Page 30 of Outrun The Devil

Diaz scoffed. “I call bullshit. No way a guy like Knight wouldn't want to know what's going on in every corner of his club.”

Collins nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. “Get a subpoena for the whole club. We have enough evidence to convince a judge.”

Diaz nodded, grabbing the phone to start the process. Collins felt a surge of determination - they would catch this killer, no matter what it took.

“Where did Steele run off to?” Oliva scanned around the squad room and bullpen. Why did she care anyway?

Patel shrugged. “Said he had something to take care of.”

Maybe he needed to fix his hair. Or change his shirt into one that fits him. Either way, she shouldn’t care what he did.

Collins knew when to call it a day. She was leaving just as Nathan walked into the squad room. “Hot date?” he asked with a quirked eyebrow in her direction.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Olivia grinned. He didn’t need to know that said date was a platonic one with her daughter and her mother.

Dinner with her mother and daughter had become a weekly thing a few years back when the two of them had moved out and into a place of their own. It was both a way to keep in touch and keep that closeness.

Olivia wasn’t sure what to make of her mother dating but Jessica was happy for her so Olivia could be too. Or at least try to be. The other cases she’d been working on rolled through her head, like a movie on repeat.

There were these moments that Olivia could see, hazy as they were, and it always made her even more concerned for those she loved.

The drive back into Phoenix was slow. She pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. Olivia had let Jessica pick where they ate this time and she had picked an Italian place on 16th street. They’d been there before, the food was good.

She made her way inside, pushing aside the thoughts of the case, of Nathan, and now, of Xavier. How did she manage to get so wrapped up in all this? She blamed being forced with a partner.

The aroma of garlic and tomato wafted through the restaurant as Olivia walked through the door. The dim lighting and soft jazz music created a cozy atmosphere, and she couldn't help but let out a small sigh of relief. She needed this break from the chaos of her job.

When Olivia made it to the table, her daughter and mother both were already seated but rose to greet her with a hug.

“I'm sorry I'm late, I got caught in some traffic.” It had been a little bump-to-bump at one point. But was that really what had made her late? And not that she sat parking lot of the station, lost in her stupid thoughts before she left… What had gotten into her?

Olivia slid in next to her daughter, asking how her classes went for the day. Being forty and having a kid who was in college was something Olivia hadn't envisioned her life twenty-two years ago before she gave birth to Jessica. But she also didn't plan to get pregnant in high school either.

As they placed their orders, Olivia couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of her mind. She knew her mother had been seeing someone new, but she hadn't brought it up yet.

As they waited for their food, Olivia's mother began to fidget in her seat, glancing at her daughter with a nervous expression. Olivia knew what was coming before her mother even opened her mouth.

“Olivia, there's something I need to tell you,” her mother’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Olivia's heart dropped. She had a feeling this conversation wasn't going to be an easy one.

“What is it, Mom?” Olivia asked, bracing herself.

“I've been seeing someone,” her mother said, her eyes darting away from Olivia's gaze.

Olivia tried to keep a calm composure. Thankfully, Jessica had warned her so that her reaction wouldn’t be so harsh.

“Who is he?” Olivia asked, trying to keep the edge out of her voice.

“His name is Richard,” her mother said, still avoiding her gaze.

Olivia offered a smile to ease the tension. “Well, if he makes you happy, Mom, then I'm happy.”

Her mother's shoulders dropped, and the edges of her mouth curved upwards. Her blue eyes twinkled as she looked back at Olivia, who felt a stab of guilt that her mother had been so nervous to share her news. A ball of dread began to form in the pit of her stomach.

“Hopefully I’ll get to meet him soon?” Olivia was proud of herself for not asking for Richard’s last name. But she also knew she had other ways of finding this out. For now, she’d allow her mother her happiness and not try to be overprotective.

“I did try to introduce you to him at last week’s dinner but you obviously couldn’t make it,” her mother said, a warm smile reached her eyes, revealing a kindness that had comforted Olivia throughout her life. The years had etched gentle lines upon her face, a testament to a life well lived and the hardships she had endured. “But yes, soon.”