CHAPTER 32
The first day back at work after sick leave turned out to be worse than Rick had expected. Papers, photographs, reports — everything came down on him at once.
From early morning, he was drowning in a paper and electronic swamp. He finally got around to sorting through all of Simon’s legacy. Rick had expected chaos, but not this much. Unlabeled photographs, files all mixed together, unstructured folders.
It wasn’t until evening, when his temples were already throbbing with a dull ache and his eyes burned with exhaustion, that he managed to bring at least some semblance of order to it all.
Rick stretched, feeling his stiff vertebrae crack.
His gaze instinctively drifted toward Lake’s office.
They had barely crossed paths all day. Rick had seen him once in passing in the hallway, and once more when the office door had opened briefly, only to close again.
He forced himself to look away.
Behind the reception desk, Maria sat with her head bowed. Mrs. Hunter had been rambling loudly about something for several hours already, not giving her a second of peace and quiet.
Billy had spent the whole day diligently filling out paperwork in his corner, but every now and then he still glanced toward Rick.
Reeves was sharing his impressions of yesterday’s hockey game with Driscoll, while Wilson listened attentively, finishing what seemed to be his fourth cup of coffee.
The room smelled of over-brewed coffee and dust from old files. Everything seemed to settle onto their shoulders. Even the faint creak of a chair sent pain through Rick’s temples.
Sheriff Hayes’s office door opened.
The conversations around the station almost immediately fell silent.
She stepped into the main room with a calm, confident stride and briefly surveyed the staff.
“I have good news.”
Her voice was even, without unnecessary emotion.
“Thanks to Detective Lake’s team’s successful operation in the Cooper case, we’ve received additional funding.”
A restrained murmur went through the room.
Someone gave a quiet whistle; someone else exchanged a brief glance with a colleague.
Rick caught several quick looks directed his way and somehow immediately understood what they were about.
“The money from the charity gala has already been allocated toward new equipment. In the coming weeks, the forensic department will begin receiving upgrades.”
The applause was brief but sincere. Rick clapped a few times along with everyone else, then immediately lowered his hands.
Reeves had already opened his mouth, clearly about to say something, but Hayes beat him to it.
“No, Ronald. We are not buying a cream warmer for the coffee machine.”
Laughter rippled through the station.
Reeves rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, and Wilson nudged him in the side with his elbow.
The corners of Hayes’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
She waited for the noise to die down, then turned her gaze to Billy.
“William.”
The young man immediately stood.
“Is something funny?”
Billy blinked in confusion.
“I asked you a question.”
He straightened noticeably.
“Sorry, ma’am. I just…”
Hayes took a step toward him.
“Do you have nothing better to do, Hong?”
Everyone fell silent at once. Rick saw Billy swallow instinctively.
“I have plenty to do, Sheriff.”
“Then explain why I keep hearing about you.”
Billy froze, bewildered.
“Excuse me, ma’am?”
“You interfere with the detectives’ work. Stick your nose into cases you weren’t assigned to. Ask witnesses questions. Check information on your own.”
A whisper reached Rick from somewhere nearby.
Billy stood straight, but his shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly.
“I just wanted to help.”
“I didn’t ask what you wanted.”
Hayes paused briefly.
“Come here.”
Billy obediently took several steps forward.
She looked around the entire station.
“I want everyone to hear this.”
Hayes held out her hand.
“Your badge.”
Billy froze for a second, then silently removed the plastic ID card from around his neck. Rick noticed his fingers tremble.
The sheriff took the badge.
“As of today,” she said a little louder, “William Su Hong is no longer an intern at this station.”
It took Rick a moment to understand what she had said. For a second, he thought he had misheard her.
Billy?
He instinctively rose from his desk.
The station went quiet.
Billy stood in the middle of the room, still staring at Hayes with his big dark eyes, as though waiting until the very last moment for her to say something else, to explain, anything that would make those words feel less final.
But nothing happened.
Then he slowly turned his head, as though looking for someone — anyone — who would tell him this was all some kind of mistake.
Their eyes met.
Rick saw his face go pale. Billy said nothing, but there was so much confusion in his eyes that something inside Rick dropped heavily.
This couldn’t really be happening.
He instinctively took a step forward, then stopped.
No one said a word.
Maria watched Billy, her lips pressed tightly together.
Reeves and Wilson were silent too. The same two men who, just at lunch, had practically dragged him out for a smoke break.
The entire station seemed to have frozen.
Finally, Billy silently stepped aside and, without raising his eyes, reached for his things on the desk. His fingers trembled faintly as he arranged his pens and folders into a neat stack.
“Hong,” came a dry female voice. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Billy turned around in confusion.
“Or do you think someone here is going to fill out your paperwork for you?” Hayes asked calmly.
The sheriff walked over to him, and something inside Rick stopped.
Hayes silently slipped a hand into the pocket of her uniform jacket.
“Congratulations, Officer,” she said, holding out a badge to Billy. “As of today, you are officially a member of the Dumpfield Police Department.”
Billy froze, his eyes widening. It seemed he had even stopped breathing.
He looked at the badge in her outstretched hand, then back at Hayes.
“I…” His voice broke traitorously.
He carefully took the badge, still unable to believe this was actually happening.
Only then did a murmur sweep through the station, followed almost immediately by applause.
“You little shit!” Reeves blurted out. “Holy hell! You jumped ahead of me by six months!”
“Shut up, Reeves,” Wilson nudged him in the side again.
“Ow!”
“Quit screwing around. You should be taking notes from the kid.”
“I’m just showing some love!”
“Idiots,” Driscoll rolled his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “Get back to work!”
The entire station seemed to come alive all at once.
Rick exhaled and felt a warm, almost forgotten feeling slowly spread through him.
Once the first wave of noise had died down a little, he walked over to Billy.
He stood there with the badge in his palm, afraid to let go of it even for a second.
Rick shook his hand firmly. Then he couldn’t resist pulling him briefly into a hug and patting him on the shoulder.
“Congratulations, Officer.”
Billy’s eyes were still bewildered.
“Rick… is this really happening?”
“It is,” he smiled. “And honestly, it’s long overdue.”
Billy laughed nervously.
“I thought she was firing me.”
“That was pretty obvious,” he patted him on the shoulder again. “I’m proud of you.”
Billy froze. He looked at him as though it took him a moment to understand what those words meant.
Then his lips trembled.
“Really?”
The question was so quiet and tentative that something inside Rick tightened painfully.
“Really.”
Billy lowered his eyes.
His fingers closed more tightly around the badge.
“Just don’t let it go to your head,” Rick said with a smirk.
Billy snorted.
He blinked rapidly several times, then awkwardly wiped his damp eyes and looked at him again.
“Too late.”
“Liar.”
“Just a little.”
Rick smiled softly.
The station was still buzzing with celebration: someone was already suggesting they celebrate the new addition, while someone else was reminiscing about their first day at the station.
Billy carefully clipped the badge to his belt and shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. He seemed to want to say something, but for some reason remained silent.
Rick was about to return to his desk when Billy finally spoke.
“Rick…”
“Hmm?”
Billy looked away.
“I wanted to ask you for something.”
“Of course. What is it?”
He hesitated.
His fingers automatically began worrying the corner of the report he was holding.
“Could you… please… take my report on the bar to Detective Lake?”
Rick looked at him questioningly.
“Why don’t you take it yourself?”
Billy tensed noticeably.
“I…” He faltered, then adjusted the sleeve of his sweater. “Well… I need to leave.”
“Where?”
“The shooting range.”
The answer came too quickly.
Rick silently watched him, folding his arms across his chest.
Billy blinked.
“I completely forgot I was signed up today,” he added hastily. “With all this promotion stuff, it completely slipped my mind. I’m already terribly late! Here.”
He held out the report, but Rick didn’t immediately take the papers.
“Billy.”
He froze.
“What?”
“What’s going on?”
Billy guiltily lowered his eyes.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” Rick folded his arms across his chest.
Billy shifted nervously from one foot to the other, still holding out the report.
“Rick, please.”
Something in his voice made Parker exhale quietly. He silently took the papers.
Billy glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
“Thanks. You’ll really be helping me out.”
He had already taken a step toward the exit when he suddenly glanced back, as if he wanted to say something else, but changed his mind at the last moment. Rick caught the faint flush at the tips of his ears, and a second later Billy was hurriedly pulling on his jacket and almost running out of the station.
Parker lowered his eyes to the report in his hands.
He looked once more at the door Billy had disappeared through, and only then shifted his gaze to Lake’s office.
He really hadn’t been given a choice.
His heart gave an unwelcome skip before the door. Rick forced himself to breathe in slowly, took hold of the handle, and only then stepped inside.
The office greeted him with silence.
Aaron was sitting at his desk, his head resting on his folded arms. His cheek was pressed against his forearm.
Had he fallen asleep?
Open folders lay scattered across the desk, a cup of cold coffee sat nearby, and in the corner the laptop hummed quietly in sleep mode. The lamp above the desk was turned down low, casting a warm glow across his face.
Rick stopped by the door.
For several seconds, he simply looked at him.
Aaron looked unusually peaceful. The exhaustion he had hidden all day behind an even voice and restrained expression was now painfully obvious.
The light caught softly in his dark hair. His straight brows were drawn together ever so slightly, as though even in sleep he didn’t know how to completely let go of the tension. His face looked calm, but there was something quiet and almost painfully weary in that calm.
Rick suddenly realized that, for the first time in a long while, he could see so clearly just how exhausted Aaron was.
Aaron’s chest rose and fell slowly and evenly, and Rick unexpectedly noticed that he was breathing in the same rhythm.
He tightened his grip on the report and carefully closed the door behind him, trying not to make a sound.
He walked quietly toward the desk.
For some reason, every step seemed too loud, even though the office remained completely silent.
He carefully set the report on the edge of the desk, trying not to disturb anything. But in that same instant, Aaron moved.
His eyelashes fluttered.
He slowly lifted his head and ran a hand over his face. For a few seconds, he stared ahead as though he hadn’t immediately realized where he was. Then he noticed Rick.
Rick instinctively lowered his eyes.
“The report. Billy asked me to bring it.”
Aaron silently looked at the papers.
“Thanks.” His voice was slightly hoarse from sleep.
Rick nodded.
It seemed like he could leave now.
But for some reason, he kept standing there by the desk, feeling something heavy and unspoken hanging between them.
Aaron straightened in his chair.
“Why didn’t he bring it himself?”
Rick shrugged slightly.
“Said he was in a hurry to get to the shooting range.”
Aaron’s eyebrow lifted almost imperceptibly.
“Today is Tuesday.”
“So?”
“He goes to the range on Wednesdays and Fridays.”
They fell silent at the same time, realizing Billy had lied to them. The office grew quiet again.
Rick stood motionless for several more seconds, not knowing what to do next. It felt as though they had said everything they could. And at the same time, they had said nothing at all.
“I see.” That was all he managed to say, feeling Aaron’s gaze still resting on him.
Something tightened painfully in his chest. He swallowed and turned away, preparing to leave.
His feet carried him toward the door on their own.
With every step, the weight inside him grew heavier.
His fingers had just touched the handle, the cold metal burning against his skin, when the chair behind him scraped softly across the floor.
His heart suddenly beat harder again.
“Wait.”
Aaron’s voice was quiet, but for some reason Rick froze where he stood.
He heard him slowly come closer.
“Where’s your scarf?” Aaron asked quietly.
Rick turned toward him.
“What?”
There were only a few steps between them, but suddenly Rick felt as though the distance had become far greater than it had been yesterday in the car.
“It’s cold outside today, so I’m asking where your scarf is.”
“I’m not cold.”
Aaron’s eyes moved over his face, lingered on his cheekbone, then dropped slightly lower — to the greenish bruises on his neck.
Rick shoved his hands into his pockets and lowered his head, hiding his sudden awkwardness behind his fringe.
He should have simply left, but he couldn’t. His feet felt rooted to the floor, and his throat tightened with a strange, gnawing feeling.
“Are you avoiding me?” Aaron asked after a brief pause.
Rick didn’t answer immediately.
“No.”
But he didn’t look up. He stood there with his head bowed, biting the inside of his cheek.
Aaron took another step, shortening the distance between them but still leaving it safe.
“Are you angry?”
Rick swallowed.
“Yes.”
The laptop on the desk continued to hum quietly. Someone walked past in the hallway, their shoes scuffing loudly against the floor.
“About what I said in the car?”
Rick gave a quiet huff.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Yes.”
Rick lowered his eyes.
“Then why did you stop me?”
Aaron exhaled slowly but didn’t come any closer.
“Because I would say the same thing again.”
Rick looked up sharply.
For several seconds, he simply stared at Aaron, as though he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
Then he took a step forward. Less than a meter remained between them now.
“Do you even understand what you just said?”
His voice trembled with anger he was no longer trying to hold back.
“You decided for me and didn’t even ask what I wanted.”
Rick pressed a palm against his own chest.
“I didn’t ask you to choose for me. I didn’t ask you to protect me like this!”
He forced himself to meet Aaron’s eyes.
“Because to me, this isn’t protection. To me, it means you don’t think I’m someone who has the right to decide for himself where he should be.”
Aaron’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing.
“I don’t understand you at all.”
Rick tiredly ran a hand over his face.
“I thought I was finally starting to understand what was going on inside you. And today you’re talking like my opinion doesn’t matter.”
He shook his head.
“You take a step toward me, and then you push me away. You say one thing, but feel something completely different. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
He looked up at him again. The inner corners of his brows lifted ever so slightly.
“And now you’re telling me you’d say it again?!…” he breathed, almost in a whisper.
“Yes,” Aaron said quietly. “But I had no right to say it that way.”
Rick froze.
He opened his mouth, ready to answer, but for some reason the words wouldn’t come.
The anger that had been burning inside him only a second ago suddenly ran into something he had been completely unprepared for.
He stared at him and, for the first time throughout the entire conversation, had no idea what to say.
Something tightened painfully in his chest.
Rick slowly looked away. He felt terribly ashamed of his own shouting. Of how close he had come.
He exhaled heavily and clenched his jaw tighter, trying to pull himself together.
