Chapter 8: Detour

Chyler wasn't sure what unnerved her more. Captain Navarro's revelation inside his office or the way Capri was looking at her in the hallway right after they had left the office. It wasn't lust but it was something between that and curiosity. It made her lose every sense of what was right to say in that moment.

"So... lunch?" Capri broke the silence between them.

She shifted her weight to one foot and shook her head slowly. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Jeez, Lee. Are you this set on avoiding me?" Capri teased. "It's just an hour or less. I'll do all the talking and you don't have to look at me if you don't want to."

Chyler smirked faintly and brushed her hand over her face, now completely avoiding Capri's gaze. "It's not that," she said without offering more.

"It's because I'm married?"

"That's definitely part of it."

"It's just lunch, Chy," Capri said, matter-of-fact. "Just a few minutes of something that doesn't involve death and investigations with some good company."

Chyler had rehearsed at least three excuses the first time Capri had asked her the question in the Captain's office but all of them eluded her. This wasn't the kind of day you said yes to anything soft and slow but she found herself nodding to Capri's convincing soft expression, against her better judgement.

"Fine. But thirty minutes," she said firmly.

"Good enough. I'll make them work," Capri smiled.

They cut through the park, walking side by side with colorful ice cream cones in their hands. Chyler couldn't decide what was crazier. The murders or this. She watched Capri lick her mango swirl, clearly enjoying herself more than someone who had just been questioned about homicides should be. The difference between the person she was the previous night and now was surreal.

"I'm glad you didn't run," she said without looking at her.

Chyler raised a brow. "You thought I would?"

"It's what you have been trying to do every time I'm around. You wouldn't talk to me if I didn't corner you."

"And we both know why that is."

Capri didn't answer. She could feel her gaze on her but Chyler just walked on, her gaze locked on the park that stretched out before them. The rest of the City moved around them quietly, oblivious of the ghosts that actively resided between the two of them. Joggers with earbuds, kids on bikes others on at the water park, a couple feeding breadcrumbs to birds... all easy and free. But not Chyler. She glanced at her vanilla cone, it's edges starting to melt under the sun and indulged herself, just anything to keep herself grounded.

"Trade?" Capri asked out of nowhere.

"No," she stated without blinking.

"Well, that was decisive. Not even a second's hesitation?"

"I don't share food."

"Not even with me?"

"Especially not with you."

Capri gave her a look, half teasing. "Come on, don't be mean." Chyler turned to her, holding her gaze. Capri's eyes held a playful glint. "It's either what's in your hand, or what's on your face."

"What?" Her face paled, caught off guard. Her hand automatically went to her face, hurriedly wiping off the patch of ice cream that had decided to take that moment to embarrass her.

In the next minute, she was holding out her cone to Capri who leaned in slowly and deliberately. She took a long, exaggerated lick, her eyes fluttering closed as she did. "Mmh. I knew yours was better," she groaned.

Chyler stared at her in astonishment. The gesture was harmless but somehow it did all kinds of harm to her chest, sending her heart soaring high.

"Was that really necessary?"

"I'm making up for lost time," Capri said licking her lips. Chyler cursed under her breath and kept walking. "I don't remember you being this flustered."

"I don't remember you being this forward," Chyler shot back as they reached a food truck near the edge of the park. While she ordered tacos, Capri ordered a burger with all toppings without even hesitating. "Or that carefree about your diet."

"Yeah, the girl you knew back then becomes a shadow when I'm done with appearances. She is slipping and honestly, this time I don't know if I want to save her."

Chyler thought about the words as they took their lunch orders and sat on a low bench in the shade. She wasn't sure what to say so she just watched her, taking in every inch of her with both interest and curiosity. An absent smile formed on her lips.

"Don't think I'll be that easy though," she said without looking up from her burger. "I'm not just going to fall into your lap."

"What?" Chyler blinked.

Capri smirked, then took a bite. "If you want into my pants, officer, you are going to have to work a little harder than just smiling."

"Jesus, Capri!" she almost choke on her food.

Capri burst into laughter, her head tilted back, sunlight catching her cheekbones just right. Chyler tried to scowl but the grin pulling at her lips betrayed her.

"I'm married, I know," Capri said, softer this time. It sounded less of a reminder and more of an apology. "I know it matters. It... complicates things."

"Complicates?" Chyler repeated with a dry laugh. "That's the understatement of the year." Silence followed for a beat, the kind of quiet that made them aware of everything around them and everything going on inside them. Both had taken a pause from their food and when Chyler looked up, her gaze locked on Capri's. "I can't do this again with you, Capri."

"Do what?" Capri cocked a brow, her face dead serious.

"This!" Chyler said, expressing between them with her hands. "Chasing ghosts of actual dead people, I can handle. But the ghosts of whatever was— is between us, I don't think I'm strong enough for that."

Capri nodded slowly, wiping her fingers on a paper towel. "I know."

"Then what are we doing? What is this?"

"I wish I could tell you what exactly it is," Capri paused. "But I can't." Chyler exhaled and pried her gaze from her, staring into the distance. "Do we really have to know what it is right now?"

"Actually. Yes, Capri," she said with finality. "I love knowing." She pushed her plate away and got up. "Which is why I'm not going to keep sitting here while I could be out there trying to figure out who killed our classmates. This detour... hanging out with you is fun and all but it's confusing me. I need something to keep me grounded."

Capri's face fell. "I'm sorry." A beat passed. "Do you think Captain Navarro is right? That it's one of us?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "But he could be."

They left the park a moment later, walking slower. The food had been good, the conversation... complicated. Chyler felt the weight in her chest get heavier but she tried to push past it. Her phone buzzed. She slid it from her pocket half expecting a missed call from the Captain but instead, it was an anonymous message.

She clicked on it, frowning.

You see that feeling in your gut, that there is a connection between the two deaths? Trust it. Jason was second. Serena was third. Guess who was first? Have fun, officer Lee.