Inspector Rames

Chapter 49

Alex and I arrived at the station close to nine the next morning, clutching three coffees from Rise & Grinder.

Sten did not look impressed when we went to him for our spyware, and I realised that my lips were probably swollen. I wondered if it was possible for our score to be lowered because we'd had sex before work. Surely not? It should have demonstrated good partnership -- of a kind...

Once we were wearing our equipment, we went to our office, where Cassia would soon be meeting us to go over the post-mortem in more detail. As we settled down at our desks, I looked at my coffee forlornly.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked.

"I still can't believe Merrick didn't have any chocolate muffins today. I've been getting used to having them. Now I feel chocolate-deprived."

Alex smiled. "You had chocolate cake at The Diamond last night."

"That was yesterday. This is today!"

"Fine. I suppose I've got just enough time to fetch you a chocolate bar from the cafeteria before Cassia comes." He stood up.

I brightened. "What, really? Thanks!"

"Anything to keep you happy," he teased.

Cassia arrived a minute after he'd left, bearing a box filled with papers and a tired expression. I stood up and took the box away, replacing it with the third coffee. She seemed too dazed to stop me.

"Morning," I said. "What's all this?"

"The papers that we found with Frankie Jarsdel." Cassia hugged the coffee cup. "I asked Laney for them because I thought you'd want to have another look now. Where's Alex?"

"Fetching me chocolate, so you'll have to hold fire on your explanation for a few minutes. Why don't we catch up instead?" I perched on the edge of my desk and tried to look nonchalant.

Cassia's eyes narrowed. "Catch up? We could have done that last night at Mom and Dad's, but you were out with Alex's family instead."

"Jealous?"

"No!" Her tone was ridiculously defensive, and she blushed. "I just missed you."

I shrugged and feigned extreme interest in my coffee. "Okay."

There was a long silence.

"That's it?" she asked quietly.

"If I ask you questions, I know you won't answer them. So Sebastian and I will just have to watch over you instead."

"Sebastian?"

I turned back to her. "Yes. We're both really worried about you, Cassia."

Longing nestled in her gaze before she lowered it to the floor. She leaned against the desk beside me and sighed. "Miles and I are getting divorced."

I nearly dropped my coffee. "What? Oh, God, Cassia --"

"He says he's in love with someone else."

Shock gave way to anger. "Bastard! I'm going to punch him."

Cassia looked up. "It's okay. It's still sinking in, but I'm sort of relieved. It's been a long time coming. The old Miles left ages ago."

I put my coffee down and drew her into a hug. "Right...well, if you ever need a place to stay while you're sorting this out, you know you can come to me. Or if you just want to talk, I'm always here. Okay?"

"Yeah." She rested her chin on my shoulder. "I'm sorry I've been avoiding the topic. I'm just...not good at sharing. And I felt ashamed that I couldn't be a good enough wife."