Harper’s POV:
“Oh, welcome. Harper, was it?” Imelda Chavez, who was sitting in front of the Chief of Detectives, greeted me with a polite smile and faced me with curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
My breath hitched, my feet rooted on the spot as awkward silence stretched between us before the Chief decided to break it.
“So, what brings you here, Detective Ortiz?” He faked a cough, his attention directed towards me with a gaze filled with scrutiny.
“I…” I trailed off, snapping out of my reverie, carefully sliding the newspaper clipping I was holding into my pocket, plastering a forced smile, “...just wanted to welcome our new detective in charge.” While saying that, I bowed my head slightly, my eyes cautious and calculating, searching for a way to salvage the situation.