The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

“Hello?” she said carefully, holding her head as it began to spin.

“Surin?” came the reply.

“Ah, yeh, this is Surin, who am I speaking too?” she slurred.

“Surin, it’s Madison. Is everything OK?” Madison listened to Surin chuckle.

“Yeah, everything’s peachy keen,” she replied. “What can I do for you at— wait, what time is it?” she said, bringing her wrist up to her eye and squinting to read the time.

“It’s one in the morning,” Madison added meekly. “Look, I didn’t expect you to answer. I was going to leave a voicemail.”

Surin sighed. “Well, it’s your lucky day, Lois Lane, how can I help?”

Madison could hear the exhaustion in her voice. Something has happened, she thought. “It’s nothing really, actually, it’s probably the last thing you need to hear right now, but I didn’t want you to think I was keeping anything from you.”

Surin shook her head. “What are you talking about?” She tried standing and then decided against it. “I don’t care what you do, Madison, we aren’t friends, we are colleagues and you are forcing my hand here.”

Madison instantly felt stupid. Of course, they weren’t friends she thought sadly, wake up, Maddy, she mentally kicked herself. “Right, thanks for clarifying that.” She cleared her throat. “I thought you should know that Grayson Withers called me tonight trying to get information on Parker.”

Surin sobered up almost instantly. “He what?” she said. “How did he get your number?” she added.

“Yes, well, that’s what I would like to know,” Madison replied tersely. “I told him to talk to you, not to me and hung up on him.”

Surin smiled. “Oh,” she answered, sounding a little surprised.

“What?” Madison said in disbelief. “Did you think I was going to go round two?” She continued with a sigh, “Surin, I know I have said sorry, but honestly that night he could have been anyone. It was not some calculated move by ‘Madison the femme fatale,’ it was me picking a guy in a bar so I could feel better about myself.” She shook her head. “If he had said no, it would have been the guy in the booth beside him.”

Surin listened not sure how to reply. She laid down flat on the cement, enjoying the cool feeling on her back. “Thanks for letting me know.” She closed her eyes for a moment.

“I just thought you should.” Madison went to hang up but added, “Surin, he was drunk and very bitter so just, be careful.”

“I will,” Surin replied and ended the call. Forcing herself to sit up, she grabbed the wall and pulled herself onto her feet. Using her cell phone as a light, she finally located her keys in her bottomless pit of a bag, turned and unlocked the deadbolt. “Aha,” she declared with a smile when the door swung open. She went to step inside when a hand touched her shoulder. Turning quickly, she fell sidewards into a bush. The adrenalin made her groggy head immediately clear. Still holding her tote, she reached in searching for her gun only to remember that she had left it sitting on the front step.

“Looking for something?” an all too familiar voice called out. She scrambled out of the bush, ignoring the occasional thorns that were piercing her skin, and stood up to face him.

“Grayson,” she said through gritted teeth, “what the fuck are you doing here?”

***

He looked awful. Her heart dropped, and guilt wormed its way into her head at the sight of him. He had lost at least fifteen pounds since she had last seen him. His clothes were loose and wrinkled, and bags sat thick and heavy under his eyes. She watched him teeter off-balance more than once, drunk, she realised, just like Madison had said.

“Nice night for a stalk,” she said, smiling sarcastically.

He laughed quietly. “Oh, I have missed that smart mouth of yours,” he replied, his eyes twinkling. She looked down at his hand that was still clutching her gun. He followed her gaze. “Oh, this?” he said innocently. Her body tensed, police training kicking in. “I’ve never much liked them,” he said and lowered it to the ground in front of him, not breaking eye contact.

Surin exhaled loudly once he had let it go. “Gray,” she said, carefully walking forward to retrieve it, “I’ll ask you again, what are you doing here?” She bent down, picked it up and clipped it onto her side holster, backing away from him again. “It’s one o’clock in the morning. You can see how this is borderline predatory behaviour, right?” she asked gently. He nodded, and she watched helplessly as tears welled up in his eyes.

“I miss you,” he said quietly, his head dropping.

“I know,” she replied honestly and sighed. “Did you ring Madison tonight?” she asked. His head snapped up in confusion.

“How could you possibly know that!” he asked, then realisation dawned on him. “You talk to her?” His voice was laced with hurt.

“She’s helping with a case, Grayson. She thought I should know.”

He shook his head. “You won’t talk to me? Your fiancé?” he yelled.

“Ex-fiancé,” she corrected, aware of his rising agitation.

“And what of this Parker Rhodes?” he spat.

Surin’s body reacted at the mere mention of his name. “What of him?” she yelled back.

“How did he slime his way into your panties?” he asked spitefully.

Anger and alcohol surged through her veins. She was a nanosecond away from punching him in the face. “My panties are of no concern to you, Grayson.” She walked closer to him, “But while we are on the subject, Parker Rhodes is twice the man you are, I trust him more than I ever trusted you!” Grayson physically blanched. “Yeah, that’s right,” she snickered, “you honestly think that I didn’t know?” she said, scowling. “I’m a fucking detective, you moron!” she