15. Fifteen

fifteen

Phoenix

Igaped between both sets of flowers with my lips pinched, torn between which one I should select. The set on my left was an exquisite bouquet of freshly harvested red roses, and the bundle on my right was a bouquet containing an assortment of roses, daisies, lilies, and tulips.

"Hi there. Anything I can help you with?"

My gaze lifted and landed on a young girl in her early twenties with dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing dark blue jeans, a white button-down, and she was pregnant—about a good six to seven months. I offered her a kind smile and gestured between the two bouquets.

"I'm looking for something…not creepy," I said with a tense chuckle. "It's been a while since I've done something like this and let's just say I'm a little nervous."

"First date?"

"Something like that. I'm looking for something that shows I'm interested, but I also don't want it to scream I'm trying too hard."

The woman laughed softly. "That should be easy enough. Do you know what she likes?"

"I don't," I shamefully answered, frowning. "It's hard to explain, but this is sort of like a blind date. We've spoken before, but never for more than a few minutes. This is technically the first time we're meeting face to face."

"And you never thought to ask her about her favorite flowers?"

I shamefully nodded.

"Well, you can't go wrong with our variety bundle," she said, nudging her head to the assortment on my right. "Not only is it our best seller, but it's the perfect option for those who find themselves in situations much like the one you're in. Now, there are some women who can be particularly picky about their flowers, but me personally, I prefer variety. There's a unique art to arranging them, but if done correctly, you'd be amazed at how much beauty and magic one simple little flower arrangement can bring to someone's life."

Beauty and magic were the precise things I was looking for.

"Sounds great. I'll take it."

The blonde beamed at me, her eyes glittering. "Awesome. I can get that going for you right away. What size bundle would you like? We have small, medium, large, and XL, which is the largest we offer."

"Medium is fine. Do you happen to sell flower vases?"

"We do." The woman nodded and then pointed all the way to the opposite side of the flower shop. "We have different selections from glass, plastic, ceramic, and we even do special engravings should you decide to go with one of our metallic vases."

"That sounds great."

"I'll be at one of the larger tables in the back of the store," she said, pointing in said direction. "It'll take me a few minutes to get your arrangement ready. If you find a vase you like, then you can bring it over to me and I'll set everything up for you. If not, then I can box everything up separately."

"Sounds good. I'll think about it and let you know."

I left her to begin her work and continued to browse through several tables harboring different flowers bearing names I couldn't dare pronounce if I'd tried, until, as promised, a large aisle stocked full of all sorts of vases blessed my vision. I had no fucking clue what I was doing and if my parents were still alive, I could've called one of them up and asked for some advice. Given that it had been two miserably long years since their passing, and four lonely years since I felt serious about someone, the Lord knew how much I really needed it, and them. I'd only just discovered the mystery woman I'd been longing for was the CDA I was currently working with. Aside from that, and of course, this ridiculous fucking situation she was in with her ex-husband, I frankly didn't know shit about Charlotte Greene or anything pertaining to her likes, dislikes, hobbies, her favorite color—hell, none of it. Spike said the plan was to invite her out to lunch so we could speak with her privately, so I wanted to do something sweet, like buy her some flowers in hopes it would help make things less awkward once we broke the news to her. I was so damn nervous, but I could do this. I knew I could. Picking out flowers was one thing, but seriously, how hard could it be picking out a vase?

It was less than a minute later when my eyes landed on a stunning, crystalized vase which had what appeared to be a leaf and vine pattern professionally molted top to bottom inside the glass. It was a little on the smaller side, but after taking another look, I suppose the mouth was big enough to hold a mediumish size bouquet. There was only one way to find out, so I eagerly grabbed the glass and looked it over with a pleased smile before starting my trek to the back of the store.

I was about halfway there and could literally see the woman I'd spoken to busy assembling my order, when my phone started buzzing in my pocket, halting me in my tracks. After safely tucking the vase away under my left arm, I fished out the phone and glanced down to see it was Spike calling.

"Hey. You at the precinct?"

"I am. And you're never going to believe this shit. We have another case."

My body stiffened where I stood. Swallowing hard, I asked, "Like a rape case?"

"Amber Strickland. Dark hair, blue eyes, and twenty-eight years old. She was found by her husband in their living room about thirty minutes ago. She's been beaten and her clothes are torn."

I pulled the phone away from my ear long enough to check the time. It was still early, just a little after 8am.

"Is it connected to Delilah's case?"

"Chief seems to think so. He called Cap with the info and had him update me first thing when I walked in. Where are you at?"

"I'm about ten, maybe fifteen minutes away."

"Do me a favor and put the pedal to the metal. I'm low on gas, so I need you to swing by the precinct and pick me up. CSIs got there ten minutes ago and Cap wants us there ASAP."

Shit.

I had no idea how much longer it was going to take here in the flower shop. The EMTs would have Amber on the stretcher and over halfway to the hospital by the time I left here and made it to the precinct.

"I'll be there as fast as I can, Spike. Sit tight."

I hated rushing people, but this was an emergency and unfortunately, I didn't have much of a choice.

"Hey hon," I said, greeting the nice lady who was helping me. "Work called and I'm afraid I have to leave."

"Oh, no problem. Believe it or not, I just finished up. Is that the vase you want?" she asked, nudging her head to the glass trapped under my armpit.

"It is," I replied, handing it over. "Is it big enough to fit?"

She nodded. "All I have to do is cut the stems a little shorter but yes, it'll fit just fine."

There was a register on the counter beside her. After placing the bouquet down long enough to open the register, she handed over my bill and then disappeared through a door behind the table.

She appeared moments later with the arrangement placed neatly and beautifully inside the water-filled vase and a huge smile on her face.

I pulled up at the precinct and hit SEND on the text, letting Spike know I was here and waiting. I hoped he would come out soon because I had an idea I wanted to run by him.

The plan was to take Charlotte out to lunch and make the big reveal then, but instead of waiting for lunchtime to make our move, I wanted to go by the DAs office, personally deliver Charlotte's flowers, and then ask her out to lunch in person. It seemed more intimate and gentlemen-like to approach her that way as opposed to sending a foolish, inconsiderate text message.

Time ticked by and the longer I waited, I began to get irritable. If he was in there taking a shit, usually, he'd have the decency to message me with a heads up. There were no missed calls or texts on my phone though, so the longer I was forced to sit and wait, the more impatient I'd become.

What the fuck was taking so long?

I exhausted another five minutes we really couldn't afford to waste before I got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Charlotte's flowers were in the passenger seat and no sooner than I'd shut the door, the vase tipped over in the seat.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I moved fast and opened the door, saving them from harm and luckily able to dodge wetting the seat. I blew out a breath and set them down on the floorboard just to curse angrily when I shut the door and watched them tip over again.

God damnit.

I rounded over to the passenger side, saying fuck it then and deciding to bring the vase with me. I didn't want the flowers or the vase to get ruined, so if it meant I had to tote it around with me until it was in Charlotte's hands, then so be it.

I made it inside the precinct and entered through the elevators, halting again when all of my colleagues, including Detective Peach, turned, and suddenly stiffened—their feet rooted in position and their eyes solely locked on me.

Spike wasn't at his desk and as I wordlessly gazed around, I didn't see him anywhere.

What the hell was going on?

"Interrogation Room 1," a deep voice said from behind me.

I turned, locking eyes with Captain Burgess.

"You might want to hurry. It isn't pretty."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Charlotte Greene came storming in not even a minute before you did. I'm not exactly sure what your partner did, but what I do know is that she looks angry enough to wrestle a thirteen-foot crocodile with her bare hands."

I sighed deeply and closed my eyes.

Fuck.

This was the last fucking thing I wanted to deal with right now.

At this rate, the EMTs would be at the hospital long before Spike and I could step a foot outside of the building.

"Alright, Cap. I'll handle it."

I wandered over to my desk and gently placed the vase down, ensuring it was secure and nothing would knock it over before I turned and made the short trek over to the door leading to the interrogation hall. I approached the door to Room 1 and opened it to find myself staring at Charlotte and Spike nose to nose through the window.

Quickly, I rushed over to the speaker box and activated it so I could listen in.

"You had no fucking right, Hutch," Charlotte growled, her chest heaving as she glared up and deep into his dark eyes. "Next time, grow a set of nuts and confront me face-to-face like a real man."

She took a step away from him with her hands pressed to her hips and her head slightly cocked to the side, her eyes flashing.

All I could do was stand there wide-eyed and confused.

What the hell was going on?

What did Spike do?

Doing nothing but standing there behind the glass wouldn't give me any answers, so I shut off the speaker box and entered the interrogation room, earning a startled gasp from Charlotte and an annoyed curse from Spike.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"I'll tell you what's going on." Charlotte raised her hand and pointed a hostile finger at my partner's chest. "This motherfucker called my boss demanding for a new CDA. Apparently, Detective Hutch seems to think I have an issue keeping my personal problems emotionally contained outside of work."

"He did what?" I asked, staring between the both of them in utter disbelief. It must have been time to clean out my ears because I was certain I had to have misunderstood her.

But as my gaze flicked back over to Spike, visually processing how he refused to look at me and how he neglected to defend himself, I became angry, and fucking fast too.

Why the fuck would he do something like that?

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No," he growled, his jaw ticking. "There isn't. But she has something to tell us. Isn't that right, Eve?"

Charlotte blinked wide-eyed at him with her lips parted, her breath trembling. "Wh-what did you just call me?"

My heart dropped.

I opened my mouth, but as hard as I tried, no words came out.

What the fuck was Spike thinking? This was not part of the fucking plan!

"Eve," Spike carried on with a malevolent grin on his face. "That's what you told us your name was when we met at The Flirty Sanctum."

"Spike," I growled without thinking, seconds away from striking him across his thick fucking jaw as I turned to him with my fists clenched and ready.

"Sp-Spike?" Charlotte repeated, her skin paling as she took another step back, her eyes sweeping over him again, and then me. "Ph-Phoenix?"

"Hi, Eve," I muttered, frowning with remorse as I watched her hands shoot up and clasp around her mouth, tears filling her eyes.

"My name is Spike Hutcheson and his is Phoenix Rhodes. At the club you know us as Spike and Phoenix, but here you know us as Hutch and Rhodes. We didn't know who you really were until you gave me your phone number the other night. I am the lion, Phoenix is the rabbit, and you, Charlotte Greene, are our precious feline."

"No." She moved closer to the door, shaking her head. "That's impossible."

"I'm sorry, Charlotte." I wanted to go to her, but I knew she'd shove me away or run if I tried. "But he's telling the truth. You weren't supposed to find out this way. The plan was to invite you to lunch and then tell you."

I cut my eyes at Spike, who did nothing but roll his eyes in spite of his constant refusal to look me in the eye.

I'd deal with his ass soon enough.

"We have a case," I told her before she could say anything. "Possibly another rape victim. Chief thinks it's related to Delilah's case."

"Good." Charlotte straightened her posture and then turned for the door, grasping the knob. "Text me the details and I'll meet you there."

She took a step out before she froze and whirled back to face us, her forehead scrunched with wrinkles as she glared ruthlessly at Spike. "I'll make sure to keep my personal problems emotionally separate from the case."

Charlotte took her leave and viciously slammed the door behind her. I turned to Spike and without thinking twice about it, grasped him by the collar on his shirt and vehemently slammed him against the wall.

I typically wasn't one to resort to violence so quickly, but I was good and pissed the fuck off and Spike deserved to have his shit rocked sideways after that stunt he just pulled.

"What the fuck were you thinking, huh, Spike?" Spit flew out my mouth and landed on his chin and cheek. "We had a plan!"

"Plans change," he sneered, shoving me off of him and adjusting his collar back in place, smirking at me as my chest began to heave. "It felt like the right call and so, I did what I had to do."

"You went to her fucking boss!"

"How the fuck was I supposed to know Harley would tell her?" he asked, raising his hands in defense. "The woman denied my request and shot me down. There was no reason to tell—"

"That's her fucking boss, Spike. Of course she was going to tell Charlotte!" I scrubbed my hands down my face and took a moment to get the jackhammering in my chest back under control. "Charlotte's right, Spike. You had no fucking right to do that shit. However, what's done is done and well, I doubt there's anything I can do to fix this shit. Not only did you decide to fuck me over, but you probably just cost us our relationship with her too. Thanks for that. I truly hope it was fucking worth it."

It fell silent then, and as I looked at him, finding his gaze planted to the floor and his lips dropped down in a miserable frown, I sighed and shook my head. There was nothing more I could say and hell, I was so upset I didn't even want to look at him. We still had a case to work though, so I told him I'd meet him at the car and left him alone to temporarily reflect on the consequences of his actions.