Inspector Rames

Chapter 66

The Silver Star was busy for a Monday evening. Synthwave music throbbed through the room, and patrons dressed in suits or body armour flocked to the neon bar Gem was tending. Someone jostled my back as I set my knife and fork down, and I turned to glare at them before covering a yawn.

Alex swirled the remains of his lime crusher in its glass, watching me keenly over the rim. "Okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just glad the investigation's over. I wish we'd been able to hand Benjamin over to his paternal grandparents sooner."

"We did our best."

"I should have known something was wrong the first time we saw him at home. What kind of mother keeps her child in the room when she knows the police have come to talk to her about murder? That's not normal, is it?" I frowned. "Or is it?"

"I have no idea."

"And he never spoke. Not once. I asked Cassia, and she said they've definitely learned to talk by the time they're four." I leaned forward. "Do you think he knew, on some level, what he was living with? Do you think he sometimes got a glimpse of the woman we arrested?"

Alex never answered. His gaze was drifting over my shoulder, and he suddenly took my hand across the table. "We should go."

I turned around.

Clyde was walking across the room, wrapped up in his stupid electric blue scarf. He'd managed to get a woman on his arm -- and that woman was Lavender Jones.

I was so shocked that they reached our table before I could move.

"Hello, Inspector," Lavender said.

"Amber, darling." Clyde smiled, looking less like a shark today. His gaze touched briefly on my sergeant. "Alex. I would introduce you to Lavender, but I'm aware that you've met before."

I glanced between them. Lavender had almost a decade on him, and no matter how hard I stared, Clyde definitely looked like an idiot. Amusement and relief waged a war over my lips, and I tried to suppress a smile. "You're...together?"

Alex didn't look so happy. "Suddenly, your forceful appearance in our investigation makes sense -- and your business card. You thought you'd get the inside scoop if we hired you to oversee the final plans for our wedding."

"Yes." Lavender shrugged. "But that clearly didn't work, so I won't apologise for it."

I successfully flattened my smile. "I hope it doesn't get out to your clients, Lavender. That would ruin your reputation."

"Is that a threat?" Clyde asked.

"After everything you've done, it should be. But no. Let's use it to make a pact." I met his gaze. "Will all of this shit between us be over now that you have Lavender?"

For the first time since we'd broken up, his expression turned sincere. "Yes. I suppose it can be."

"Good. Now get out of my sight, or I'll make you both regret it."

"Come on, darling." He hastily took Lavender's hand...but he glanced back at me one more time. "Goodnight, Amber."

They left us, pushing through the crowd towards the glass stairs.

Alex frowned. "You think this is really over? Just like that?"

"Yes," I said. "Lately, Clyde's only ever bothered me to get a good story, and once we've got married, the national interest in us will die down again. He'll write about something else, especially now he has someone new to stalk home -- I mean, walk home." I raised my glass of water. "We're all moving on. Shall we toast to it?"

Alex clinked his glass against mine. "Here's to no more Clyde."

"And here's to us, the investigation, and the best sergeant I could ever have asked for." I leaned across the table and kissed Alex on the lips. "I love you, and I can't wait to get married."