Tempting Boundaries

Six: A breakthrough

The next day, I was still thinking about the case when I arrived at the precinct. Tyson was already there, flipping through a file with a thoughtful expression on his face. As I sat down, he looked up, raising an eyebrow.

“You look like you’ve got something on your mind,” he observed.

I nodded, biting my lip. “I just can’t shake the feeling that Haines might have done something to his wife and kid. The way his friend talked about him, the anger in his voice... I don’t know, Tyson. It doesn’t feel right.”

“You’re not the only one,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “This whole thing stinks. But we’ll get to the bottom of it. We always do.”

His confidence was reassuring, but I couldn’t help the unease that settled in my stomach. As much as I wanted to believe we’d find Haines’ wife and child alive, I couldn’t ignore the possibility that we were already too late.

Our conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. I looked up to see Emily Dawson standing in the doorway, her expression conflicted. Tyson and I exchanged a surprised glance before I stood up to greet her.

“Ms. Dawson,” I said, my tone gentle. “What brings you here?”

She hesitated, glancing around the room as if unsure whether she should be there. Finally, she sighed and met my eyes. “I want to help,” she said quietly. “I know I didn’t say much yesterday, but I’ve been thinking… and I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

My heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what we needed. “Thank you,” I said sincerely. “We could really use your help.”

Tyson and I explained the plan to her, and though she was clearly nervous, she agreed to wear the wire. It was a risky move, but if she could get Haines to slip up, it could be the evidence we needed to bring him down.

Later that afternoon, we set everything up. Emily met Haines for lunch at a small café not far from his office. Tyson and I watched from a nearby car, listening intently as the conversation unfolded through our earpieces.

At first, Haines was calm, charming even. But as the conversation shifted to his wife and child, his demeanor changed. His voice grew colder, more defensive, and I could sense the tension rising between him and Emily.

"You know, Robert, I recently discovered that you have a wife and a child, even though you told me you were single. I also found out that they are missing.”

“What about them?” Haines replied, his tone casual but with an edge of warning.

"Is that all you're going to say? You lied to me, and that's all you have to say? How did they disappear?”

There was a pause, and I could practically feel the shift in the air. Haines’ voice was darker when he finally spoke again. “Sometimes people just leave, Emily. They get fed up, they want something new.”

“Is that what happened with you and your wife?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Haines didn’t respond immediately, and I felt my pulse quicken as I waited for his answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was laced with bitterness.

“My wife was a b***h,” he spat. “She didn’t know how to appreciate what she had. And as for my kid… well, let’s just say women can be a real pain in the ass.”

Emily’s breath caught, and I could hear the fear in her voice as she responded. “Robert, what did you do?”

“What do you think I did?” Haines snapped, his voice rising. “I got rid of the problem, Emily. I fixed everything, and now I’m free.”

Tyson and I exchanged a tense glance. This was it. We had him.

But before Emily could respond, Haines’ tone shifted again, this time filled with suspicion. “Wait… what’s that?”

“What’s what?” Emily asked, her voice shaking.

“That,” Haines said sharply. “Are you wearing a wire?”

For a moment, there was silence, and then the sound of a chair scraping against the floor as Haines stood up. “You b***h!” he shouted, his voice filled with fury. “You set me up!”

“Go!” Tyson shouted, already out of the car and sprinting towards the café.

I was right behind him, my heart pounding as we burst through the door. Haines had grabbed Emily by the arm, his face twisted with rage, but he froze when he saw us. Within seconds, we had him restrained and in cuffs, and Emily was safe.

Back at the precinct, Haines’ confession came pouring out. The man who had seemed so composed, so in control, finally broke down, admitting to everything. He had killed his wife in a fit of rage and had dumped their child at a shelter in another state, trying to cover his tracks.

It was a sickening end to a tragic story, but there was some solace in knowing that the child had been found and would be safe with her grandparents. As for Haines, he was arraigned without bail, and it was clear that he would spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Tyson and I were praised for our work, but as the adrenaline faded and the reality of what had happened sank in, I couldn’t help but feel a weight on my shoulders. We had done our job, but at what cost? A woman was dead, and a child would grow up without her parents. It was the harsh reality of our work, and it never got easier.

Later that evening, I arrived home, exhausted both physically and mentally. Richard and Victoria were in the living room when I walked in, and they both looked up as I entered.

“Hey,” Victoria said, her tone concerned. “You okay?”

I managed a tired smile. “Yeah, just a long day.”

Richard looked at me intently, his eyes searching mine. “What happened?”

I sat down on the couch, running a hand through my hair. “We closed the case. Haines confessed, but… it wasn’t pretty.”

They listened quietly as I recounted the events of the day, their expressions growing more serious with each detail. When I finished, there was a heavy silence in the room.

“I’m so sorry,” Victoria said softly, her hand resting on my arm. “That’s horrible.”

“It is,” I agreed, my voice hollow. “But it’s part of the job.”

Richard nodded, his expression thoughtful. “You did good work, Charlotte. You helped bring a killer to justice.”

“Thanks,” I said, though the words felt empty.

Just then, Victoria cleared her throat, her expression shifting slightly. “I need to tell you both something,” she said, her tone serious. “I’m going on a six-weeks work trip starting tomorrow.”

I blinked, the news catching me off guard. “Oh. Where to?”

“Chicago,” she replied. “It’s a big project, and I’ll be pretty tied up while I’m there.”

“That’s great, Vic,” I said, trying to muster some enthusiasm. “You’ll do amazing.”

“Thanks,” she said with a small smile, but there was a hint of something else in her eyes something that made me pause.

“You don’t seem too excited,” I observed, tilting my head.

Victoria hesitated, then sighed. “I am… it’s just, well, I hate leaving you guys here. Especially after everything that’s happened.”

“It’s only six weeks,” Richard said, his tone light. “We’ll be fine. Besides, it’s not like we’ll be alone. We’ve got each other.”

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn’t the words themselves, but the subtle emphasis on “each other.” I glanced at Victoria, but she didn’t seem to notice—or if she did, she wasn’t letting on.

“Right,” I said, forcing a smile. “We’ll manage.”

But even as I said the words, unease began to creep in. The thought of being alone in the house with Richard, even with Victoria only a phone call away, stirred up emotions I’d been trying to suppress. I’d always found Richard attractive—who wouldn’t? He was charming, intelligent, and undeniably good-looking. But there was more to it than that. There was a connection between us, something that lingered in the air whenever we were together. I’d been careful to keep it at bay, knowing full well that nothing could come of it, but with Victoria gone… I wasn’t sure if I could trust myself to do the same.

Victoria stood up, breaking the tension. “Well, I should go start packing. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”

I watched her walk away, my thoughts in turmoil. Richard shifted on the couch beside me, drawing my attention back to him. He was looking at me with an intensity that made my breath catch.

“Charlotte,” he began, his voice low, “are you sure you’re okay?”

I nodded quickly, avoiding his gaze. “Yeah, just tired. It’s been a long day.”

“Of course,” he said, his tone softening. “You’ve been through a lot. But if you ever need to talk… you know I’m here for you, right?”

His words were kind, but they felt like a double-edged sword. I knew he meant them sincerely, but there was an undercurrent of something else—something that made my heart beat a little faster. I needed to get out of there before I did something I would regret.

“Thanks, Richard,” I said, standing up. “I think I’m just going to head to bed early. Need to catch up on some sleep.”

He nodded, watching me with those piercing eyes of his. “Good idea. Rest up, Charlotte.”

I offered him a tight smile before making my way to my room. Once the door was closed behind me, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My heart was still racing, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was playing with fire.

As I climbed into bed, I tried to push the thoughts of Richard out of my mind, but it was easier said than done. The image of him sitting on the couch, his eyes fixed on me, kept replaying in my head. I buried my face in the pillow, groaning in frustration.

This was going to be a long six weeks.