Uncovering Officer Smith (The Discovering Trilogy #2) by Sheena Hutchinson Page A

because the speaker is switched off.
    “What do you think?” Matt eyes me, staring through the other window.
    “Looks like a dispute over money.”
    “Do you know him?” Chief points to Jared.
    “Only from the job.”
    “Determine who wants to press charges and we’ll go from there.” I push off the wall and turn, heading for the door. I can’t be here anymore. Old feelings I tried so hard to suppress are gnawing at me in an attempt to come out. The worst part, is they aren’t even about April any longer. The eyes I see now are blue, not green. The feelings I was suppressing are bubbling to the surface.
    “Where are you going?” Matt calls as I open the door.
    I pause in the doorway. “I have something to do.”
     

     
    I don’t know why I’m here. I came to think, but staring out from atop the cemetery hill, all my eyes can focus on is the prominent four-story building of new dormitories on the North Commons campus.
    Ugh . Why does she have to be Ford’s little sister? Why can’t anything in my insane life be easy?
    I pull out my phone. Maybe I can call her. It’s only been a few days since dropping her off. I could say work had been busy. Would she buy that? Maybe I can have her come down to the station about her case. That’s right; she’s a victim. How would it look if I start to date her?
    Date.
    The thought almost makes me laugh. I don’t date. Who the hell am I kidding? This isn’t going to work. I’m better off just leaving things be. It’s better I don’t open Pandora’s box. It’s better this way, I tell myself, turning the key in the ignition. Now, all I have to do is get this girl out of my mind.

Meggie and I almost started crying during the pre-game shot, toast. Her parents decided to pull her out of summer classes. This is her last weekend before she has to return home. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her. She almost said the exact same thing during her toast, but we quickly chased it down with some humor. I mean, after all, we’ll be apart for barely two months.
    When you spend every single day together, two months feels like an eternity. Tonight is going to be a good night. Just my best friend and me – we promised each other a girl’s night. For the first time in my life, I was totally lying.
    There are a ton of bars on The Ave. We could have gone to any number of them, and probably should have… but truthfully, I wanted him to see me. Meggie and I saunter up to the bouncer on the patio stairs in our heels and he automatically waves us in. After sharing a glance, we giggle before walking into the flap of the tented patio. The white material billows up into two points above the patio and the light filters through, casting an eerie ambiance. My eyes scan the crowd.
    Meggie catches my eye. “I don’t see him, Bee.”
    I look away. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
    She smiles. “You know exactly who I am talk about.” She guides me across the patio to the outside bar, conveniently squeezing in between a pair of guys, and places our drink order.
    “Oh, excuse me, boys.” Meggie is the queen of striking up conversation. The bartender places the drinks on the bar top and I happen to notice one of the guys reaching for his wallet.
    “Let me get those for you, doll,” he offers.
    “Oh, I couldn’t possibly…” Meggie starts and I roll my eyes. She definitely could possibly, and he is totally being played.
    They exchange a few words before she passes me one of the drinks. She waves to them as we walk away arm in arm.
    “I don’t know how you do it.” I giggle in her ear.
    “Men are suckers.” She wiggles her fingers at a bouncer in the doorway to the back entrance of the club and we slip inside. “It’s almost like they deserve it. You see, Becca, you can let them play you—Or you can play them first.”
    “That’s no way to be, Meggie.”
    “That’s the only way to be.” She lifts her drink to her lips and swallows a gulp.
    My