Detecting Love (ENEMIES TO LOVERS-DETECTIVES)

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝟏𝟐: 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓼 (𝓐𝓭𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓷)

November 7- 16 days left

My head is pounding and I look and feel like shit but behind my helmet luckily none can see me. I couldn't sleep for most of the night as I kept replaying the turmoil with Eleanor in my head from the night before, and even now as I'm riding on the highway to the department, my mind drifts back to that moment. I told her everything and yet, to her, it's as if there's an elusive piece missing. On top of that, finding out that my brother is involved with one of the most dangerous gang in America and is going to kill our father-it's all a fucked up mess.

The case is still in motion, the gang's moving forward, and we're just 16 days away from... well, I don't want to think about it. The gap between Eleanor and me? It's widening, tearing at whatever's left of our partnership. I sort of saw it coming, but the suddenness of it stings.

But it's no surprise, with Eleanor apparently these things come naturally.

As I near the bustling department building, a figure caught my eye-a familiar silhouette gracefully halting by the entrance, dismounting a bicycle. The bike, a light blue with a basket entwined with little white flowers. She secured it and made her way towards the department's grand doors.

"Eleanor," I whispered to myself, as I maneuvered my own bike to its customary spot, right beside hers.

I sit at my desk typing away the present case and following up on the intel that Branko mentioned and made a note of the date he described in big bold letters.

I got up from my chair and walked to the door, but halted abruptly as someone was preventing me from leaving. I look down and see Eleanor looking up at me. "Eleanor?"

"Hello" she says in cold tone.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the case and how to move forward, do you have a minute?"

"Yeah, I was just going to get coffee but we can talk on the way."

As she glared at me, irritation etched across her face, I couldn't help but feel a hint of triumph. This little diversion was my way of settling the score, and currently it's at 0-1.

We wandered through a maze of corridors, descending floors until we arrived at the sprawling food court. Cafés and restaurants were arranged in a circular pattern, bathing the area in sunlight streaming through the encircling windows.

I made a beeline for my favorite café stand, ordering my usual black coffee. The staff, familiar with my routine, swiftly prepared my drink in under a minute, what a delight.

Finding a secluded booth, Eleanor and I resumed our discussion.

"Branko mentioned the Cobras' planned date: November 23rd. It's only sixteen days away. We're armed with a location, evidence, and a suspect." Eleanor suggested, her eyes focused on mine.

"He also listed the gang members. They're our suspects. We should look into their past cases, follow their trail.

"It's puzzling," I mused. "Why would they be involved? Let alone Gabriel Sanchez assisting James, it doesn't make sense. There's a missing link." I continue thinking it over.

Eleanor's fingers tapped the table, her gaze probing. "Your brother... when was the last time you spoke?"

"Fifteen years ago," I admitted, the weight of silence enveloping us.

A sudden silence fell, an unexpected awkwardness settling between us. Eleanor's expression shifted swiftly to sympathy, yet she said nothing, leaving an uncomfortable pause.