Camille stopped in front of the doors, her hands at her sides, her expression shifting into something almost tentative. It was a change from her usual confidence, her usual swagger, and Rebecca noticed it immediately."I thought you walked like you owned the place," Rebecca said, a hint of dry amusement in her voice. "What happened to that?"Camille's grin was sharp, but there was something almost nervous beneath it. "This is different. This is his territory." She bit out, petulant like she hated admitting to it.Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Whose territory?" She asked but Camille didn't answer. Instead, she reached out and pushed the doors open, the heavy wood swinging inward with a soft groan. She stepped through, and naturally, Rebecca followed.Into what felt like nighttime.The room beyond was dark with the only source of light being a single lamp, a large industrial fixture that was positioned close to a table in the center of the room. It cast a harsh, white light downward,

"So," Dr. Price said, glancing over his shoulder at Rebecca. "You're the new one. Camille's latest tryst." He said it like it was a bad thing, with judgement so strong it could've outlasted coffee.Rebecca blinked, caught off guard by the sudden attention. "I'm helping her with the case. That's all."Dr. Price's lips twitched. "Helping her with the case. That's what they all say. And then they get sucked into her orbit and never escape."Rebecca opened her mouth to respond, but Camille cut her off, her voice sharp and amused. "Don't listen to him. He's just bitter because I don't let him have his way.""I'm bitter because you're a menace," Dr. Price corrected, his voice dry. "A menace who keeps showing up at my office at all hours and demanding my attention.""Your attention is very valuable," Camille said. "I only demand it when I need it."Dr. Price shook his head, but he was almost smiling. "You're a cretin."Cammile hummed, her eyes going half-lidded."Yours." She purred.The olde

There was silence over the line for a few seconds and Rebecca felt the worry that had been doused rekindle almost instantly."Marie? Is there…. something wrong?" She asked slowly, cautiously.Almost immediately, the other woman refuted her concerns."Ah! No! Nothing's wrong," Marie said, her voice bright but carrying a hint of urgency. " I swear…But I need to talk to you. In person. It's important."Rebecca's brow furrowed. "I'm in the middle of something right now. Can it wait?""It's time sensitive, Rebecca. Please. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."Rebecca hesitated, her eyes flickering to the body on the table, to Camille and Dr. Price who were still deep in their discussion of the killer's methods. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay, to absorb every detail, to understand the full scope of what they were dealing with.But something in Marie's voice made her pause. Time sensitive. Important. The woman wasn't frivolous by nature and wasn't one to ask for anything. Sh

She pushed open the door and stepped out into the cool morning air, leaving Marie sitting alone at the table, her expression a mixture of confusion and hurt.Rebecca walked quickly, her strides long and purposeful. Her mind was churning, turning over everything Marie had told her. Simon was still connected to Fieldman. He was still planning something. And now Marie had inserted herself into the middle of it.She made a mental note of the woman's nosiness, filing it away for future reference. Marie meant well, but she was dangerous in her own way. She asked too many questions, paid too much attention, got too involved. Rebecca would have to be careful around her, would have to keep her at arm's length.But that was a problem for another day. Right now, she had more pressing concerns. On one hand she needed to get back to Camille, to find out what Dr. Price had uncovered, and on the other she had to figure out what Simon was planning and check if Noah was alright.Ultimately, she made

Noah woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains, the warm golden light painting soft patterns across the ceiling. He blinked, disoriented for a moment, his body still heavy with the weight of a deep and dreamless sleep. The room was quiet, the only sound the distant chirping of birds outside and the soft hum of the house settling around him.He reached for his phone on the nightstand, squinting at the bright screen.9:55 AM.He had slept late. Much later than he intended. The events of the previous night had drained him completely, and his body had clearly decided to make up for lost rest in one fell swoop.He clearly won't be able to make it to the office on time today.He sat up slowly, running a hand through his disheveled hair, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. His muscles protested the movement, stiff from the awkward position he had slept in, but he forced himself to stand.The bathroom was spacious and elegant, all marble and soft lighting, and Noah took his