Chapter 2My Undercover Wife

Ginnifer and Alex settled into a private booth at an upscale steakhouse. As they sat down, her phone buzzed. Her eyes lit up, thinking it was me. The light died just as quickly when she saw the caller ID.

She answered with an annoyed sigh. It was a rookie from her precinct, his voice frantic. “Captain Reed! We’ve got a scene out at the old dumping grounds west of the city. Four unidentified bodies in a shallow grave. One adult male, two older adults, one child. ME estimates time of death at least two weeks ago…”

Ginnifer’s hand, holding a steak knife, paused mid-air. Her expression grew serious. “What are the details?”

“They were buried, Captain. Decomposition is advanced, making visual ID impossible. The ME’s preliminary report says the victims were subjected to extreme violence before death. Multiple comminuted fractures on all three adults. The child… God, Captain, the kid can’t be more than five. The skull was crushed by a heavy, blunt object. It’s… it’s sevage.”

A sharp, unpleasant pang shot through Ginnifer’s chest. A five-year-old child… a crushed skull…

Her fingers tightened on the silverware.

Alex immediately covered her hand with his, his face a mask of concern. “Ginnifer? What is it? A case?”

She looked into his worried eyes, and her features softened instantly. She spoke into the phone, her voice now a low, professional command. “I understand. Have the forensics team sweep the site thoroughly. Report any findings to me immediately.”

She ended the call.

In the dim, intimate lighting of the booth, Alex devoured his steak, his eyes never leaving Ginnifer. “You were so serious just now, Ginnifer. So powerful. I feel so safe when I’m with you.”

His flattery soothed her, but a sliver of unease remained. A family of four, slaughtered, a child tortured… Even for a seasoned homicide detective like her, the brutality was shocking. Worse, there was a chilling familiarity to the MO. It was the signature of vengeful cartel enforcers.

Suddenly, Alex let out a pained groan. “Ah… Ginnifer, I feel dizzy…”

Her thoughts snapped back to him. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I think… maybe it’s the blood loss from my arm. The room is spinning…” He slumped against her, his voice weak and pleading.

Ginnifer immediately helped him up, grabbing her coat. The mass grave, the slaughtered family—all of it vanished from her mind. Nothing was more important than the man in her arms, the man who had “risked everything for her.”

Her phone buzzed again. A call from the precinct. Without a second thought, she silenced it.

“Do you need to go to the hospital?” she asked softly.

Alex shook his head, leaning into her more heavily. “No. Just… take me home. Stay with me.”

…

Meanwhile, the lights of the city morgue burned bright. Harris, a young forensic intern, fought back a wave of nausea as he examined the body of the adult male. The bones in the victim’s hands were almost completely shattered, but on his ring finger, a simple wedding band remained.

It glinted under the harsh examination lamp.

Acting on instinct, Harris carefully worked the ring off with a pair of tweezers to get a closer look. Under the light, a tiny inscription on the inner band became visible: A.R. & L.S.

Ginnifer Reed & Leo Sterling.

The intern’s heart hammered against his ribs. He knew Captain Reed’s husband was named Leo. It couldn’t be. But professional duty compelled him. He dialed Ginnifer’s number immediately.

The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up. But the voice that answered was not Ginnifer’s. It was a man’s, lazy and tinged with post-coital satisfaction.

“Yeah? Who’s this?”

Harris, new to the department, didn’t recognize Alex’s voice. “Hello? Is this Mr. Sterling? I need to speak with Captain Reed. I have an extremely urgent lead that I must report to her personally.”

“Oh, she’s a little… occupied right now,” Alex chuckled, glancing at the silhouette of a woman showering in the bathroom. “She’s got her hands full. Whatever it is, just follow standard procedure. Don’t bother her with every little thing.”

“But this is critical!” Harris insisted. “It might be personally related to the captain—”

“I don’t care if it’s about the goddamn mayor,” Alex cut him off smoothly. “Your captain’s orders were clear. Don’t disturb her tonight, even if the sky is falling. Got it?”

Before Harris could reply, Alex hung up. He then casually deleted the call from Ginnifer’s log and placed the phone back on the nightstand, a faint smirk playing on his lips.