Chase noticed that Alix seemed just as distraught about the findings as he was. He was slightly relieved to know that it wasn’t just him who was concerned about the possibility of a serial killer. She had been in this field a lot longer than he had, so at least he could be sure he wasn’t overreacting. But, then again, someone who had been a detective for three years was [i]just as concerned[/i] as the rookie who didn’t even have his own ID card yet. That had to mean this wasn’t the average, easy-to-solve case. If she was worried, it was probably going to be nothing short of a nightmare.

He wanted to groan in frustration. His meeting with the chief had gone smoothly enough, but it seemed his bad luck had caught up to him in another, much more twisted way. Who else but Chase Wolfram would be assigned to take on a dangerous serial murderer on his first day on the job? The odds of being struck by lightning were probably better. Yet, here he was, walking out to the parking lot with his new partner on their way to investigate the scene of a double homicide. It felt like a scene right out of a bad movie.

At least the rain had cleared up to a steady drizzle.

As Alix asked if he wanted to drive, Chase turned to her just in time to fumble for the keys she had tossed at him. It looked like he was driving whether he wanted to or not. Not that he would have turned down the offer though. He didn’t have a car of his own—it wasn’t practical in Manhattan, where walking was almost always the faster way to get around—but he’d liked patrolling in the squad cars provided by the station. Driving around the city with the music turned up was how he and Jake used to unwind on shift.

Circling around to the driver’s side of the car, he unlocked the doors and climbed into his seat. Compared to the vehicles he used to drive, being in the SUV made him feel like he’d won a game show. It was obviously a new model with all the fanciest bells and whistles he could think of, and it still had the infamous “new car” smell that he could only get with Christmas tree air fresheners in the old police cars. Even though it wouldn’t have the same oomph as a sports model, he couldn’t wait to see what it felt like on the street.

Taking a minute to adjust the seat and mirrors to fit his stature, Chase glanced at Alix who had just shot him a wink. Despite the dismal reason for their excursion from the office, she was keeping the mood light. [i]Just like Jake,[/i] he thought with relief. “Nah,” he grinned. “Dead bodies and psychotic serial killers? Just another day at the office.”

Finished setting up to drive, he turned the key in the ignition, listening to the satisfying growl the engine made as it revved to life. “Yeah, I’ve got an apartment a few miles from here actually,” he answered her next question as he backed the SUV out of its space. There was a video of the rearview on the dash—another fancy upgrade—but he looked over his shoulder out of habit anyway. “It’s nothing special. Just a one-bedroom loft I share with a buddy of mine. Everything is so expensive around here that it’s nice to split the rent.”

He glanced at her again as he drove the car out of the lot, “What about you? Do you live in Manhattan, or are you a commuter?”