Devil's Whisper Chapter 131: Reflection In The Water

Kate asked Oliver as she stepped into the main lounge of the police station, her sharp eyes scanning the room. The station was buzzing with activity, officers moving about, phones ringing, and the faint hum of conversations filling the space.

"Where's Jason?"

Oliver turned toward her, momentarily caught off guard by her abrupt question. "Oh, Ms. Kate," he said, clearing his throat. "He's in his office."

Kate gave a quick nod,"Okay," she replied, turning toward Jason's office without hesitation. But before she could take a step, Oliver moved swiftly to block her path.

"Ms. Kate, you can't meet with him right now," Oliver said hurriedly, his voice laced with urgency. He knew better than to try and stop her, but it was his duty to follow protocol.

Kate narrowed her eyes. "Why not?"

Oliver hesitated for a split second before answering, "He's in a meeting with Commissioner Bob."

A wave of frustration washed over Kate. "Oliver, I can't wait. There's something urgent I need to tell Jason."

"Please, just hold on a bit. As soon as the commissioner leaves, you can see him."

Kate studied him for a moment, her gut telling her to push past him, but she knew Oliver was just doing his job. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to be patient. "Fine," she muttered.

"You can sit in the waiting room," Oliver suggested, motioning toward the room just off to the right side of the lounge. "I'll let you know the moment the commissioner leaves."

"Alright."

She moved toward the waiting room, but just as she reached the door, she caught sight of Jason’s office door swinging open. Commissioner Bob stepped out, his imposing figure filling the doorway, with Jason trailing behind him. Kate instantly abandoned any thought of waiting and turned on her heels, striding straight for Jason’s office.

Before she could get close, Commissioner Bob’s voice rang out, laced with sarcasm. "Oh, the investigative journalist Ms. Kate Miller is already here. How convenient."

Kate barely concealed an eye roll. Here we go, she thought.

Bob turned toward Jason, his smirk widening, a glint of malice flickering in his eyes as he leaned back against the desk in the bustling police station lounge. “Look, Jason, your right-hand woman has arrived,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension, a barbed edge aimed at them both. “She must be desperate to see you.”

Kate knew Bob’s type—arrogant, condescending, too entrenched in his ways to see beyond his own ego—and she’d long since learned not to take his bait. She strode forward, her boots clicking sharply against the tiled floor. “Jason, I need to talk to you,” she said, her voice firm and urgent, directed solely at him as she stepped closer. “Now.”

Bob’s expression darkened at her blatant disregard, his ego visibly bruised as he straightened, his nostrils flaring. “Jason is not your personal assistant,” he snapped, his voice rising slightly, a petulant edge threading through it as he glared at her, then at Jason. “He’s a police officer with actual responsibilities.”

Jason tensed beside him, his broad shoulders stiffening beneath his jacket. He’d already endured an hour of Bob’s lectures—relentless tirades about the case’s lack of progress, each word a weight pressing on his resolve—and now this, a public jab that stung deeper with Kate standing there. His jaw clenched, his dark eyes flicking to her, and he felt the heat of her nearness—a steady flame against the coldness of Bob’s words, a tether that made his pulse race with a mix of frustration and longing.

“Yes, Jason is not my pet,” Kate shot back, her voice calm but firm, a steel thread cutting through the tension as she stepped closer to him. “If you have an issue with us working together on this case, then say it outright.”

Bob’s nostrils flared, his face flushing with a mix of anger and wounded pride as he took a step forward, his voice rising with a petulant edge. “I have an issue with people wasting time instead of delivering results,” he snapped, his glare darting between them, a challenge that hung heavy in the crowded lounge, the team’s eyes flickering toward them with muted curiosity.

Kate folded her arms, her posture steady as she met his glare with a cool indifference, her chin lifting slightly—a quiet defiance that made Jason’s chest tighten with admiration and a deeper, unspoken ache. “And I have an issue with pointless taunts that contribute nothing to the investigation.”

Jason, sensing the tension escalating, took a step closer to Bob, his body shifting to shield Kate instinctively, his broad frame a steady wall between her and the commissioner’s venom. His voice dropped to a low. “Sir, we need to approach this with patience and respect,” he said, his tone unwavering, laced with a quiet authority that made Kate’s breath catch. “This isn’t about egos—this is about catching a killer. You wouldn’t want unnecessary conflicts with the media, would you?”

Bob exhaled sharply, a rough sound that cut through the tension in the police station lounge, his hand running through his thinning hair with a frustrated swipe. Jason’s words had landed—a quiet jab about the media that he couldn’t ignore.

“Fine,” he muttered after a moment, his voice low and clipped, a grudging concession as he turned and strode back into Jason’s office, the door swinging shut behind him with a soft thud that echoed in the charged silence.

Jason exhaled, a slow release of tension that softened the lines of his face as he turned to Kate, his broad shoulders easing slightly under his jacket. His dark eyes found hers, shimmering with a quiet warmth. “Please don’t let him get to you,” he said, his voice quieter now, “He’s under a lot of pressure, that’s why he lost his temper.”

Kate scoffed, a sharp sound that cut through the air, her posture stiffening as she crossed her arms, her eyes flicking away for a heartbeat before returning to his with a fierce intensity. “Jason, I’ve dealt with men like him my whole career. I know exactly how to handle short-tempered people. But right now, I have something much more important to focus on.” Her tone softened as she met his gaze, her lips parting slightly.

Jason studied her, his breath shallow as he took in the resolve in her eyes, the flush on her cheeks, the way her body leaned toward his despite her words. His hand shifted, brushing her elbow now—a deliberate, tender touch that lingered on her skin, sending a shiver racing up her arm—and he gave a subtle nod, a quiet acknowledgment of her strength that made her pulse quicken.

“Come with me.”

Kate inhaled deeply, pushing down her frustration with a slow, deliberate breath, the air cool against her flushed skin as she followed him into the office. She dropped into a chair, placing her shoulder bag near her feet with a soft thud. She leaned back, her posture easing slightly, but her eyes flicked to Jason, sharp and searching, the heat of their earlier closeness still simmering beneath her resolve.

Jason hesitated before speaking, his tone more careful now, his body shifting closer as he leaned against the desk. “Kate, I need you to talk to Bob.”

Her expression hardened instantly, a flicker of skepticism flashing in her eyes as she straightened, pulling her hand back. “No, Jason,” she said, her voice firm and resolute, a quiet fire cutting through the air. “I don’t have time to waste on that man.”

“Kate, it’s important,” Jason pressed, his hand slid to cover hers—a deliberate, possessive grip that pressed her palm against the desk, his fingers curling around hers in a quiet, firm grasp. “Bob is in a position to help us with a lot of things. I’ve already talked to him, and I made it clear he was out of line. He knows it. He’s waiting for you in the cabin.”

Kate let out a slow breath, skepticism flashing in her eyes as she ran a hand through her hair. Finally, she sighed, a quiet release of tension as she met his gaze, her voice softening with a reluctant trust. “Are you sure he’s actually ready to cooperate?”

Jason nodded, his breath shallow as he felt the strength of her grip, the heat of her nearness. “I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t sure,” he assured her, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her. “He knows he screwed up, and he’s willing to make amends. We need his help to move forward.”

“Fine,” she said, her voice a soft, resolute whisper, laced with a quiet trust that made his heart thud with a mix of pride and ache. “But this better be worth it.”

“It will be,” Jason assured her. “Let’s go.”

Together, they left the office and made their way to the commissioner’s cabin. It was a necessary step—one they had to take if they had any hope of catching the serial killer who had been terrorizing Adelaide.

Inside the cabin, Bob sat behind the desk, his fingers interlocked as he regarded them. "I understand you’re both working on this case," he said, "but I’m not seeing the results I expected."

Kate leaned forward slightly. "We’ve made significant progress, Commissioner. We’re following the right leads, narrowing our suspect pool, and Jason has kept you informed every step of the way."

Bob’s eyes darkened. "But you still don’t know who the killer is. And let’s not forget—the only suspect Jason arrested hasn’t even been charged."

Kate met his gaze steadily. "Because there’s a very real chance that Juan isn’t the killer. I assume Jason already went over that with you."

"Then if Juan isn’t the one responsible, who is?"