Black Tie Event

Chapter Twenty

It was no surprise that the only one who could sleep that night was Collin.

Allison and I had been sitting absently in our room until the sun came up. We tried to sleep, but eventually gave up. The truth was, we were used to sleepless nights. I'd worked in homicide, and she was from sex crimes; if one were to conduct a study of the world's most sleep deprived detectives, they would undoubtedly all come from our units. But this case may have been worse than anything either of us had experienced up to that point. This time, it was personal.

I poured coffee in the morning to do what natural rest wouldn't. Out of habit, I brewed six cups. I wanted to break down when I realized that there was one left over.

Ana walked into the kitchen, shortly after Cora did. They both looked like death.

"You look awful," I said, not meaning it the way it came out.

"You sure know how to flatter, Hayden," Cora said darkly.

"That's not what I meant," I said, handing her a coffee. "Did you sleep?"

"Of course I slept," she lied. "Why wouldn't I?"

I shrugged. "I didn't."

"I didn't," Allison admitted.

Ana sat down, hardly able to keep her head up. "Not for a minute."

"Ana," Collin said, sauntering into the kitchen, well rested, I'm sure. "I'm taking a vacation."

She furrowed her brow. "Excuse me?"

"Going up to John's cabin for a few days. Just with some of the guys."

"You're forty five. Why are you spring breaking?"

Shaw didn't look amused. He continued with his departure. "So, I'll see you all Wednesday."

I didn't know if I was the only one whose mind was raging like a hornet's nest, but I was just about ready to rush him out that door and get the PD on his ass. Him leaving was a red flag. He was hiding something and trying to cover his trail.

"Awesome," I said all too quickly. "Have fun."

"Thank you, Hayden," he said, giving Ana a look for having been less supportive. "I will."

"Do you need us to do anything?" Allison offered.

"No," he said, lifting a suitcase off the ground. "I'm already packed."

"Great," Allison said, obviously on the same train of thought that I was. "See you Wednesday."

"Collin, how can you--"

"Ana," he quickly snapped. "I'm going."

She recoiled and inhaled sharply before crossing her arms and looking down - at her own hands, at the ground, or something.

"Okay," she finally relented. "Have fun."

The door was shut so quickly behind him, if he hadn't looked guilty before, he certainly did now.

"Why the hell were you two so quick to get rid of him?" Cora immediately demanded. "Don't you understand how suspicious he looks?"

"That's exactly what we understand," Allison said coolly and firmly. "But we've been playing a waiting game around here for far too long, and suspicious activity at this point is a good thing. Now we track, and hope he gives us something hard."

"Do you know where this cabin is?" I asked Ana, outwardly playing the role of Allison's partner and tag teaming, without considering how obvious we were being. "Assuming that's where he's really going."