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Knowing I’ll probably regret asking, I go in anyway. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she clips.
With an internal groan, I cross my arms. “We’re not going to get anywhere unless you’re honest with me.”
Her eyes snap to mine. “Honesty. All right.” She clicks her kit closed and stands. “I saw Sadie today.”
Avery has a punch like a damn wrecking ball.
“Whatever your hang-up is,” she continues. “You need to get over it. We need her working this case.”
Speechless, I turn away, trying to collect my thoughts. Within the seconds it takes me to wrap my head around her accusation, Avery is already marching down the alley. Hell. I take off, picking up my pace once I pass the unis.
“Mind elaborating just a bit,” I say as I fall into step with her.
“Not really. I think it’s pretty straightforward.”
She turns the corner around the building, and I’m right behind her. “Stop for a minute.”
Surprisingly, she does. She doesn’t look at me, but I can tell by the rise and fall of her shoulders that she’s upset. I proceed with caution.
“I know you and Sadie are close, but you’ve never gotten irate over any of my and Sadie’s disagreements before. And there’s been plenty.” When she doesn’t respond, I move in front of her. “So is it me? Did I say or do something wrong last night?”
The corner of her mouth hikes. “Men. So vain. Even you, Quinn. If I take issue and call out some bullshit on the job, then it has to be something you’ve done, right?”
I step toward her, my tone lighter. “But you are calling out the bullshit on me. So yeah, I think it’s a logical leap.” I can’t help the smile twitching at my lips.
Avery’s forehead creases, her lips purse. “Well…okay. Anyway. I would just feel better if Sadie were here also.”
“Me, too,” I admit. This gets a raised eyebrow from her. “But that’s beside the point. You’re holding something back—something that’s eating at you.”
“Damn,” she mutters. “Anyone ever tell you that human lie detector thing kind of makes you an asshole?”
I smirk. “Only all the time.”
Wiping her hand across her forehead, Avery leans her back against the building. She looks up at me. “I think I’m in trouble.”
The faces of every guy I’ve seen her with over the past couple of days flashes before my eyes. I’m mentally beating the shit out of each one, as I demand, “Who is it?”
“What?” She squints. “No. Nothing personal. God, not that.” She bites the corner of her bottom lip, and that action does something to me. I draw closer to her, unable to deny the pull. “I would’ve told you sooner, but I was shaken. I already sent the sample to forensics, though. I’ll have more information tomorrow.”
“Then just tell me,” I say, my patience wearing thin.
She licks her lips, hesitant. “I may’ve found—no. I did find a good amount of ambrein in the vic’s system.”
My shoulders tense. I get closer, lowering my voice. “Your drug. The one you developed?”
She nods. “I didn’t get a chance to analyze it, but I know the compound was mine. Partially, anyway. It had been altered.”
“Altered into what?” My hands lock into fists inside my trench coat pockets.
“I don’t know.” As her eyes search mine, I spot real fear in hers. Not the panicked terror I witnessed in her brown irises that night on The Countess. But the kind of anxiety that makes you question yourself. “All I know is that you were right. I might’ve inadvertently given the wrong people the cocktail. If these women are connected, and this vic has the same compound in her system…I don’t know what it means. But I might know who’s responsible, Quinn.”
Real fucking fear plows through me. “Have you told anyone else?”
“Just Sadie,” she says quickly.
A stab of pain spasms beneath my ribs. I shuffle around my pocket and pull out an empty roll of antacids. “Sadie,” I repeat. I need to get ahead of this. If Avery is somehow mixed up with some bad people, I don’t need Sadie going all vigilante.
