Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

64. Everytime I try

"So, how's Joe doing?" ADA Lowan asks, staring out the window of the precinct building for a second, his back to Tess. He turns to face her. "Just curious," he shrugs.

"I'd say extremely well given the circumstances."

"Right. But it's gotta be hard? A case like this? That's so close to home?" Lowan walks to the table she is sitting at the end of.

She knows he's trying to get information on Joe's mental state.
"Is this a social call or official business?" Tess asks, resorting to her usual abrasive self. "Because I've got a murderer to catch."

"You sound defensive."

"Defensive? Please. Try insulted." Tess waves at his head and down to his hands. "The whole friendly facade? Like I've never conducted an interrogation?" She sits forward, leaning her arms on the desk. "If you're asking if Joe's up to the task of catching the vigilante then the answer is yes. He is," she says, daring him to continue his charade.

He nods, impressed. "Fair enough."
He starts to circle the desk, pacing. "But it's not just Joe I'm looking into. It's the entire Special Crimes Unit." He faces Tess. "I prosecute cases based on evidence your team provides. I'm concerned that process has been compromised." Tess frowns a little, her mind jumping to Cat, but she stays quiet. "Now, I see in your file that you recently requested a partner transfer." He looks at her after checking in the file he held. "So what did detective Chandler do," he walks towards her, "to ruin the partnership?"

Tess stares back at him, keeping her eyes and face as clear of emotion as possible. "Nothing. Cat's great. It was just time for a change."

"Change?" He lifts one corner of his mouth. "Really?"

She could tell he didn't believe her. She just smirks and nods.

"Right after evidence was tampered with and a questionable suicide in a case you two handled." He kept his eyes on her reaction. "I've combed through every one of your cases." He puts her file down, sliding it over. "A page was torn out of a dead reporter's notebook." She looks at it and then meets his gaze when he says, "Last chance, is there anything you want to tell me about detective Chandler?"

*******

JT walks into the loft carefully, looking around. Just in case Vincent and Cat are still busy...
Vincent is sitting on the couch reading a newspaper when he spots him. JT grins, putting his bookbag down.

"So?" He walks over, arms open like he wants to hug Vincent. "How'd it go?"

"Uh," Vincent puffs out. "It didn't."

"What? I just spent three hours in my office throwing pencils at the ceiling!" He couldn't believe this. "Even I get laid by the 23rd date."

"Come on man, you know it's not like that," Vincent says, a small smile on his face, getting up from the couch.
"I just," he sighs, the smile dropping. "I don't know, I guess - " He puts the newspaper on the dining table with all the rest and opens the fridge. "I'm afraid, you know?" He looks at JT. He doesn't have to elaborate.

"That was years ago! You're..." JT looks at his obviously worried friend. "You can handle things better now."

Before Vincent can say anything more, he groans and the next second, the door closes and Cat walks in.

"Heyy there," JT says slowly, looking from Cat to Vincent. "I was...just leaving. Again," he says pointedly. "With more pencils." He takes his bookbag and jacket and winks at Vincent before he smiles at Cat on the way out.

Vincent plays with the can's top, looking at it. He feels bad for running. He needs to explain. That he did want Cat, badly.

"Vincent I am...I'm afraid," she says, and he closes his eyes. "Things... they're getting out of hand and - "