#laws end | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lawsend · 10 months

Text

Murder at Vista Heights Chapter 3

Series: Law’s End

Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights

Fandom: The Royal Romance (loosely, there’s not much canon in here).

Pairings: None yet

Word Count: 2,521

Rating: MA

Warnings for series: adult themes, any given chapter may contain murder, violence, language, drinking, drug use, etc.

My other stuff can be found on my main blog @angelasscribbles here is the Master List.

“Well?” The chief of homicide demanded a glower on his face.

“I…this has to be some kind of mistake…” Liam’s face was ashen as he pulled the sketch from Bertrand’s hands.

Max gripped Riley gently but firmly by the shoulder and pulled her back and to the side, quietly shifting them out of anyone’s direct line of sight.

Riley allowed herself to be moved. If no one noticed her, they would speak more freely, and she might learn something.

“Are you questioning Ms. Nevrakis’s ability to render an accurate image from the witness’s verbal account?”

“What? No, of course not!” his eyes jumped to Lilith and the woman he had questioned earlier. Lilith’s sketches had helped catch plenty of perpetrators. She was very good at what she did. Still.

He stalked across the room and thrust the sketch under the older woman’s nose, “Mrs. Haltom, this is the man you saw arguing with the victim?”

Riley strained to hear, holding her breath as she leaned in their direction.

“That’s the man I saw leaving his apartment after hearing the argument.”

“Did he say anything as he was leaving? Anything you can positively attribute to him?”

“Yes, he said ‘If you don’t back off, I’ll personally fucking kill you!’”

“I…thank you,” Liam’s shoulders slumped in defeat, “You can go now.”

“Max!” Riley hissed as she drug Max toward the door the woman was headed for, “We have to follow her and see if she’ll tell us-“

“You’re not going anywhere!” Liam’s voice thundered out, freezing her in place, “Stay right there! I’m going to need a word with you!”

“Fuck!” Riley muttered as she watched Liam and Bertrand disappear into the chief’s office, “She’s getting away!”

“I’ll go!” Max offered, hesitating as he waited for her response.

“Yes!” Riley made a shooing motion with her hands, “Go! Get her full name and phone number so I can question her later!”

“On it!” Max scrambled out the door and down the hall after the witness.

Riley sauntered closer to Liam’s desk, her eyes scanning the top of it for any files or notes that might be left lying around in plain sight. Her eyes flicked over to the glass window of Bertrand’s office.

She’d give a lot to be a fly on the wall in there right now.

Her gaze fell back on the paperwork scattering Liam’s desk. There was a manilla file folder labeled, “Hayes”. She glanced quickly around the room. No one was paying any attention to her.

Her fingers tugged the folder out from under the two others and slid it to the edge of the desk. Flipping it open, her eyes scanned the first page quickly. Before she could turn to the next page, she was startled by a voice from behind her, “Can I help you with something?”

Shit!

She jumped guilty and spun around to find an unfamiliar man standing behind her. He had shaggy shoulder-length brown hair, hazel green eyes, and a deadly serious expression on his face. Her eyes dipped to take in the badge clipped on his belt and the gun holstered on his hip.

“I was waiting for Liam- I mean detective Rys, he told me to wait here.” She hoped he couldn’t hear her heart thundering guiltily in her chest.

The detective’s gaze stayed stern as he asked, “Did he tell you to go through his confidential police files?”

“Ah…n-no…I wasn’t…I mean, I didn’t mean to, I just…I was looking for a pen and some paper so I could jot down a few notes.”

“Right.” His eyes narrowed.

“It’s okay, Flynn, Liam did tell her to wait here.” Lilith came to her rescue, handing her a pen and notepad, “Here you go. Why don’t you have a seat right over there.” She pointed to a couch near the wall.

“Thank you,” Riley gave Lilith a grateful smile and slunk away quickly before she got herself arrested.

The hardened homicide detective’s face softened as he turned his attention to the redhead, “I wasn’t trying to be an ass, but she was digging through confidential files!”

“I’m sure she didn’t realize it.”

Flynn threw a dark glance at Riley as he harrumphed before remembering the two cups of coffee in his hands. He thrust one toward Lilith, “Here. I…uh, thought you might like some coffee.”

“Oh! I…”

“Cream with two sugars, right?”

“That’s right! How’d you know?”

Flynn shrugged as he moved to the desk next to Liam’s and busied himself scooting folders around randomly. “That’s how you always take it. I’m a detective. I notice things.”

“Oh, well, thank you.” Lilith dropped her eyes to the cup in her hand as her cheeks flushed.

Riley clocked the interaction with interest and filed it away for future reference. Information was power and you never knew what secrets might come in handy down the road.

Liam shook his head as he faced off with his superior officer, “No. No! There’s no way Leo did this!”

“Liam….I know he’s your brother, but-“

“Look, sir. I know that his background is problematic but-“

“Problematic?” Bertrand snorted, “That’s the understatement of the year!”

“Like I said, I’m aware of his issues but-“

“I just don’t think you can be objective about this case. I’m transferring it to-“

“Sir, with all due respect, I’ve already investigated the scene, deposed the witnesses, coordinated with-“

“Yes, but if your brother is the perpetrator-“

“He’s not!”

“Even if he’s not, he’s at least a suspect and I need someone on this case that will give full and equal consideration to all leads!”

“Okay. How about this? You leave me on the case until and unless Leo becomes the prime suspect! Please, sir! Give me a chance to exonerate him!”

Bertrand pinched his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger as he regarded the earnest detective sitting across from him. He knew that Liam struggled against the same obstacles that he himself struggled against. Namely, a family legacy of corruption.

Liam was assigned to the seventh precinct because Bertrand had been the only chief willing to take a chance on him. Liam was the son of Constantine Rys, the not-quite-disgraced former Sheriff of Lantano County, and younger brother of Leo Rys, a fully disgraced former vice detective in the CCPD.

Bertrand had seen himself in the younger man when he’d agreed to hire him. In contrast to his father and brother, Liam was by the book, conscientious and honorable. Leo though… he lived on the other side of the law now and gave two shits less who knew it.

“Liam,” Bertrand said gently, “I don’t think you see your brother clearly-“

“I do, sir. You don’t know him the way I do!”

“Maybe not, but we both know what he’s capable of, Detective.”

Liam shook his head vehemently, “That was different! He wouldn’t just-“

“And what if he did?” Bertrand snapped, “What if all the evidence points to him?”

Liam glared at his boss for a minute before wilting, “Then I’ll arrest himself, sir. No one is above the law.”

“Right now, everything points to him. We have an eyewitness that puts him at the scene, and multiple witnesses that overheard the very loud, very heated argument just hours before the murder!”

“I have another suspect!” Liam protested, “I was just about to interview the informant!”

Bertrand nodded his head, “Tell you what. I’ll leave you on the case for now, but O’Malley takes the lead. You’ll assist him and I expect hourly updates! Is that understood?”

“Yes! Thank you, sir!”

“And Liam…if it turns out Leo did this, you’ll have to step away.”

“Yes, sir. I understand.”

Max slid himself onto the black faux leather couch next to Riley.

“Did you get the information?” She whispered.

“Oh yeah,” his grin lit up his whole face, “Her name, her number, her life story, the fact that she has a granddaughter my age who’s single and a dinner date for six o’clock tonight!”

“Six o’clock?”

“She’s old, Riley.”

“Fine. Six it is. I’m impressed, Max! How’d you get her to agree to dinner?”

He shifted uncomfortably, “I agreed to meet her granddaughter. She’s coming to dinner too.”

Riley clapped both hands over her mouth as she tried to repress the giggle that threatened to bubble out of her.

“Yeah, yeah, yuck it up. The shit I do for you…”

“Ah, Max, you love this as much as I do! And who knows? Maybe she’ll be a hottie and you’ll hit it off!”

His shoulders slumped as his eyes tracked across her face, “That’s not very likely.”

“Why not?”

Before he could answer, the door to Bertrand’s office opened and Liam stepped out.

“O’Malley!” Bertrand barked.

Flynn pulled himself away from Lilith and jogged across the room as Liam made his way back to his desk and motioned for Riley and Max to take the chairs across from him.

Liam drew in a deep breath to steady himself before lifting his eyes to Riley, “You said you have a suspect with motive. Who?”

“William Sloan.”

Liam blinked slowly, “William Sloan? The CEO of Sloan Enterprises?”

“That’s the one!” Riley smiled brightly at him.

“What’s the motive?”

Riley glanced around the office then leaned over the desk, “His wife, Katie Sloan might have been sleeping with the victim!”

“Might have been? Based on what evidence?”

“Well, he was concerned enough to hire a private detective to have her followed and she was followed right to a meeting with the murder victim.”

Liam sat up in interest, “When was this meeting? Where did it take place? Who was the private detective?”

“Oh…um…” she slid her eyes sidewise to Max.

Max straighten in his chair as he counted backward in his head, “Five nights ago, at the bar in the lobby of the Savoy Hotel.”

Liam’s gaze swung from Riley to Max in surprise, “Now I know you’re not a private investigator, are you?”

“No, officer, I’m a photographer.”

“So how do you know this and who-“

Riley placed a hand on Max’s chest to forestall any further comments from him, “Max just happened to see them there and he’s reporting it to you, as a good citizen.”

“Uh huh,” Liam leaned back in his chair as he returned his attention to Riley, “And how do you know about William Sloan hiring a PI?”

“I can’t reveal my sources,” She returned his gaze levelly.

“Riley, I’m going to need a little more to go on than your word.”

“Well, I would imagine you can pull security footage from the bar on the night in question.”

“We can and we will. It would be really helpful if you would just tell me the name of this PI.”

With a coy grin, she placed her elbow on his desk and leaned her chin in her hand, “And what do I get out of that deal?”

His mouth went dry as he properly identified the teasing lilt in her tone and the flirty flutter of her eyelashes. This woman was infuriating. She had no right to be so frustrating and alluring at the same damn time. She did things to him that he didn’t like to admit. But she was a reporter and had already proven that he couldn’t trust her. He hated that he knew exactly what it sounded like when she came and that he desperately wanted to hear it again.

Pushing his sudden arousal to the side, he shook his head, “Helping solve a murder? Isn’t that enough?”

“If I go around throwing my sources under the bus, they’ll stop telling me things.”

“Fine,” Liam blew out a frustrated sigh, “Is there anything you can tell me? Do you know the nature of Katie and Trent’s relationship? Was she cheating on her husband with him?”

“I don’t know if she was sleeping with him or not, but Trent and Katie used to be engaged!”

“Did they?”

“Yes, you can look that up. It’s a matter of public record.”

“Oh, I will,” he pushed away from his desk, walked around it, and motioned toward the exit, “Now, unless you have anything else useful to tell me-“

Riley and Max stood, but while Max headed for the exit, Riley turned back to Liam, laying a hand on his arm she lowered her voice, “I hope this is enough to take the suspicion off your brother.”

His face paled, “You heard all that?”

“Enough,” she shrugged, “For what it’s worth, if you say he didn’t do it, that’s good enough for me. I believe you.”

He stared at her hand on his arm for a long moment before lifting his eyes to her. He found nothing but sincerity there as he whispered, “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” she smiled as she dropped her hand away from his arm and turned to go.

“Riley, wait!” He reached for her and spun her back toward him, “Please…don’t print my brother’s name.”

“Liam….I have a duty as an investigative journalist-“

“Please!”

She hesitated. The vulnerability in his eyes and the pleading in his tone conspired to weaken her resolve. “Fine. I won’t print his name for now but once you narrow down a suspect, you tell me first!”

“Riley, you know I can’t-“

She placed her palm flat on his chest, “I’m not asking you to give me confidential information. All I’m asking is that once the information is cleared for release to the press, you slip it to me first!” Because fuck that smug bastard Neville. This was her story and she intended to scoop him on every detail. “Deal?”

Liam’s jaw clenched as he considered her offer. “As long as the information has been cleared through official channels, then fine, I’ll call you before I send it to public relations.”

She gave him that smile again. The one that made him feel like he could climb a mountain for her if she wanted him to. She leaned forward and went up on her tiptoes to place a soft kiss on his cheek, “I think this is going to be a very mutually beneficial arrangement, Detective.”

He watched her walk toward the exit, and Max, who was waiting with his hands shoved in his pockets, giving Liam an appraising look.

Max placed his hand on the small of her back as they exited, shooting a glance back at Liam as he did so.

Interesting. Liam was suddenly curious about the nature of her relationship with her photographer. But there was no time to worry about it now. Right now, he had much bigger problems.

Liam’s head was spinning with the information he had just obtained. Far from exonerating his brother, this new piece of evidence could bury him further. Katie Sloan nee Vanderhilt wasn’t just Trenton Haye’s ex-fiancée, she was also his brother’s ex-girlfriend. If Katie Sloan was rekindling old flames, could she have fallen back into Leo’s bed? Pitted one lover against another?

With a sigh of trepidation, he pulled his phone out and dialed, “Leo, it’s Liam. I’m going to need you to come down to the station and answer some questions.”

#trr au #trr au fanfic #writeblr #crime drama #angelasscribbles #Law's End #laws end #cordonia city #maxwell beaumont #liam rys #drake walker #riley brooks #trr fandom #trr fanfic #the royal romance #no canon #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week

45 notes · View notes

trrvisuals · 10 months

Text

My Stories: Law's End

This one has it's own blog @lawsend

These for the overall series were made by @harleybeaumont

Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights

Gifs from @secretaryunpaid:

#trr visuals #laws end #murder at vista heights #angelasscribbles

9 notes · View notes

historyandmemes · 4 months

Text

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than half a million people in Gaza — a quarter of the population — are starving, according to a report Thursday by the U.N. and other agencies that highlights the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s bombardment and siege on the territory in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The extent of the population’s hunger eclipsed even the near-famines in Afghanistan and Yemen of recent years, according to figures in the report. The report warned that the risk of famine is “increasing each day,” blaming the hunger on insufficient aid entering Gaza. “It doesn’t get any worse,’’ said Arif Husain, chief economist for the U.N.’s World Food Program. “I have never seen something at the scale that is happening in Gaza. And at this speed.” ... At the start of the war, Israel stopped all deliveries of food, water, medicine and fuel into the territory. After U.S. pressure, it allowed a trickle of aid in through Egypt. But U.N. agencies say only 10% of Gaza’s food needs has been entering for weeks. (Dec. 21, 2023 | Source)

DON'T LOOK AWAY.

31K notes · View notes

prokopetz · 5 months

Text

Creating a soulslike where all of the endings are turbo-horny in wildly incompatible ways and watching the fandom argue about which one is the "good ending".

#gaming #video games #game design #tropes #soulslikes #specifically baiting the d&d alignment nerds by making playing lawful good lock you into the vore ending

10K notes · View notes

soon-palestine · 5 months

Text

In a statement that was shared with The Nation, a group of 25 HLR editors expressed their concerns about the decision. “At a time when the Law Review was facing a public intimidation and harassment campaign, the journal’s leadership intervened to stop publication,” they wrote. “The body of editors—none of whom are Palestinian—voted to sustain that decision. We are unaware of any other solicited piece that has been revoked by the Law Review in this way. “ When asked for comment, the leadership of the Harvard Law Review referred The Nation to a message posted on the journal’s website. “Like every academic journal, the Harvard Law Review has rigorous editorial processes governing how it solicits, evaluates, and determines when and whether to publish a piece…” the note began. ”Last week, the full body met and deliberated over whether to publish a particular Blog piece that had been solicited by two editors. A substantial majority voted not to proceed with publication.” Today, The Nation is sharing the piece that the Harvard Law Review refused to run. Some may claim that the invocation of genocide, especially in Gaza, is fraught. But does one have to wait for a genocide to be successfully completed to name it? This logic contributes to the politics of denial. When it comes to Gaza, there is a sense of moral hypocrisy that undergirds Western epistemological approaches, one which mutes the ability to name the violence inflicted upon Palestinians. But naming injustice is crucial to claiming justice. If the international community takes its crimes seriously, then the discussion about the unfolding genocide in Gaza is not a matter of mere semantics. The UN Genocide Convention defines the crime of genocide as certain acts “committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such.” These acts include “killing members of a protected group” or “causing serious bodily or mental harm” or “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.” Numerous statements made by top Israeli politicians affirm their intentions. There is a forming consensus among leading scholars in the field of genocide studies that “these statements could easily be construed as indicating a genocidal intent,” as Omer Bartov, an authority in the field, writes. More importantly, genocide is the material reality of Palestinians in Gaza: an entrapped, displaced, starved, water-deprived population of 2.3 million facing massive bombardments and a carnage in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Over 11,000 people have already been killed. That is one person out of every 200 people in Gaza. Tens of thousands are injured, and over 45% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed. The United Nations Secretary General said that Gaza is becoming a “graveyard for children,” but a cessation of the carnage—a ceasefire—remains elusive. Israel continues to blatantly violate international law: dropping white phosphorus from the sky, dispersing death in all directions, shedding blood, shelling neighborhoods, striking schools, hospitals, and universities, bombing churches and mosques, wiping out families, and ethnically cleansing an entire region in both callous and systemic manner. What do you call this? The Center for Constitutional Rights issued a thorough, 44-page, factual and legal analysis, asserting that “there is a plausible and credible case that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian population in Gaza.” Raz Segal, a historian of the Holocaust and genocide studies, calls the situation in Gaza “a textbook case of Genocide unfolding in front of our eyes.”

#palestine #gaza #free palestine #end the the colonialism #end the occupation #harvard #harvard law review #genocide

7K notes · View notes

gizaoyas · 9 months

Text

"Shambles"

#one piece #op #monkey d luffy #trafalgar law #eustass kid #captain trio #one piece 1071 #op 1071 #dailyanime #anisource #fymanganime #shounenedit #op edit #mygif #opgraphics #i love them your honor #one piece ending

12K notes · View notes

tia-222 · 3 months

Text

A TECHNIQUE FROM SHIFTOK THAT WILL GET YOU INTO THE VOID RIGHT AWAY ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

So there's been a new technique that was developed from @rima shifting on tiktok and it's been getting really popular. If you wondering, " can we use shifting techniques to enter the void state? ", yes you can! Don't worry, you won't shift realities lol, but you can use them to affirm for the void state <3 . The original creator ( rima) has said after using this technique, she's shifted to multiple parallel realities on the first day using this.

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹

♡ How does this technique work?

It's involves the Wim hof breathing technique and pink noise. It's very easy to do and you will get into the void state on your first try using this ♡. Wait, ik some of y'all think that wim hof breathing is very fast pace, but there's an alternative which is the beginners one and people still shifted using that. Wim hof breathing is the best when you're trying to relax and release all stress/ doubts because it makes your thought process slow down by releasing dmt NATURALLY. This technique works by putting your body and mind into a deep trance state, whereby after you can start affirming for the void state. And don't worry, if you fall asleep because this method also helps you to lucid dream. If you do so happen to fall asleep while attempting this method, you're might find yourself in a lucid dream, you can affirm for a portal or dream character to take you straight into the void state.

♡ Technique in full detail :

1. You attempt this technique before bed, morning or during the day. Whatever time suits you the best <3.

2. Go to YouTube and search " wim hof breathing " or " wim hof breathing for beginner's ".

3. Play the meditation and follow all the steps, it's guided for you ♡. It's completely ok to take breaks any part of the video.

4. After the meditation finishes play the pink nosie. You can make a YouTube playlist and add these 2 videos. So the pink noise will automatically play after the meditation finishes. Also loves, you don't have 2 add the pink nosie, you can add your fav subliminal or theta waves, etc.

5. Start affirming for the void state, you will reach the void really fast because you already in a trance like state.

�� ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹

Click on the images to see the results of this technique. You can see the full comment section on the video, just search " Wim hof pink breathing method "on tiktok.

5K notes · View notes

alilarew23 · 4 months

Text

it is so easy to shift your state - let's practice!

ok beloveds.

it is tiiiiiiiime for a little exercise.

i want you to imagine real quick what it would be like to truly be a master at manifestation. yes i know we know we are all masters because we are always manifesting but! i mean a master at conscious manifestation. like, you ALWAYS get exactly what you want in the quickest and easiest way possible no matter what. you just imagine something, decide what you're going to experience next, and boom, it shows up. faster than fast. ayeeee, you did that.

ok, so now that you ARE that person, what's your experience like? what's your way of being within yourself, within the world? you're probably super fucking relaxed, even playful. you probably never worry about anything at all because what would there be to worry about when you know you always get what you want? you probably hardly expend any mental energy on your "desires" because the second you desire something you just--beep boop--claim it as yours and, well, now that's taken care of! you're probably the most present and loving person anyone has ever known. you probably have everyone around you not-so-jokingly asking you to manifest for them (iykyk). you probably feel like god. but not god who's desperately trying to assert some kind of control over a supposed-"outer" world. no. god who knows I AM the world. I AM all. how fun.

how fun indeed, that you just shifted your (drum roll please) state of being!

did that feel good? did you like being that person?

all that took place in your imagination.

you went from being an imaginal self who was maybe stressing about manifestation, watching too many tiktok vids and reading too many twitter threads, affirming affirming affirming but at what cost, to being an imaginal self who--in an instant--already had it all. and therefore could just kick it and watch a show or eat some tacos or go candlepin bowling (my new obsession) without stressing at all.

if that felt good, why not practice being that person? by which i mean consciously choosing to embody that identity until it's so natural that it no longer needs to be a conscious decision because you simply ARE it.

don't attach anything to this. just try the state on as if it's a new hoodie and see how it feels, and if you like it--you prob will, it's pretty snuggly in here!--well, keep wearing it.

4K notes · View notes

rickybaby · 4 months

Text

#at the end of the day this is the crux of the matter isn’t it?#however powerful and convincing South Africa’s case is #in the end it will all depend on international law that has failed again and again #palestine #south africa

3K notes · View notes

untexting · 4 months

Text

Tweet by Director-General of the World Health Organization. DON'T LOOK AWAY. The carnage must stop.

5K notes · View notes

cinnamonitgirl · 6 months

Text

wake up.

wake tf up right now. arent you sick of not feeling how you want to feel??? not looking how you want to look??? not being who you want to be? WAKE UP. stop complaining, stop complaining about not seeing movement about things not going your way etc. its okay to be in unfavourable circumstances, that's not your fault. but you have control. you have the power to change them in an instant. so get up and start acting like the most powerful person in the universe yk why? because YOU ARE. stop being like "oh nooo i'll wait till a full moon i'll do it tomorrow" shut your goofy ass up time isnt an excuse to not have your dream life. so youre here now and you're thinking, "what do i do?" what have you learnt??? AFFIRM AND PERSIST. do what makes you feel fulfilled and trust that you're doing everything right. even if youre doubtful keep persisting.

loass sayings that make it click for me

your subconscious doesn't have eyes.

the 3d is a mirror. your thoughts must move in order for the 3d to move.

manifesting is instant. the moment you decide that it's yours, it is. the 3d has no choice but to conform to your desires.

the only thing stopping you is you.

if you want it, you can have it.

what are you waiting for? start acting like you have everything you want. no limitations!

#law of assumption #self concept #loa #manifestation #affirmations #3dolc x roe #manifesting #affirm and persist #loa tumblr #living in the end

5K notes · View notes

lawsend · 11 months

Text

Murder at Vista Heights Chapter 1

Series: Law’s End

Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights

Fandom: The Royal Romance (loosely, there’s not much canon in here. I've just borrowed the names).

Pairings: None yet

Word Count: 2,524

Rating: MA

Warnings for series: adult themes, any given chapter may contain murder, violence, language, drinking, drug use, etc.

A/N: Thanks to @harleybeaumont and @karahalloway for prereading and bouncing ideas with me.

“Riley! Riley! Come here!”

Riley Brook’s head jerked up from the keyboard she’d been furiously typing on, her lush auburn brown curls bouncing freely, her deep emerald eyes wide. Her gaze darted from the source of the interruption, who was standing on the other side of the room waving his arms at her, to the coworker sitting at the desk across from her who looked completely disinterested as he lifted a shoulder and brought a sandwich to his mouth, lettuce and mayonnaise falling onto his desk.

Gross. That’s what the break room was for.

She carefully closed the lid of her laptop before walking across the newsroom. Goddamn if she was going to let any of these vultures scoop her story or copy her work.

“What’s up, Max?” she asked as she approached the over-exuberant freelance photographer who often hung around the office.

His cobalt blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he ran a hand through his short, russet brown waves and practically danced in place, “You told me to tell you if anything interesting came across the police scanner!”

Riley grabbed his arm, her fingers sinking in almost painfully as she glanced around the newsroom in panic. Dragging him into the empty breakroom, she glared at him, “Keep it down! It’s not a scoop if everyone knows!”

“Sorry! Sorry!” He lowered his voice and leaned closer to her, “The seventh precinct was just called out to investigate a homicide!”

“The seventh precinct?” Her eyes widened, “That’s Liam’s beat! Did you get the address?”

“Of course!” He dangled the keys to his midnight blue Chevy Tahoe in front of her, “We can take my car!”

She deftly swiped the keys right out of his hand, “Fine. But I’m driving!”

“But-“ he tried to protest but she was already striding for the door. He quickly gathered his equipment bag and stumbled after her.

Sliding into the passenger seat of his own vehicle, he glanced over at the woman in the driver’s seat, “It’s my car, Riley…”

“Don’t be a baby,” she admonished him as she put the car in gear and flew out of the parking garage, “Besides, I like to be in control.”

“Yeah….” His eyes tracked across her face then dipped down her body, a flush creeping across his cheeks before he turned toward the window, “Just try not to sideswipe anyone this time.”

“That wasn’t my fault!”

“Which time?”

“Any of them!”

Max wrapped his hand around the grab handle above the window and held on for dear life as the Tahoe careened around a corner, “You know the murder victim isn’t going anywhere, right?”

“I want to get there before that asshole Neville! He’s not scooping me again!”

“Okay….” Max squeezed his eyes shut and said a quick prayer as his vehicle jolted over a curb.

The Tahoe skidded to a stop in front of the Vista Heights apartment complex. Riley hopped out and made a beeline for the crime scene.

“Are we really going to just leave her in the middle of the street like that?” Max yelled after her.

Riley answered him over her shoulder without slowing down, “No one’s going to tow it right now. The cops have bigger fish to fry. Come on!”

He hesitated only briefly before grabbing his camera and scurrying after her. He glanced back at the SUV doubtfully, but the sight of Riley’s retreating back spurred him on. He could always bail out a towed vehicle. Riley never waited for anyone or anything.

He kind of liked that about her.

By the time he caught up to her, she was leaning over the caution tape as she tried to get anyone’s attention, “Excuse me? Excuse me?”

“Stay behind the tape!” a uniformed officer yelled at her.

“I know that…” she muttered as her eyes scanned the area until she spotted a familiar face, “Liam! Liam!”

Detective Liam Rys turned his gaze toward the crowd as a voice he knew all too well screamed his name. Shaking his head, he strode over to the caution tape with his lips pressed firmly together, “I’m at work, Miss Brooks. How can I help you?”

“Sorry, detective,” she gave him a look that was half repentant and half teasing, “I was wondering if I could get a comment, or at least the name of the victim.”

“You know better than that, Riley. This is an active crime scene.” There was a slight edge in his voice as his eyes flicked over her shoulder to take in Max as well, “You both need to get out of here. Wait for the press release, like everyone else.”

Riley tipped her head back to look up into his face. At five foot seven, she was tall for a woman, but he had a couple of inches on her. The tailored suit he was wearing fit him perfectly and gave away his family background of wealth and privilege. He wasn’t buying Armani suits on a detective’s salary. His raven hair was cut short, not quite military short, but close. His onyx eyes held several emotions, the primary of which was annoyance.

“Are you still mad?”

“I was never mad, Riley,” he glanced at Max then leaned forward so only she could hear him. His breath tickled her ear, “But fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I’m not falling for your tricks a second time.”

Goose bumps cascaded down her spine at the memory, “It wasn’t a trick, Liam.”

“Hm,” he pulled back with a smirk, “Right. That’s why my case ended up on the front page of the Cordonia City Ledger the next day.”

“Coincidence.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences so move along.”

“But-“ she watched his retreating back with a frustrated exhale.

Max’s gaze swung from Riley to Liam then back again, “Whatever happened between the two of you anyway?”

Riley shrugged, “Nothing that wasn’t mutually beneficial.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning none of your business!”

“I was just-“

“Max, look!” she punched him in the arm as the body was wheeled out and loaded into the back of an ambulance.

Max brought the Canon EOS Rebel up and started clicking furiously.

Riley’s eyes swept around the crime scene, looking for anything that would help her identify the victim.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here? If it isn’t the scruffy underdog and her mangy sidekick.” The voice was like nails on a chalkboard.

Riley turned with disdain toward the biggest pain in her ass. Neville VanCoeur, the highest-ranking journalist at their rival publication, The Cordonia City Herald. He had curly, dirty blonde hair that he kept gelled so thickly to his head a hurricane wouldn’t move it an inch. His face was fixed in a permanent sneer unless he was on camera, and he’d had it out for her since day one.

Probably because she’d turned down both his sexual advances and his job offer. “Scruffy underdog isn’t the insult you think it is, Johnny Bravo.”

Max erupted into gales of laughter as Neville stiffened, “Who is Johny Bravo?” he sneered, making Max laugh even harder.

“Your long-lost twin, ass wipe,” Riley smirked at him before turning her back to scan the crowd, looking for a neighbor that might talk.

Neville’s response was lost as Riley made her way through the throng of onlookers, hoping for anyone that knew which apartment the murder had occurred in. No one knew anything.

She stomped her foot on the ground in frustration as her eyes fell on the spot the ambulance had been. “Hey, Max, I have an idea!”

Max listened and a mischievous grin spread across his face, “I’m on it!”

He quickly found Neville’s photographer and sidled up to him, “Dude! There’s a delivery entrance open around back! I got some amazing shots!”

“Really?”

“Really!”

The man’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, “Why would you tell me this?”

“Oh, am I not supposed to?” Max acted startled, “I’m new at this. I thought we all helped each other out like that! Isn’t that how it works?”

“Sure, kid. That’s how we do it,” the guy gloated, “Thanks for the tip!”

Max watched the photographer whisper to Neville who looked gleefully around before sneaking around the parking lot to the back of the building. He gave Riley a thumbs up.

Riley waited for Max’s signal, then found a uniformed police officer, “I’m sorry to interrupt but I just saw that reporter go around back. Aren’t they supposed to stay on this side of the caution tape?”

“Yes,” the man was obviously annoyed, “Thank you ma’am, we’ll take care of it.”

“Any time, officer,” she smiled disarmingly at him.

Riley and Max ran back to the Tahoe, giggling the whole way.

“That should keep him busy for a while!” She laughed as she climbed back into the driver’s seat.

“So, we can get to the coroner’s office first, I presume?”

“Of course!” She started the car and threw it in reverse.

“Be careful with Estelle!” Max yelled at her as the car went up onto the sidewalk.

“Sorry, sorry!” She put it in drive and made her way carefully away from the crime scene. Curbs were one thing, she didn’t want to hit a pedestrian, and the street was now full of onlookers.

They drove in silence until they were clear of the crowd. Max relaxed into his seat with relief, but it was short lived as Riley gunned it the moment they were back on open road.

“Jesus, Riley! I want to get to the coroner’s office as a photographer, not a body!”

“Have I ever killed you before?”

“No…but there’s a first time for everything!”

Riley was quiet for a moment, then her tone turned serious, “Can I ask you something?”

Max’s face lit up at what he thought was a change of subject, “Sure Riley, you can ask me anything!”

“So, I’ve been wondering….Why did you name your car Estelle? That’s an old lady’s name, isn’t it?” She took her eyes briefly from the road as he answered.

Max gave her a flirty wink, “I like older women.”

Riley rolled her eyes as she returned them to the road, “Grandma old?”

Max’s face fell, “No…no, that’s not what I meant!”

“How old are you, Max? Twenty? Twenty-one?”

“I’m twenty-three, Riley. I’m a grown ass man.”

“Sure you are.”

“I’m only five years younger than you, you know.”

“Only,” she snorted, “Five years is an entire college career and then some.”

Max let out a frustrated exhale as he shifted in his seat, “Whatever.”

They pulled up in front of a small, nondescript building situated behind a UPS hub and across from a warehouse in the industrial district. It was a squat, one story structure made of faded brown brick with a row of tiny windows stretched across the front and a red windowless door in the middle. Actually, the door was just off center, a detail made her want to knock it down with a wrecking ball.

“This building is depressing,” Max muttered as he climbed out of the Tahoe.

“You always say that.”

“It’s always true!”

“Considering what it is, that seems appropriate,” Riley responded as she made her way into the building and down the hall to the morgue, bypassing the reception desk which was thankfully empty.

“Come in!” a voice called in response to her knock.

“Hey, Dr. Lee!” Riley greeted the woman with the lab coat.

“I told you to call me Hana,” the doctor was shorter than Riley, with warm caramel colored hair falling to her shoulders, deep brown eyes and an upturned nose.

“Sorry…Hana…I was wondering if you knew anything about the murder at the Vista Heights apartment complex earlier today.”

“Just brought him in,” Hana swept her hand toward the body on the table, “the cause of death seems obvious, but you never know. All homicide victims are autopsied, as you know.”

“Who is he?” Riley craned her neck trying to get a better look. The man on the table looked to be in his mid to late forties with jet-black hair and sharp features.

Max hung back near the door. He had no desire to see the dead body.

“You know I can’t tell you that,” Hana admonished.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Riley shot Max a meaningful look, her eyes darting from his to a manila folder laying on Hana’s desk, before stepping closer to the other woman. With a slight pout, she reached out and rubbed a hand down her upper arm, “Forgive me?”

Hana flushed slightly as a shy smile spread across her face, “It’s fine, I know you’re just doing your job.”

“And you’re just doing yours. I respect that.” Riley’s eyes flicked over Hana’s shoulder as Max closed the folder and gave her a thumbs up. “You said the cause of death was obvious?”

Hana hesitated, “I really shouldn’t say…”

“I promise to keep your name out of it.”

“I mean…it’s going to be out there soon enough anyway. I don’t think it’s a huge secret that gunshots were fired just prior to 911 being called. That’s all I can really say.”

“Thank you!!” Riley knew about the gunshots because Max had heard that much on the police scanner. It was nice to have confirmation though. “We’ll let you get back to work!”

“Riley?”

She paused on her way to the door, “Yeah?”

“Are you going to be at the bar later?”

“The Beat?”

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Of course!” she grinned, “There’s been a murder! Where else would I be but the bar all the cops hang out at?”

“Okay, maybe I’ll see you there.”

“That would be awesome!” Riley gave her a wave then exited the room. The moment they were back in the car, Riley turned to Max and demanded, “Well?”

“Well, the victim’s name was Trenton Hayes, he was shot dead in his apartment.”

“Trenton Hayes…Trenton Hayes…” she searched her memory, “Isn’t he some kind of wall street tycoon?”

“Yeah, I don’t really keep up with that type of stuff.”

“Really?” Surprise pulled through her, “You’re a Beaumont.”

“Not a very good one,” he laughed humorlessly, “My contribution to the family empire consists of spending the money…”

“Okay….” She didn’t know what to say to that. She smacked him on the shoulder as she drove, “Well, look the guy up!”

“I am!” He swatted her hand away as he typed into his phone, “Oh, shit! I’ve seen this guy before!”

“Really? Where?”

“I took pictures of him for this PI I work with sometimes.”

“What? Why?”

Max shrugged, “I don’t know. He pays me to take photos sometimes, or hack into shit. I wasn’t following the guy; I was following the woman he met with!”

“Who was the woman?”

“Katie Sloan.”

“Wait! The wife of William Sloan? As in, the head of Sloan Enterprises?”

“Yeah, that’s the one!”

“Holy fucking shit! Who is this PI? We’re going to talk to him right now!”

“Walker and Son Investigations, it’s on Canal Street.”

“Hold on!” She yelled as she yanked the wheel and skidded into a U-turn, “Canal Street, here we come!”