Ghostly Affairs

Chapter 15

The afternoon sun streamed into Lin's office, but the warmth didn't touch the heavy weight on her shoulders. After visiting May at the hospital, Lin had been trying to refocus on the case, but her thoughts kept swirling between May's fragile condition, the investigation, and Riri's constant presence. There was so much to juggle, and she could feel the pressure mounting.

Karen entered the office, immediately noticing the tension in Lin's posture. She set a cup of coffee on the desk and leaned back, giving Lin a once-over. "Afternoon," she greeted, her voice light but perceptive. "You look like you've had quite the day."

Lin sighed, rubbing her temples as she sat back in her chair. "Yeah, you could say that," she muttered, glancing out the window. "May woke up this morning."

Karen's eyebrows rose in surprise. "May? As in, the girl tied to the case?"

Lin nodded, her mind heavy with the thought of how much more complicated things had become. "She's awake but still weak. She needs time to recover, and we need to lay low for now. If the people responsible for her accident find out she's recovering, they could come after her again."

Karen sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "So, we put the investigation on pause?"

"For now, yeah," Lin replied. "Her safety comes first."

Karen studied Lin for a moment, picking up on the weariness in her voice. "You've been really busy lately, haven't you? Between protecting May, dealing with the case, and..." Karen trailed off, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "And Riri basically camping out in your apartment."

Lin laughed softly, but there was an edge of exhaustion to it. "Yeah, it's been a lot. I'm just trying to keep everything together."

Karen's smirk softened into something more understanding. "You're juggling a lot of balls here, Lin. It's okay if it feels like too much sometimes."

Before Lin could respond, the office door swung open, and Riri stepped in, her energy as vibrant as ever. "Hey there!" she greeted, but her eyes had a playful edge as they flickered between Lin and Karen. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe with a sarcastic smile. "So, yesterday you tell me to stay close to you, for safety, and then this morning... poof, you're gone without a word. I thought we were a team here."

Karen chuckled into her coffee, clearly amused by the scene unfolding, while Lin offered an apologetic smile. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I had to rush to the hospital."

Riri raised an eyebrow, her playful curiosity piqued. "The hospital? Is everything okay?"

"It's not me," Lin quickly reassured her. "May woke up this morning."

Riri's playful sarcasm faded into curiosity, but a hint of jealousy crept into her voice. "May, huh?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "So she's the reason you disappeared without telling me. I see how it is. You could've at least left a note."

Lin couldn't help but smile at Riri's tone. "It all happened so fast. I didn't have time to explain."

Riri moved closer, her curiosity now taking over. "How's she doing? Is she okay?"

Lin nodded. "She's awake, but it's going to take time for her to recover. We're keeping things quiet for now."

Riri leaned against the desk, still holding onto her teasing tone but softening with concern. "Well, that's great news. But next time, a heads-up would be nice. I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me." She gave Lin a playful smile but didn't push further.

Karen, who had been quietly observing the interaction, finally spoke up with a smirk. "Well, things are definitely getting interesting around here. You've got a lot on your plate, Lin."