The Perfect Emma

Chapter Thirty

Grayson Todd

Standing outside of the interrogation room, watching Emma and Hannah—y'know, just the IAB agent that confiscated his gun yesterday no big deal—through the one way glass, Gray frowned as he listened to Emma talk. Beside him stood Zach, looking expressionless, but Gray knew that the man was merely better at hiding his disdain. "Are you sure you can listen to this, Detective?" Zach asked, looking at Gray briefly.

"Why, because everything she went through my wife did too?" the detective retorted, not even sparing the captain a glance. "I'm fine."

Zach frowned. "I'm serious, Grayson. You don't have to—"

"I said I'm fine." Talking about it would only serve to make him less fine.

The two were silent for a few moments then. Zach must've sensed that Gray didn't want to be bothered. Wise of him. Instead of pressing, he changed the subject. "You should have a new partner by tomorrow. God willing, she'll be here any minute now."

That caught Gray's attention. He stared at Zach with confusion and disbelief. "Already? That was...fast."

"I...pulled a few strings." Zach nodded into the room, indicating Hannah. "She wanted to give you someone flawless—to keep an eye on you." Gray rolled his eyes, but let Zach continue. "I know you well enough to assume that you won't trust someone you don't know as far as you can throw them anymore. It took some persuasion, but I think the outcome is favorable." Zach turned his head to look at Gray, then seemed to notice something over the man's shoulder, and nodded with a smile. "Right on time. Detective Valdez, glad you could join us."

Gray turned his head, and his brows shot up at whom he saw approaching. Zach had said new partner; Gray wasn't expecting to see his old one. "Sabrina?"

The woman spread her arms and smirked as she came towards the men. "Long time no see, Gray~!" she said, coming in for a hug.

The detective hugged her, a little awkwardly. It'd been four years since he'd been on the beat with Sabrina. He hadn't been as close with her as he'd ended up being...with Aaron. But, they were still friends, and she was certainly a sight for sore eyes. "Uh, yeah, good to see you too," he replied, still confused. "Since...when are you a detective?"

Sabrina stepped back and flashed the golden badge at her hip, grinning. "Since there was a spot open, if you catch my drift."

Ah. So yesterday.

When Gray and Sabrina were partners, it had always been Grayson's intent to become a detective. Sabrina was always content with the beat, which was why she wasn't upset when he'd gotten promoted without her. Now that she did have a gold shield, Gray figured she must've changed her mind.

"I asked Officer Valdez if she wanted the promotion she deserved years ago, and she decided she did," said Zach, nodding. "Her track record passed Agent Westbrook's approval, so...."

Gray was about to comment further when the sound of his own name within the interrogation room caught his attention.

"Detective Todd was in the house, yes?"

Urgh. Recalling that evening made his skin crawl. Beside him, Sabrina arched a brow and gestured inside. "S'at your witness? Uh, Emma, right?" The men both hummed a confirmation. Sabrina quieted herself and listened along with them as Emma recounted that evening, as well as her reasons for trusting Gray and only Gray. Hearing Emma state that Aaron complained about his partner a lot, Sabrina snorted and shook her head. "Man, if I'd have been in your shoes...." She scoffed. "He'd be dead as soon as I saw him."

Grayson agreed with a huff. "IAB had my gun."

She snickered. "Lucky him."

As expected, Hannah asked Emma if Gray had ever told her what to say. Gray merely shook his head, and Sabrina raised a brow, though she didn't say anything. Well. At least not immediately. "Geez, you chased the guy like half a mile from the hospital, does she really think you're in league?" she muttered, mostly to herself. "Fuckin' feds."