“What are you going to do with that cat?”

“Pen?” I asked. “I need to get him a few supplies, but he’ll be okay here.”

As I spoke, Penelope trotted over to Rourke. My partner frowned, lifted his hand, and tried to pet Penelope. A growl echoed from Penelope’s throat before he hissed at him. Penelope’s back raised, his tail high as he reached out a paw and struck out at Rourke.

“Goddamn it,” Rourke yelled, jumping from his seat as I joined him. “You need to take that thing somewhere else!” He looked at his bleeding hand. “Shit, that burns. I need to clean this. Find somewhere for him to stay until we finish this case.”

“He didn’t mean it,” I said. “He’s just stressed.”

“Yeah, stressed,” Rourke muttered. Turning on his heels, he walked down the hall. “I mean it. Find somewhere for him to stay. I’m allergic anyway.”

I gazed down at Penelope. “Why’d you do that?” I muttered. “You’re supposed to be a good boy.”

He grumbled again, the sound bordering on a growl. Shaking my head, I deposited Penelope back into his crate, but this time he went willingly. I knew where I could take him. Chelsea loved Pen and wouldn’t mind protecting him until the case was over.

The thought of Penelope not being by my side only made my shoulders slump more. Enzo was gone. Penelope was about to be sent away. All I had left was my dream staring me in the face if I solved this case.

Do I even want this anymore?

I stuffed that thought down hard and fast. Being a detective was everything I wanted. I couldn’t allow anyone to get in my way.

Chaos was an endless pool that I waded in, unable to escape. Darkness closed in around me, and my limbs grew heavier with every movement. The pain didn’t register, only the ache in the middle of my chest.

“Fuck, it smells like bleach in here.” Gin’s voice echoed through the constant fog that surrounded me.

I continued to scrub the grooves between the tiles. My fingers had gone pruny, and I barely resisted the urge to cut the pads of my fingers off.

“Enzo,” Gin called.

I didn’t look up from what I was doing. If I continued to clean and move, then reality stayed far away. I could hold the little control I had over myself.

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder, and I went stiff. My stomach rolled. The tiny voice in the back of my head screamed for it to be removed.

“You have to stop this. If you aren’t out there looking for him, you’re in here cleaning.” Gin’s hold tightened as he tried to pull me up. “Shit, Enzo, this isn’t good. When was the last time you slept?”

Sleep? I couldn’t anymore. All I ever thought about was Tex. When I closed my eyes, I could see his big blue eyes glaring back at me. I could hear his soft laughter or the way he moaned when he was eating my cooking. No sleep for me; it only made the ache worse.