It was times like these that made Jack wonder if any of it was worth it.
Staring at the utter horror on David Katz's face after hearing the news of his wife's body being discovered, he had to force himself to remember that he was going to put a stop to the violence that now seemed to be haunting his department.
The other man's daemon was a small tailless cat, and she crouched trembling on the floor, her eyes squeezed tightly shut.
It seemed that an eternity had passed before David was able to speak, his face ashen, his voice rough, struggling for control. "A-And Beverly? Has there been any-any change?"
Bersheyna bowed her head, and pulled away from the hand he'd had resting against her back. Silently, she curled onto her side behind his chair, and out of his sight.
It felt like his ribs were being crushed with the pain that flared in his heart.
"I'm sorry." He said softly, "We don't have any new information."
The other man blinked rapidly, and quickly wiped a hand across his eyes. His hand shook, and he made no attempt to hide it.
Against his will Jack forced his mouth to open, so that he could continue speaking. "Mr. Katz, I'm sure you understand, but you cannot stay here anymore. It's not safe." His words stalled in his throat. He didn't say that they still didn't know what had happened to Beverly, that they didn't know who had taken her or why. He didn't say that two of the man's family had already been targeted, and for all they knew, he was next.
He didn't say any of it, because he didn't need to.
David turned his gaze to the ground, as though he couldn't bear the weight of Jack's pity. "Her family lives up in Washington." He said quietly. "We could-I...I want to tell them in person."
Jack nodded, quickly, because he didn't want to dwell on the thought any longer than he had to. "I can arrange the transport." He assured, "You shouldn't have to..." Worry about anything else, he wanted to say, but he couldn't. "You'll be placed in protective custody until you're ready to go."
David nodded, and his cat daemon leapt onto his lap, pressing her head into his chest, her ears flat, her heart audibly racing at the edge of his awareness where Bersheyna's senses were.
But his daemon made no move to rejoin his side, not even when David stood daemon clutched in his arms, and Jack showed them out the door.
Then the office was empty, and it was just the two of them.
But Jack was alone. Bersheyna hadn't moved from where she lay curled on the floor, her gaze turned resolutely away from his own.
"This isn't going to be like last time." He said, firmly, because he had to, because he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to reassure her, because he had to believe it, or he would go insane, "We're going to get them back, and we're going to put who ever has done this behind bars." Or in the ground. But he didn't say that, either.
But his promises held no away over the bloodhound that was his life and soul, and he sat back down behind his desk, prepared to endure the silence.
We're going to get them back. He told himself in his head.
But he didn't even believe he words himself.
