Read Online The Murder That Never Was: A Forensic Instincts Novel by Andrea Kane - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andrea Kane
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sounded very serious.
Casey swallowed hard.
Gingerly, she slid to the edge of the bed and swung her legs over the side.
A handsome red bloodhound rose from his dog bed and plodded over, nuzzling Casey’s hand with his jowls.
“Morning, Hero.” Casey smiled, stroking his head and silently thanking him for giving her a moment to compose herself. “Hutch will take you out while I shower.”
Hero was a full-fledged member of the Forensic Instincts team. A retired FBI human scent evidence dog, Hero could sniff out anything for miles and miles and help the team track down anyone. He’d only left the BU because he wasn’t a good traveler, which made it impossible for him to continue on in the Canine Unit. But he was smart, he was expertly trained, and he was loving—and, since the day Hutch had brought him to Casey as a gift, he’d become not only her teammate but her beloved pet.
“C’mon, boy.” Hutch was already out of bed, pulling on his sweats. “Let’s do our business, and then I’ll get you some breakfast while I put up coffee.” Hutch met Casey’s gaze. “Go ahead. I’ve got this.”
Hutch took Hero on a productive jaunt around the block. He didn’t belabor the walk—not this time. They were back at the brownstone and up on the fourth floor, where Casey’s apartment was, in fifteen minutes. The coffee was brewing, and all the ingredients for vegetable omelets were laid out beside the carton of eggs when Casey emerged. She’d thrown on sweats and was towel-drying her hair.
“I was going to make breakfast while you showered,” she said.
Hutch’s brows rose. “Burnt Eggo waffles again?”
She made a face. “You don’t have much faith in my culinary skills. Then again, you’re right. I can’t even crack an egg without getting pieces of shell in it. So I’ll just blow-dry my hair and wait for you to shower. Then you can whip up one of your amazing omelets for us.”
“Grab a cup of coffee. I won’t be long.”
Hutch let the hot water beat down on his body as he quickly and methodically showered. Despite how straightforward and sure he was coming across to Casey, he was uncharacteristically unsettled about how this conversation would go. The pride and excitement she’d feel about his accomplishment and its subsequent reward were a given. But that’s where the certainty ended. The reality would sink in. And how would it be received? As an opportunity for them? The opening of a door? Or the shutting of one, based on her perception of this as an invasion of space?
Hutch just didn’t know. And that was an anomaly for him. Reading people was his forte and his job. And Casey? He knew her better than anyone else did, partly from what she offered him and partly from what he deduced.
She was a very complex person. Raised in a reserved family of sky-high achievers, she was used to sharing her mind and her convictions but never her emotions. Her innermost self was a mystery—except to him—and her deepest feelings were well hidden, even to the FI team. It often amazed Hutch how little of herself Casey shared with co-workers who were truly family. Yes, she was always there for them and demonstrated loyalty, caring, and compassion. But asking for that caring and compassion in return? No way.
She never allowed her soul to surface, not really. She was determined to always be a strong leader for her team. She never forgot for a minute that she was the boss. So she made sure to always be a take-charge woman who was at the top of her game. Displaying indecision or uncertainty meant signs of weakness.
And caring too deeply was taboo.
Hutch had shot that last part to hell. It had taken more than a year of tirelessly breaking down those walls, getting her to lower her guard, to trust him, and to finally admit that she loved him.
It had been worth every ball-breaking moment.
And for months it had been enough.
Now it wasn’t.
Hutch turned off the shower water and grabbed a towel, vigorously
Casey swallowed hard.
Gingerly, she slid to the edge of the bed and swung her legs over the side.
A handsome red bloodhound rose from his dog bed and plodded over, nuzzling Casey’s hand with his jowls.
“Morning, Hero.” Casey smiled, stroking his head and silently thanking him for giving her a moment to compose herself. “Hutch will take you out while I shower.”
Hero was a full-fledged member of the Forensic Instincts team. A retired FBI human scent evidence dog, Hero could sniff out anything for miles and miles and help the team track down anyone. He’d only left the BU because he wasn’t a good traveler, which made it impossible for him to continue on in the Canine Unit. But he was smart, he was expertly trained, and he was loving—and, since the day Hutch had brought him to Casey as a gift, he’d become not only her teammate but her beloved pet.
“C’mon, boy.” Hutch was already out of bed, pulling on his sweats. “Let’s do our business, and then I’ll get you some breakfast while I put up coffee.” Hutch met Casey’s gaze. “Go ahead. I’ve got this.”
Hutch took Hero on a productive jaunt around the block. He didn’t belabor the walk—not this time. They were back at the brownstone and up on the fourth floor, where Casey’s apartment was, in fifteen minutes. The coffee was brewing, and all the ingredients for vegetable omelets were laid out beside the carton of eggs when Casey emerged. She’d thrown on sweats and was towel-drying her hair.
“I was going to make breakfast while you showered,” she said.
Hutch’s brows rose. “Burnt Eggo waffles again?”
She made a face. “You don’t have much faith in my culinary skills. Then again, you’re right. I can’t even crack an egg without getting pieces of shell in it. So I’ll just blow-dry my hair and wait for you to shower. Then you can whip up one of your amazing omelets for us.”
“Grab a cup of coffee. I won’t be long.”
Hutch let the hot water beat down on his body as he quickly and methodically showered. Despite how straightforward and sure he was coming across to Casey, he was uncharacteristically unsettled about how this conversation would go. The pride and excitement she’d feel about his accomplishment and its subsequent reward were a given. But that’s where the certainty ended. The reality would sink in. And how would it be received? As an opportunity for them? The opening of a door? Or the shutting of one, based on her perception of this as an invasion of space?
Hutch just didn’t know. And that was an anomaly for him. Reading people was his forte and his job. And Casey? He knew her better than anyone else did, partly from what she offered him and partly from what he deduced.
She was a very complex person. Raised in a reserved family of sky-high achievers, she was used to sharing her mind and her convictions but never her emotions. Her innermost self was a mystery—except to him—and her deepest feelings were well hidden, even to the FI team. It often amazed Hutch how little of herself Casey shared with co-workers who were truly family. Yes, she was always there for them and demonstrated loyalty, caring, and compassion. But asking for that caring and compassion in return? No way.
She never allowed her soul to surface, not really. She was determined to always be a strong leader for her team. She never forgot for a minute that she was the boss. So she made sure to always be a take-charge woman who was at the top of her game. Displaying indecision or uncertainty meant signs of weakness.
And caring too deeply was taboo.
Hutch had shot that last part to hell. It had taken more than a year of tirelessly breaking down those walls, getting her to lower her guard, to trust him, and to finally admit that she loved him.
It had been worth every ball-breaking moment.
And for months it had been enough.
Now it wasn’t.
Hutch turned off the shower water and grabbed a towel, vigorously
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