Sterek One-Shots Book One (BoyxBoy)

Murder (Part Two of Hale's Investigations)

Okay, Stalers here's the second part. I want to thank you all for the 20k+ reads, and everyone who has been voting, commenting, and add this to reading lists. This takes place two years after Killer.
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*Two Years Later*

"Hey, Derek, could you reshelf the turned in books?" Derek looks up from his inventory book to the see his only employees looking at him with wide, puppy eyes. Derek sighs dramatically before shutting his book with a mock glare.

"Isn't that why I hired you, Lydia?" Derek says, amused. Lydia huffs at him indignantly at him. Derek had hired her when he opened the bookstore almost two years ago, and she was still school to get her doctorate in biology.

"I can't reach." Lydia says, sweetly. Derek shakes his head at her before taking the books that were turned in. Derek let's his customers burrow his books if they cannot afford to buy the book, Lydia says he owns a library but he just ignores her most of the time.

"There are stools." Derek says, and Lydia clicks her tongue at him before sitting down at behind the desk to do some of her homework. Derek tries to give her a stern look, but he cannot.

"Are you coming out with Jackson and I tonight?" Lydia asks, and Derek gives her a tired look. Ever since he had hired her, Lydia had been trying to get him to spend time with her and her boyfriend. Derek had met Jackson on a few occasions, and he often thought that Lydia could do better than him. Jackson was ruthlessly ambitious in the courtroom, and Derek had to admire that in him.

"When do I ever willingly hang out with Jackson?" Derek says, and Lydia chuckles softly at him. Derek often avoided hanging out with Lydia because she had a tendency to try to set him up with some of her friends, and it never ended well for Derek. He hated thinking about dating or relationships in general.

Derek gave up on love a long time ago.

"Just thought I'd ask." Lydia says, innocently. Derek smiles at her fondly before going back to doing inventory of the store in the back room. He was successful at his job, not mention the vast wealth he acquired as an agent, and he paid Lydia better than himself. Not that he developed a liking for the girl because she reminded him of someone, Derek tells himself.

Derek gets distracted when he hears the doorbell chime. He hears Lydia call out the greeting they do whenever someone walks in, and he hears Lydia call for him. Her voice sounds uneasy, and Derek instantly becomes alert. He instantly stops what he is doing to walk out to the main room where he sees a familiar face. It is his old partner Erica Reyes, and she is grinning at him. Derek takes a cautious step forward towards her, and Lydia is looking at him with uneasiness. It is easy to be unnerved by Erica. She has a huge scar on her face, and the way she holds herself makes it easy to get intimated by her.

"Derek." She says, and Derek just stares at him. Lydia takes a step closer to Derek, and puts her hand on his arm.

"Derek, do you know her?" Lydia asks, and a fiery glare is thrown her way from Erica. Derek finally looks away from Erica to give Lydia an attempt at a reassuring smile.

"Why don't take the rest of the day off, Lydia?" Derek says, and Lydia looks at him like he is insane but he gives her a pleading look before she finally perches her lips glumly before nodding her head. Neither Erica nor Derek say anything as Lydia gathers her things, the entire time keeping an eye on Erica with distrustful eyes, and before she walks out she turns to look at Derek.