I know, he said. Thats why I need to see you this morning. Pleasedont say no until youve heard what this is about.

Jessie wanted to say no. With everything going on at home, she didnt need the extra responsibility. And yet, she couldnt help but be curious. She relented slightly.

See me? Cant you just fill me in over the phone?

No. This ones pretty sensitive. Can you be in my office in an hour, just to hear me out? Trust meitll be worth your while.

Jessie knew he was playing her. Captain Decker understood just which buttons to push to pique her interest. And it was working.

This better be good, she warned, though she knew he wasnt intimidated.

He had her hooked.

*

As Jessie entered the station, she noticed that it was deathly quiet.

That wasnt a shock at 6:04 on a Sunday morning, but it was still unsettling to walk past the deputy desk sergeant, who was reading a magazine because there was no one in the lobby. It was odd not to hear the standard sounds of phone chatter and keyboard typing that usually filled the bullpen. Jessie passed the half dozen people sitting forlornly at their desks and headed for Deckers office.

Just before entering she checked her phone one more time. She didnt really expect a text from Hannah at this hour but she knew that when she got one, it wouldnt be friendly. Hannah was surly these days as it was. But when she saw the note on the kitchen counter saying that Jessie had gone to the station to discuss a case and to keep the house tidy for Ryans arrival, her response was unlikely to be gracious enthusiasm.

Jessie knocked on the closed door to Deckers office.

One minute, came the gruff response from the other side.

While she waited, Jessie glanced back at the HSS section of the bullpen to where she used to sit. Homicide Special Section was a unit within LAPD dedicated to cases that had high profiles or intense media scrutiny, often involving multiple victims and serial killers. For two years, shed been the units primary profiler, working with a small team of detectives led by Ryan. Theyd sat at desks across from each other, initially as partners, and eventually, as much more. The thought of the long hours they spent across from each other, sparring playfully at first, then lovingly, brought a smile to her lips.

With her departure and Ryans injury, the unit was temporarily being led by crusty veteran detective Callum Reid. The team included Detectives Alan Trembley and Marjorie Pointer. Detective Gaylene Parker from Vice was even called in occasionally for support when things got especially hairy. They were still the most celebrated investigative squad in the department, but without Ryan and Jessie, HSS had lost a bit of its luster.