Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

48. It comes naturally

Cat scrolled through case upon case and did paperwork. She was feeling stircrazy. And she hated it.
So when Tess walks in with a new case file, she was pretty excited.

"Ugh, reading about skydiving is surprisingly very boring," Tess says, sitting down at her desk. "Hope what you're doing is a lot more interesting."

"Yeah, I have sharpened every pencil in the precinct," Cat says sarcastically, holding up a handful of yellow HB pencils. Tess takes one.

"Thank you?"

Cat eyes Tess after putting the pencils down. "So, how's the case going?"

"Sorry partner," Tess shakes her head. "You're out on this one."

Cat snaps. "Okay if you don't tell me about this case I am gonna make you get mani-pedis with Heather," Cat warns, completely serious. She was bored out of her mind.

Tess narrows her eyes and when Cat raises her right eyebrow, Tess sighs and looks around before she whispers, "Have you ever heard of Noah Hawkes?"

"No," Cat frowns, turning to her computer and typing the name into referendia.com.

"He's one of Forbes's Wealthiest Men Under 35. He went skydiving with his wife, her chute didn't open. Neither did the backup."

Cat looks at Evan coming in behind Tess. "That's because the parachute was definitely tampered with," he says before nodding at Cat. "Hey Cat."

"Hey, didn't hear anything," she says quickly.

Evan turns and sits on Tess's desk. "Based on the latent bacteria on the ripcord, it was cut sixteen to twenty hours before the jump."

Cat bites her lip, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

"Okay, I'll look into Noah Hawkes' alibi," Tess says and starts to make a note.

"You may want to check if he's left handed. From the angle of the cut I'm 99 percent sure that the do-er was a lefty."

Cat points. "But I did hear that."

"That's my cue," Evan smiles at Tess and then he gets up and walks out. He's done his damage.

Cat stares at Tess's pen case. She had so many questions, things she wanted to look into and do... "Okay Tess, you need to let me work on this case or I am going to get myself in trouble." She looks at Tess.

"Sorry Chandler, Joe laid down the law. You're to do nothing. Nada. Zero. Zip."

********

"I am mortified," Alex says sheepishly after letting Vincent into the apartment. She hid her face in her hands, not being able to face him.

"If I'd known it was an towel only option..." He jokes, closing the door behind him.

"Oh God," she groans. "God it just..." She turns to look at him. "It started to feel like old times and I got carried away.." She lifts her hands.

"You know, when that towel dropped, I almost got carried away too, so..." He was being truthful. Nothing happened of course, but it was close.

Alex flushes and smiles, looking down, not understanding how he could say that but he did nothing.

"Look, Alex, sorry I - "

"No, I know," she shakes her head. "This is all so...strange." He nods. "I mean, you knew me better than anyone. Before or...since," she admits. "I used to think I knew you better than anyone - ?"

"You did know me," he says. And she did. "But I am a completely different person now." He looks at her in all seriousness.

She stares at him. "Who isn't? Vince I admit, with you back," she walks around him, " it's all so confusing and...I'm beginning to remember my old self." She looks at the back of his head. "And I want that life back." He turns around. "So badly." She looks down. "I guess, the question is..." She meets his eyes. "Do you?"