose us. You can trust that.”

21

BEX

Iwalked into the sheriff’s department Monday morning under more security than I’d ever carried to a regular shift. Black Castle’s independent mirror was recording every system action, while Wraith and Smoke were close enough to reach me without making the sheriff’s department look like it was occupied by an armed motorcycle club.

Corbin had walked me through the safeguards this morning before I left, driven to the office by a driver Black Castle sent over. I was as protected as they could make me without being stuck in the house.

I was happy to be back at work, but it still felt strange to badge in and head for my console like this was any other day. And judging by the atmosphere in dispatch, I wasn’t the only one feeling off.

Everyone knew something serious had happened with Nina’s call and the lockdown that followed; they just didn’t know how deep it ran. Hopefully me being back would shake something loose soon.

I logged in, adjusted my headset, and pulled up the current board. Routine traffic moved across the screen, and I settled into the rhythm the way I always had, doing my best to ignore the awareness that every action I took was being mirrored somewhere Corbin could see. I was darn good at my job, so it shouldn’t matter who listened in.

This was what I’d argued for. Now I had to prove it was worth the risk.

A few hours into my shift, a familiar voice cut through the low radio chatter.

“Look who they finally let back in.”

I glanced up and found Seth standing near my console. “Hey, Deputy Pritchard. Miss me?”

“Say it with me, Bex.” He paused before slowly sounding out, “Seth.”

“Fine, since I’ll be done with my probationary period soon and have known you almost forever…good morning, Seth.”

“Much better. And I did miss you. Dispatch runs smoother when you’re on the board.” He nodded at the screen. “How’s it feel being back?”

“Busy.” I answered a status check from a unit, logged it, then looked back at him. “You on days this rotation?”

“For now.” He stayed where he was, his gaze drifting to my console again. “Heard the system’s locked down pretty tight after everything with that call you took a couple of weeks ago.”

“Seems that way.”

He took a sip of coffee, still watching the screen. Then he asked, “You still have that handwritten note you took while the call was coming in?”

The question surprised me since my father had deliberately kept that paper out of general discussion. It was the only surviving record that hadn't been erased, and only a handful of people were supposed to know it existed at all. There was a slim chance Seth was one of them, but I couldn’t be certain until I talked to my dad or Corbin.

“Nope, I handed it over when I was debriefed. You know how those things go.”

“I sure do.” He flashed me a smile. “It was quick thinking on your part to jot it all down while everything was fresh in your head. A great example of why dispatch runs smoother when you’re here.”

I forced myself to smile back, even though questions were swirling in my head. “Thanks, Seth. That means a lot coming from you.”

He stayed another minute before saying goodbye.

I finished the next two calls on autopilot, counting down the minutes to my break. When it finally came, I stepped into the women’s restroom, made sure all the stalls were empty, pulled out the phone Corbin had given me, and called him.

He answered on the first ring. “Bex.”

“Seth Pritchard just asked if I still had the handwritten note from Nina’s call,” I announced before giving him a replay over our entire interaction.

“You’re on break?”

“Yeah, I ducked into the bathroom so nobody would hear me.”

“Stay put,” he ordered. “Wraith is going to come and take you down to your father’s office.”