She sat next to him as he flipped to the first book in the New Testament and began scouring the pages until he found the 22nd chapter. She didn't miss the slight fingershake as he located the 14th verse.
"Matthew 22:14," he read aloud, "For many are...
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Derek adjusted his hat in the mirror. "How do I look?"
"Like a grown man wearing a halloween costume."
"You were literally dressed like a pirate not that long ago," Derek grumbled back. He sighed and snapped the mirror shut. "Did you bring the package?"
"Uh, no."
"Steve! What do I even pay you for?!" Derek frowned at his partner. Although lately he'd been more of a hindrance than usual. "They're not going to believe I'm the Amazon guy unless I have a package."
"No one is gonna believe you're the Amazon guy unless they're blind," Steve countered. He leaned back in the passenger seat of the car, tapping away at his phone.
"Are you seriously playing cookie tapper?" Derek was done. Steve was about to make zero off this commission. For real this time.
"It helps me think."
"Does it help you get a new job? Cause you're about to get fired."
Steve sighed and put the phone in his pocket. He blinked several times, mouth pursed in a mocking way as he mulled it over. "Well maybe tell them the package got stolen and Amazon sent you to check on them. Customer service, and all that."
"I don't think that's how it works."
"Yeah, cause you know how it works."
Both fell silent as they watched someone walk up to the building, pull on the handle and then leave.
"On second thought, they might be closed," Steve said with a shake of his head.
Derek exited the vehicle and headed up to the front door. It didn't budge. He went back to the car and slid in behind the driver's seat. "Yeah, it's closed."
"Well that's weird."
"Not really, it is a weekend."
"No, not that. This." Steve showed him his screen. "Since you insist we use printed out map-quests we didn't get the google alert about this place. It's not closed for the weekend. It hasn't been operable in three years."
"Huh?" Derek snatched the phone. Right beneath 'Angel House Wellness Center' were the words permanently closed.
"Well that's weird. It was open when Nyla came here a few days ago."
"It could be a mistake," Steve didn't sound like he believed it anymore than Derek did.
"Do me a favor–google Meredith," Derek said, tossing Steve his phone back.
"Last name?"
"White."
"Does she run a speech clinic in Georgia?"
"No."
"Photography studio?"
"No."
"Well there's nothing on here that specifically says evil scientist, so I don't know what you want me to do–oooh. There's a tik tok video."
