Chapter 15
862 Words
15
“So, how did I do?” Lilith asked with a cheeky grin.
Samantha chuckled as she watched the two teenagers loiter through the park like nothing happened. Just like Lilith had predicted, Scotty came by after a short while and he seemed fine. It only took Elliot a single apology for the two to make up and return to whatever teens did.
She shook her head, not able to hide her smile. “You know you did amazing.”
“Damn right, I did.” Lilith pumped her fist in the air, the triumph making her eyes sparkle. “We make a good team.”
“We do.”
With one last glance to make sure the boys were okay, Samantha and Lilith made their way to the exit. A gentle breeze played with the trees and leaves, the soft rustle soothing.
Before they left, Lilith turned to Sam. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“For sticking by me.”
Samantha snorted. “Like I could get rid of you.”
The other woman looped her arm through hers and pulled her along. “You’re stuck with me.”
“That’s what I feared.”
“Please. You love having me around,” Lilith joked.
Sam hummed to avoid admitting that was true and pulled her phone from her pocket.
“Hang on,” Sam muttered, pausing to read her new message.
“Everything okay?” Lilith asked.
Samantha quickly locked her phone and shoved it back in her jacket. “Yeah, yeah, everything is fine. Nothing important. Or at least, nothing that can’t wait.”
It didn’t look like the other woman believed her, but Lilith didn’t press the issue. “Alright then. Hey, you never told me what you were doing at the police station earlier?“
“What? Oh, that. That was about the two bodies we found. Did I tell you I spoke to Finnegan Fickle?”
“No, how did it go?”
“It was… interesting. Fickle admitted to one of the murders. The man. He called him Oliver, said I was welcome to check the contracts and what not.”
“And did you?”
“Did I what?”
“Check the contracts?”
“No, I had to get out there. He gave me the creeps.”
“Hmmm… And the woman?”
“That’s the strange part. He didn’t have any problem admitting to the man’s death. Actually, he boasted about it. But he denied any involvement with the woman. I’ve been thinking about it but it makes no sense to me. Either he killed her but it’s personal so he doesn’t want to admit it or—”
“He didn’t do it.”
“Exactly. Something doesn’t add up.”
They turned the corner and made their way down the street, the pleasant evening sun warming their backs. Samantha stopped in her track, her jaw tensing. “Don’t burn the bodies yet.”
“I…” Hesitation flashed through Lilith’s eyes. “It might all be nothing.”
“It might. Or there’s something strange going on. I checked the missing reports and found no information on any of the bodies. I know this is a Nox affair, but they’re still humans. Why has nobody reported them missing?”
Lilith shrugged. “No idea.”
“Just give me some more time. I’ll figure out what’s going on.”
“I don’t know…”
“Let’s brainstorm at mine and if none of my theories convince you, I’ll drop it.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Alright then,” Lilith replied. “To yours.”
“Great. I really think—”
Sam’s cell chimed again, interrupting her. She shot Lilith an apologetic look and wrestled her coat for her phone.
So demanding, Sam thought. She brought the phone back to the designated pocket but it kept pinging.
Sam chewed her lip. This was starting to sound worrisome.
“You sure everything is okay?” Lilith asked carefully. “Someone seems to really want your attention.”
Before Sam could answer, another message rolled in.
Sam shrieked and shoved her phone away. s**t. She didn’t want Catalina to show up at her place when she was there with Lilith. Despite the two women knowing each other, Sam suspected that would be guaranteed trouble.
Lilith shot her another suspicious look, her forehead wrinkled quizzically.
“Nothing, I just remembered I have something to go deal with. Why don’t we meet at the morgue later so I can inspect the victims in the daylight,” Sam rambled. She didn’t like lying to her companion, but how would she explain the strange errand she was running for Catalina without telling her she’d visited Gravitas territory? Somehow, she didn’t think Lilith would understand why she’d kept it a secret. Sam herself wasn’t entirely sure why she had.
Lilith shot her a strange look. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing!” she exclaimed, far too loudly and quickly. She snapped her mouth shut, annoyed at how flustered she was. She was trained to have her emotions in check and yet when it came to Lilith, she was like a headless chicken.
She tightened her jacket as she darted backwards. She didn’t know if that was the right way to her house, but it didn’t matter. She just needed to get away from Lilith before she figured out what Sam was keeping from her.
“We’ll meet later at the morgue, okay?” she babbled, almost tripping over someone else’s feet.
“But you don’t even know the address?”
“Text it to me!” Sam shouted as she bumped into a trash can.
Lilith winced in her place. “Ouch. Are you okay?”
“Fine! I’m fine!”
Before she could make an even bigger fool of herself, she darted off. Probably for the best. Who knew what other dangerous thoughts she’d get from being so close to Lilith.
- Writer
