Black Orchid Girls (Detective Amanda Steele)

“Are you still there?” he prompted.

“I’m here, but I’m wondering what happened to Sergeant Malone.”

There was a stretch of silence. One he didn’t fill.

“Stephanie Piper had motive, as well as access to black orchids.”

“Josh had motive, Luke had motive, Ashton—”

“Fine, I concede. Yes, they all did, but Trent and I had valid reason to pull them in for questioning and to hold them.” Luke would have still been in lockup if she’d had her way.

“And you say Piper has access to black orchids, but do you know that for sure? You’re basing it on an order her mother—or someone with the same name—made three years ago and a greenhouse on the property. She could be growing hydrangeas, for all you know.”

She clamped her mouth shut. He had a point. Had she gotten so wound up in trying to close the case she was making leaps now? She could appreciate if it was her alone, but Trent had his suspicions about Stephanie Piper too. That had to mean something.

“Detective?”

By using her title, he was reminding her that at this moment he was her boss, not her friend. Still, she had to push—a little. “Sarge,” she began, going with his formal address, “usually you’d be backing me up. ‘Always have your back,’ isn’t that what you say?”

There were a few beats of silence.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” She voiced the question with respect.

“There is.”

She’d suspected there was something, but hearing confirmation of that had her pulling out a chair at the table in the room and sitting down. “What is it?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out a way to tell you, when to tell you.”

“Just tell me. You should know that about me by now.” The part left unsaid was that she preferred people speak their truth, to hit her with it straight-up, even if it was cold, brutal, and paralyzing.

“I’ve been recommended to be the next police chief.”

If she hadn’t been sitting, she’d be on the floor. Not because Malone didn’t deserve the post—he more than did. The appointment would catapult him to the top of the command structure without the need to climb all the ranks to get there. It was rare when this sort of offering came along but not completely unheard of. But if Malone accepted the position, where would that leave her? Who would take his place as her sergeant, and what kind of person would they be to work under? All these were selfish thoughts, but still… “I didn’t know you wanted to be chief.” Those words tumbled out in place of “congratulations,” and remorse fluttered through her.

“It wasn’t something I set out to do, but it’s holding some appeal the older I get.”

Malone was in his fifties—quickly approaching geriatric in law enforcement. “So you’re taking the job?” She swallowed roughly. She’d miss him.

“I’m giving it some serious thought.”

“And that’s why you’ve been coming down a little hard on us lately?”

“Hard on you? Pfft. I’m never hard enough when it comes to you. But, yeah, it’s why I’m watching the investigation a little more closely. To make sure everything that happens is above reproach.”

“I understand.” His words reminded her of how she’d disappointed Malone by running off to pursue a killer in the past without notifying him or taking proper backup.

“Anyway, now you know.”

“Keep me posted on what you end up deciding, okay?”

“I will. And you keep me posted on what comes of your interview with Stephanie Piper.”

“Yep.” Amanda hung up, and she had this sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had dreaded that they were making the wrong call approaching the McMillan household without backup. Her and Trent’s lives could be on the line if things went sideways—along with Malone’s judgment for his refusal to take his detectives’ suspicions seriously. But she had her orders, and she would follow them.