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A week later, Vanessa finished reading over Harper's note, no expression on her face.
"Fantastic," she said, pushing the notebook back to Harper,
"But why didn't you push him more? Ask him about Maeve?"
Harper twitched in annoyance.
"Because he's a person. You don't get a story by point blank asking about someone's deceased ex-girlfriend."
Vanessa nodded, barely listening.
"You don't need to interview the other team members. I want you to focus completely on this, I can tell it's going somewhere great. The readers will love it. You should get some photos of him too."
Harper was taken aback. Focus only on Spencer? She wasn't sure why everything felt so wrong, this was her job. Why did she feel guilty?
"Photos of- What? Why?"
Vanessa looked annoyed. "He's attractive, Harper. People will be more sympathetic if they know that."
She felt another twinge of annoyance. Who cared about his looks in a piece this personal? Harper didn't feel like herself. She didn't like feeling unsatisfied at work, her one consistent place of validation.
Pulling her phone out, she messaged Spencer for the first time since last Friday.
My boss says I need more. Think I could shadow one of your cases?
He replies as she is leaving work for the day, stuffing her glasses into her bag.
Sure. I never know when they're coming though, or where.
I'll call you if we get one this week.
She looked down at her phone, a little disappointed and put it in her bag, heading home.
Curled up in her favourite sweater and matching pants, Harper tries to get her mind off the article through a rewatch of Sex and The City. She gets up to put her tea bag in the bin, noticing her phone buzzing on the kitchen counter, it's Spencer.
"Hey," she answers.
"Harper?" the voice responds. "Hey."
A moment passes in silence, Harper waiting for him to explain the late-night call.
"Sorry, I know it's late," he said, "We just got a case. It's a serial killer, and it's in Nevada. Do you want to come? Hotch said he could make an exception."
She smiled, realising he must have spoken on her behalf to convince Hotch.
"Thank you, I appreciate it, Spencer. When do you leave?"
