Edward kept his back straight, though his hands clenched tighter against the armrest of the chair. Every word Auren spoke rubbed against his nerves like a blade across stone.
"So…" the new chief began, tone deceptively smooth, "…Chief Warren passing… it is truly unfortunate."
Not a flicker of grief touched his face.
Edward ground his jaw, forcing himself not to speak too soon. The man's words were polished, but there was something else in them—a faint twist, a buried note of mockery that Edward couldn't ignore.
"Luckily," Auren continued, folding his hands neatly on the desk, "the culprit has been caught." A smile ghosted his lips, one that never reached his eyes.
Edward stiffened. His grip on the chair's armrest tightened until his knuckles whitened.
"He was…?" he asked carefully.
