The Perfect Emma

Chapter Forty

Grayson Todd

Gray was caught off guard by just how...blasée Emma had taken the fact that Arthur cheated on her. If he were in her shoes, he felt like he would be more bothered—at least, outwardly. She did say she was hurt, but it was hard to acknowledge when didn't really...show it. Weird.

In any case, it was time for bed. Gray was done talking about it, all of it. He knew that it was good for Emma to talk about these things, to be heard and understood and comforted, but talking about Aaron, and the things that man did to people, Gray included, just made him want to punch something.

But. At least his sleep had been getting better, strangely.

In fact, everything had been getting better, very strangely.

His apartment was a better place to be living in in the past week than it had been the entire time Gray had been in it. He shopped for food more regularly, and bought less microwaved things, which he was certainly aware Emma had a hand in. But he had a suspicion that she had an indirect hand in everything else too. What used to be every day, his lapses in depression were a lot rarer now. Being home wasn't nearly so painful.

And. He wasn't entirely sure what to feel about that.

As Gray was dropping Emma off, he asked while she was opening the door, "Do you want me to come pick you up after?"

She shook her head with a smile. "No, that's okay. I can walk. You shouldn't leave work for me."

Gray cocked a brow. "Emma I was suspended for you. I can handle leaving to take you home."

Emma chuckled. "Exactly. I'll be fine, Gray; seriously."

He wasn't exactly convinced, and he wasn't sure why she was insisting, especially since Aaron hadn't been caught yet and had every reason to find her and kill her now that he'd managed to shake the LAPD. With her gone, he would have a chance at walking free. Gray didn't like the idea of her going home by herself, but she was already leaving now, and there was no arguing it.

Shaking his own head, he resigned to the fact that even if he tried, she probably wouldn't let him still. Grayson wasn't happy with it, but he was aware he didn't have much of a choice, and merely went to work.

Seeing Sabrina in the desk next to his had taken some getting used to, but it helped that he already knew her. And it definitely helped that she was an easy person to talk to and trust. As if Gray hadn't been selective already in the people he placed his trust in, being betrayed by Aaron hadn't done him much good. But Sabrina was a good person. He had faith that she wouldn't do the same.

Though, he would say not having any cases recently was...seriously boring. Despite getting to faff about with Sabrina, Gray missed having cases. The late nights, the giant puzzle to solve, the justice to bring. He couldn't wait until this goddamn investigation was over.

Speaking of which, Sabrina looked up over Gray's shoulder and raised her brows, prompting Gray to turn himself, only to see Agent Westbrook approaching with a cardboard file box. Uh-oh. "Detective Todd," she muttered, setting the box on his desk. He blinked at it, then stared up at her. "Your review is officially complete."

Gray's brows went higher, if that were possible. "Wait—really?"

The agent nodded, putting her hands on her hips. "We did discover some evidence tampering in all of the Ghost Killer cases; however, we have determined that you indeed did not have a hand in them. No other cases appear to have been mishandled either."

Both detectives shared a happy look. "Does this mean I get my cases back?" Grayson asked hopefully.

"No," Hannah replied, but she held up a finger. "Your cases will remain in the hands they're currently in. Except for the Ghost Killer case. Zach and I both agreed that you should be the one to bring Matthews to justice. However, you are now cleared to take on new cases as well."

Sabrina gave a little cheer and raised a hand, which Gray clapped with his own. "Hell yeah~!" she cried.

"Thank you," Gray said to Hannah. It was definitely odd to be thanking her after all the hostility between them lately, but he understood that she was just doing her job in investigating him. She didn't have to be a bitch about it, but he understood the necessity.

Plus, she had the mercy to let him keep his job. That was certainly worth thanking.

"Do me a favor, Todd," she said, offering a snarky smile. "Don't make me investigate you again."

He snorted and shook his head. "Believe me, I won't."

The agent nodded. "Good. Now, we can all focus on finding the real traitor."

For once, the two of them agreed on something. A week had gone by, and Aaron still hadn't been caught. He was good at hiding his activities before; now that he had nothing more nefarious than his own existence to hide, he was practically wiped off the face of the Earth. But.... "He made a mistake before," said Gray, frowning. "He'll do it again. He gets too cocky. He takes his crimes out into the public and sees how long he can get away with them. And when he does, that's when we'll get him."

"Can't wait to see his ass in prison," Sabrina muttered. "You know what they do to guys like him in there; here's hoping he drops the soap."

"Sabrina," Gray scolded, even if he slightly agreed.

But Hannah didn't seem fazed. "His stay won't be long," she murmured. "He'll be on death row. That is....If we get a conviction."

"We'll get a conviction," he snapped, sitting back in his office chair a little bit. "Even without Emma testifying, we know he did the same things to those other women. With her, he's as good as dead already."

"She'll testify?" Sabrina double checked.

Grayson nodded. "She'll testify." She had to. Technically they could get a conviction without her, but it wouldn't be easy in the slightest. Emma's ability to tell her story was their only sound evidence, her injuries proof of her claims. Even if the whole state, the whole country wanted to see Aaron behind bars or dead, it was the jury they would have to convince. And there was every chance of the jury finding the lack of evidence besides Emma insufficient.

"Well," said Hannah. "As long as we have Emma's full cooperation, it should go smoothly." As she turned to go, she added, "Provided, we find him in a timely fashion."

That was a good point. Though Grayson was sure they would find him, there was no telling when. And if it took years, remembering these events accurately was going to be difficult by then.

Aaron knew that, and he was probably counting on it.

Fucker.

Damn him for knowing how the system works.

In that case, Gray decided he was going to write up an affidavit later, and have Emma write one too. They could have them notarized when they needed them, knowing that once Aaron was caught they would both be subpoenaed.

Little did he know, that might be sooner rather than later.