Black Orchid Girls (Detective Amanda Steele)

“She’s weird like that too!” Jayne jumped in. “All into astrology and horoscopes. Don’t bug her when Mercury is in retrograde. Whooo.” She shook her hands in the air.

“Enough,” Amanda barked, pinched the bridge of her nose and shut her eyes for a second. She should have more control than that, but these two were really irritating. She regrouped and continued calmly. “Thank you, Lauren.” Amanda pulled out two business cards and handed one to each of them.

Jayne stood and eyed Trent. She held out her hand. “I’ll take yours too.”

“You can reach me through Detective Steele.” All business.

The smirk on Jayne’s face dissolved, and her eyes became ice before she turned on her heel and left.

“Sorry for your loss.” Amanda called that out after Jayne’s retreating form and let it carry for Lauren, who was a little slower collecting her books. “Let me know if you’d like someone to speak with you about what happened to your friend… To help you process it all.”

“Thanks.” Lauren dipped her head and left.

“Let’s hope the two of them don’t kill each other,” she mumbled to Trent.

“Right? A valid concern.”