He blinked at me, his bushy white brows raised, and choked out, “Jolene Hartgrave?”
Eep. Guess he did remember me. I immediately regretted my outburst.
Peter, his expression grave, looked between us. “What’s going on?”
A smug smile spread over Emerson’s face as he leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on me. “Given our personal relationship, I find this questioning highly unprofessional.”
“I’m not sure what’s happening here.” Peter turned to face me and searched my face. “Jolene, do you two know each other?”
I closed one eye, wanting badly to disappear into the hardwood floor. “A bit.”
Emerson scoffed. “She didn’t disclose that? This is a breach of police procedure, and your job is on the line, Officer Flint.” He tapped a stubby finger to the table. “I’ll be speaking with Chief Taylor about you.”
My stomach twisted. Had I just cost Peter his job?
“Please, Mr. Watts.” Peter paled. “Please don’t—” He ran a hand through his hair. “This isn’t actually official police business. This was just a… preliminary questioning.”
I gaped at Peter. “What?” What did he mean, this wasn’t official police business?
Emerson’s blotchy face split into a devilish grin. “Oh son, you are in a heap of trouble.” His expression darkened and he shot his arm out, pointing behind us. “Out of my offices! Now!”
Peter, Daisy, and I booked a hasty retreat out of the firm, with security hard on our heels. We hustled a few buildings down the street in tense silence before Peter clapped a hand on my shoulder and pulled me down a narrow alleyway, away from the human tourists and magic business owners.
Pain filled his exasperated eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew this guy?”
I crossed my arms and shot him a sassy look. “And what exactly is a preliminary questioning?” I raised my brows.
A deep blush spread over Peter’s cheeks. “I—I disobeyed orders, technically.”
I scoffed and turned to Daisy. “And you’re fine with this?”
She wagged her bushy tail and stared up at me.
I shook my head at Peter. “You lied to me.”
He huffed. “Not technically. I just… withheld information.”
I arched a brow. Not like I was one to talk, but this was new from Peter.
He splayed his hands. “It’s just—you’ve shown me how important it is to follow my gut, and my gut’s telling me something is up here.”
I flashed my eyes. “Oh—so this is my fault?”
Peter huffed. “The coroner ruled Davies’s death an accident.”
I gaped. “Snakes, Peter!”
“Listen—he died by drowning, but apparently there isn’t any evidence to determine whether he was just drunk and fell or if he was pushed. The coroner says that barring more evidence, he had to rule Davies’s death an accident, but that’s not sitting right with me.”
I scoffed. “Come again? They ruled it an accident and you’re still investigating?” I gaped up at him. “And Emerson? Really? Come on, Peter, you had to have known a shark of a lawyer like that dude would get you in trouble!” I threw my arm toward the street.
He shot me a hard look I hadn’t seen him direct my way before. “You still haven’t told me how you know him.”
I crossed my arms and looked away.
He huffed. “And again, you clam up. You know, you’ve been acting so weird lately, and I—I didn’t want to pry or make you feel uncomfortable, but you’ve got to help me out here a little, Jolene.”
I raised my eyes to his desperate face. He looked on the verge of tears, and my heart lurched for him. “Bon—or goddess forbid, Chief Taylor—they’re going to ask me about your involvement in this. What am I going to tell them?”
I shook my head, overwhelmed. “I’m sorry. I can’t explain right now—” I backed away from him toward the street. Of course he was right and deserved answers but how could I tell him I used to work there when this was the state I was in now?
I didn’t think I could handle any more rejection or humiliation today. I edged into the street. “I’m sorry—I need some space.” I turned and ran.
27
FAVORS
I sat across the metal exam table from Will and looked at him over the rim of my bowl. I waited until he’d slurped up the last of his broth and rolled back on his stool, big hands clasped over his stomach and a satisfied look on his face.
“Ramen from the shop on Main Street, Jolene?” He raised a bushy brown brow. It was his favorite spot, which I was counting on to help me for this next part. “What did I do to deserve this?”
I slurped up the last of my noodles and said around the mouthful, “Hm… more like what do I want?”
His brows flattened. “No.”
I lifted my chopsticks. “Hey! You don’t even know what it is yet.”
He grabbed his empty bowl and crumpled napkins and walked over to the biohazard trash can in the corner and dumped them in. “I don’t need to.” He shot me a tight-lipped smile. “It’s a no.”
It’d been a few days since Peter and I parted on less than ideal terms outside my old firm. I’d asked for space and he’d given it to me—I hadn’t heard from him, though I’d hardly stopped thinking about him. I’d messed up, and so had he, but I cared about Peter and wanted to help him.
Plus, I wanted to stick it to Emerson, who’d clearly been lying. It was personal now that my old boss was involved. I’d always disliked the guy. I bit my lip—which begged the question of why I wanted to make partner with him so badly? Guess my priorities had changed.
Anyway, if I wanted to help Peter and see justice done,
