secrets

The Rookie: The Secret Unfolds (Chapter Three)

Harper's POV

Harper leaned back in her chair, arms crossed as she watched the flurry of activity in the precinct. LAPD and FBI working side by side—it was rare, and she couldn't help but be curious about the dynamics. Agent Chen was impressive, no doubt, sharp as a tack and as quick on her feet as any officer here. But there was something about her that Harper couldn't quite place. Maybe it was how smoothly she fit into the flow at Mid-Wilshire, or the way Tim, the no-nonsense sergeant, interacted with her. He kept it professional, of course, but there was a subtle undercurrent, something unsaid that Harper couldn't shake off.

She shifted her gaze to Lopez, who was pretending to be engrossed in her computer but had been stealing glances at Jackson and Lucy all morning. Harper smirked. Lopez was no better at hiding her curiosity than she was.

"You think there's something up with those two?" Harper asked casually, nodding toward the FBI agents as she adjusted her holster.

Lopez turned, flashing an innocent smile. "Who, Chen and Stone?" She raised an eyebrow. "I mean, don't you wonder? They're tight, sure, but they've got that longtime partners vibe. You think it's something else?"

Harper laughed, leaning in a bit. "Maybe. But I wasn't talking about Jackson. I was talking about Bradford and Chen. You notice anything... off?"

Lopez's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Oh, I've noticed. Bradford's never been the kind of guy to let his guard down. But with her? There's a vibe. You can feel it when they're in the same room." She paused, her face lit with mischievous intent. "Think I should ask her? You know, just casually."

Harper shook her head, chuckling. "You're dangerous."

Lopez grinned, clearly not deterred. "I'm just saying, I've got a good nose for this stuff. Plus, if there's something going on, wouldn't you want to know?"

"I'd like to know what Tim's deal is with her, yeah," Harper admitted. "But I don't think they'll make it easy to figure out. Whatever it is, they're keeping it locked down."

"Challenge accepted," Lopez said with a playful grin, already formulating her plan.

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Tim's POV

Tim tried to focus on the case details, but his mind kept wandering back to Lucy. Yesterday had been smoother than he'd expected, but today felt different. Maybe it was because he knew his team was starting to pick up on things. Angela, in particular, had a sharp intuition, and it wouldn't be long before she started asking too many questions. She was already throwing curious glances in Lucy's direction, probably thinking she could figure out more than just case strategy from the interactions between the FBI agents and him.

He stood by the whiteboard, going over the connections between the stolen art pieces, while Lucy and Jackson sat across the room, discussing intel with Lopez and West. His team hadn't gotten too close yet, but it was only a matter of time. Lucy and Jackson were tight; that much was obvious. They worked together like a well-oiled machine, but he could tell Jackson wasn't completely immune to the occasional knowing smirk or comment that could give away their secret.

The precinct was abuzz with conversation, officers moving between desks, but Tim could feel Lopez's eyes on him, even as she pretended to be focused on her work. Angela was fishing, as usual.

"What's next?" West asked, breaking through Tim's thoughts as he glanced at the board.

Tim cleared his throat, refocusing on the case. "We're following the lead Jackson found on the broker. I've got Harper on surveillance duty tonight, but we need to move fast before these guys disappear again."