AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Are you joking?"she asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
"Nope," he replied with a grin."I know this great pancake place nearby, and they're open twenty-four hours a day.Wanna go?"
She hesitated, torn between exhaustion and the desire to spend more time with Finn.Sensing her indecision, he added gently, "I get it—you must be wiped out.What about Friday night, then?"
A smile tugged at the corners of Sheila's lips, and she couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her chest.He was talking about a date—there was no question about it.
"Sure," she said."Friday night it is."
"Great," Finn said, his own smile widening."I'll pick you up at eight."
As they stood there, surrounded by the chaos of the crime scene, Sheila marveled at how easily Finn had managed to bring a sense of normalcy back into her life.For the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to look forward to something other than her ambitions.
The glow of red and blue lights flickered across Finn's face as he stared at Sheila."You did a great job tonight, you know," he said, his voice gentle against the cacophony of police radios and sirens.
"Thank you," she replied softly, her gaze locked on his.His eyes seemed to hold a world of secrets, and she found herself more drawn to him than ever before.It wasn't just the adrenaline from their harrowing night—it was the way he cared about her well-being, the way he'd done everything he could to keep her safe, first by urging her not to enter the house alone and then by choosing to stay in the house after the other police officers had left.Her respect for him had grown immensely during this investigation, and she couldn't wait to work alongside him more often in the future.
"Well," he said, "I'm going to hit the hay.You need a ride home?"
She hesitated.As much as she would have liked to accept the offer, she didn't want to come across as too eager.Besides, after everything that had happened over the past few hours, she felt raw and vulnerable, and the last thing she wanted to complicate their working relationship by diving headfirst into a romantic one.
"That's okay," she said."I'll call an Uber.I'm going to sit here for a little while, just absorb everything that's happened."
He studied her for a few seconds in thoughtful silence.Then he nodded."As you wish, Sheila.Well...have a good night."
"Goodnight, Finn."
She watched him go, a twinge of regret and longing filling her chest.She was looking forward to seeing Finn again on Friday night.It had been so long since she'd gone on a date, since she'd allowed herself to let her guard down and feel something for someone else, that she didn't know what to do with the feeling of anticipation.
Here's to a new future,she thought, nodding to herself.A new life.
EPILOGUE
"Seriously, Doug," Sheila said, her phone pressed tightly against her ear, "I just don't understand why the warden wouldn't let me talk to Rayland Bax.There has to be something going on."
As she spoke, she paced across her bedroom floor, her steely gaze scanning the street outside.The morning sun cast a warm glow on her face, but did little to ease the frustration boiling inside her.
Doug Fallow, an old friend of her father's, sighed heavily on the other end of the line.Sheila could practically hear him running his hand through what little hair he had left."I know, Sheila, it doesn't make any sense.But I was able to get in touch with some folks at Blackridge Penitentiary, and they're working on finding out what's going on."
"I appreciate that, Doug," Sheila said, clenching her fists as she continued to pace.She felt like a caged animal, desperate for answers and unable to escape the confines of her small apartment."But I need something concrete.My mom deserves justice, and if Rayland is involved with her murder somehow, I need to know."
"Of course, kiddo," Doug replied, his voice softening."You've got every right to want the truth.It's just…well, it's complicated."
"Complicated?What does that mean?"
He sighed again."I'm really not supposed to be talking about this.You're not even on the force."
"I'm in training to be.Besides, this is about my mother.Can't you bend the rules a little?"
"It's not that simple."
"Why not?"
He chuckled."I can't really explain that without telling you everything."
"So tell me everything."
"And I thought your father was stubborn," he muttered.
