Lost Souls (Cainsville 3.6)

Gabriel took his client in the meeting room, which meant Olivia had to clear out--that being the only other area to work in. When he emerged from his office, she was with Lydia, having already vacated the meeting room, as if to be sure she didn't delay his appointment even a nanosecond. He motioned for her to work in his office, and she zipped past without a word.

Once his meeting ended, he opened his door and set her scrambling to gather her papers and laptop, even though she'd been working at the side desk--the spot where she used to sit, sharing the space with him.

"Leave it," he said, gesturing at her things. He pointed at his notebook, now on his desk. "Are you done with that?"

"I...I wasn't sure what you wanted me to do with it," she said.

He frowned. "Read it. Transcribe, if required. I said we were going to discuss it."

"Yeah..." She settled back into her seat. "Last time we spoke, you told me to drop it."

"No."

"You were clear on that, Gabriel. But okay, so you've changed your mind?"

"No."

"If you're giving me those notes so I can moonlight as Patrick's research assistant, I hope that doesn't imply a reduction in my hours." A bit of the old Olivia seeped into her voice. A note of steel that warned it had better not mean that. "You've been telling me how busy you are, so it's not as if you don't need the investigative work."

"I do. And I am not implying that you should moonlight for Patrick. What I meant is that I did not intend to suggest I was dropping the contract."

"Suggest isn't really the word you want there, Gabriel. You said--"

"I was tired. Irritable. Anything I say under those conditions should not be taken at face value."

Her lips twitched. "Can I get that in writing?"

He lowered himself into his chair. "I will admit that I'm torn by this case. I don't need the money. Nor will it bolster the professional reputation of my firm. It is, in short, a zero-sum proposition."

"But it intrigues you."

He made a face. "That's hardly a good reason--"

"It's the best reason. If you've earned the money and the rep, then this is your reward: the chance to solve a puzzle for pure interest's sake."

"One always needs more money and a better professional reputation--"

"Want. Not need. Two different things. And you'd like to solve this, right? It interests you."

"If it interests you..."

She sighed. Deeply. But she also relaxed in her chair, the conversation having slid back toward the realm of normal for them. "Fine, fine. Yes, you know I find it interesting. But don't use that to pull your bullshit."

"My bullshit?"

"Where you pretend you're indulging my whim so you can whine about it later."

"Whine?"

"Grumble. If you want us to pursue this, then we pursue it. If you can't be bothered, then say, I can't be bothered."

She watched him and waited.

After a minute, he said, "My current schedule does allow the addition of this contract, and I believe that the historical aspect may prove useful for bot

h of us, as a research angle we don't often encounter in our cases. It would not be a complete waste of my time."

"Close enough." She reached for his notebook. "So let's talk about ghosts."