เข้าสู่ระบบI pull my vehicle over about two blocks away from our suspect’s home and wait for Narcotics to arrive.The Sergeant had made it abundantly clear that their presence wasn’t optional. A drug of this caliber was being manufactured and distributed within our district, and multiple reports suggested it had already proven lethal.Within minutes, a large black van rolls to a stop behind me.The side door slides open.Two Narcotics officers step out wearing full-body protective suits, face shields, breathing masks, and tactical vests carrying their sidearms. They look more prepared for a hazardous materials incident than a simple search warrant.One of them approaches and holds out a folded protective suit.“Put this on.”I take it without complaint.“We’ve been ordered to treat this as an aerosol contaminant,” the second officer explains gravely. “Most synthetic drugs have to be chemically combined or cooked. If this guy is manufacturing the product himself, the air could be contaminated. Tr
I wait in tense anticipation as Miller’s expression twists with uncertainty. His jaw tightens, and for a moment it looks as though he’s carefully choosing every word before speaking.“I’d like to say soon, but that depends on Pennet. He should be on his way to their residence tonight. The sooner we get ahead of this, the better.” Miller says as gently as possible.I glance over at Lincoln. He’s been watching me the entire time, his attention never wavering. The concern in his eyes only makes the knot in my stomach tighten.My fingers begin to fidget nervously in my lap. I twist them together, unable to stop myself. It feels as though every terrible possibility is racing through my mind at once.“It’s going to be okay. We’ll take this one step at a time.” Lincoln says softly as he places his hand over mine.His touch is warm and grounding, but it does little to quiet the panic building inside my chest.“And I will continue to oversee your cases,” Miller adds reassuringly.My throat tig
Much to my displeasure, I leave Jess to answer the door. Irritation rolls through me as I stride across the house, already dreading whoever decided to show up this late.I yank the door open, making it abundantly clear that I’m in no mood for visitors, but my annoyance quickly fades into surprise when I find Officer Miller standing there with a small cardboard box balanced in one hand.“Your delivery guy just left,” he says flatly.I step aside and pull the door wider so he can enter.Before shutting it, I glance cautiously down the hallway to make sure no one else is lingering nearby. Satisfied, I close and lock the door behind him.“Thank you,” I say as I take the box from his hand.I carry it toward the kitchen counter, placing it down carefully while forcing myself to appear casual.“Is there a congratulations in order?” Miller asks, his tone curious but restrained.“We’re not sure yet,” I answer as I turn back toward him, “but it seems that way.”A faint understanding crosses his
I say nothing as we drive back home. There’s nothing I can say until I know exactly what’s going on.A heavy silence fills the car, but it isn’t uncomfortable—it’s thoughtful, tense, full of questions neither of us is ready to ask out loud.I glance over at Jessie a few times, watching her quietly. Her arms are folded protectively over her lap, close to her stomach, and I can’t help the overwhelming sense of pride that rises in my chest.She’s mine.No matter what hardships wait for us ahead, no matter what storms are coming, she’s mine—and if there’s even the slightest chance that she’s carrying our child, that feeling will only grows stronger.I pull into the garage and park quietly before turning to face her. The dim lighting softens her features, but I can still see the exhaustion written all over her face.“It looks like we made it home before him,” I say softly, reaching over to brush a loose strand of hair from her face. “How about a shower?”“Okay,” she replies quietly.I step
After being awarded my divorce, I remain seated in the now-empty courtroom, my hands resting limply in my lap as I try to steady my breathing.Moments ago, this room was suffocating—filled with voices, tension, judgment. Now it’s eerily quiet, the kind of silence that hums in your ears. The world that had been spinning relentlessly around me has finally begun to slow, and for the first time in what feels like years, I can breathe.Really breathe.Relief settles into my chest, heavy and unfamiliar. It isn’t joy—not quite—but it’s something close. Something fragile. Like if I move too quickly, it might shatter.“Are you ready?”Lincoln’s voice breaks through the stillness as he steps out of the judge’s chambers, gently closing the door behind him. The soft click echoes louder than it should. When I look up at him, I catch the small smile tugging at his lips—subtle, but laced with his own quiet relief.“I think so,” I answer, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly mig
I make my way down the narrow corridor toward the interrogation room where Mike left Blaire. The fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting everything in a sterile, unforgiving glow. I stop just outside the door, waiting as the lock disengages with a heavy mechanical clank.The sound barely registers anymore. After all these years, it’s as familiar to me as my own heartbeat.The door swings open.I step inside.Blaire sits at the metal table, her posture collapsed in on itself. One hand rubs absently at the side of her neck, as if trying to soothe something deeper than muscle tension. Tears stream freely down her face, but there’s nothing soft about her expression—her eyes burn with something volatile, something close to rage.Good. She should be angry.“You got what you wanted,” I say flatly, letting the door shut behind me with a hollow thud. “Now it’s my turn. I need a name.”Her head snaps up, eyes locking onto mine.“This isn’t what I wanted!” she shouts, her voice cracking under t
It isn’t long before I can hear Jessie moving towards the door. I quickly change my serious demeanor - ensuring that I give her nothing more to worry about. “So you watch any good games lately?” I ask lightly as I try to make light of our recent conversation. I make a motion with my eyes to the do
Honestly, I’d rather not indulge in Colin’s request simply because it seems like he’s trying to play Jessie’s martyr, but I can’t completely dismiss the logic behind Lincoln’s email. His argument about needing to investigate further holds weight, and there’s certainly a reason to dig deeper into th
How dare he scrutinize me after that I’ve done all of this for him? I’ve nearly sacrificed my entire youth waiting for him.I sat in the back view and watched him marry Jessie, watching the way he smiled at her the way men smile when they have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Jessie was Jeff
Alan’s father did commit suicide as a result of the failure of his own company but it wasn’t that Jeffrey Adler had refused to or forfeited on any payments. Jeffrey had asked for an extension because of an error within a company with Jeffrey had subcontracted and supplied the copper too after it ha







