Maisie woke to the sound of her phone ringing and the gruff voice on the other end ordering her to "get her ass down to the department to explain." Now, Rob Erkens was a man who prided himself on his level headed nature, so to have him yelling at her, she must have done something to shift his moral compass. And if his tone was any suggestion, it probably had something to do with the files she had requested earlier in the week.

Scribbling a quick note to Alice, she made her way downtown, where, when she entered her Chief Officer's office, she got an earful.

"What were you thinking Red? He's your partner."

She sighed and shifted to one foot. "So this is about the file."

Throwing the file in question on the table, it flipped open to display the driver's license picture of Gwyneth Taylor. "This is not your business Red," Rob lectured.

"It is my business! He's my partner and I don't want anything to happen to him," she argued.

"Has she ever done anything to have you suspicious? Has she ever once tried to harm Wolf in anyway? Damn it Red! She owns her own bakery called Who's the Muffin Man down on Drury street. She's not a threat," he countered.

"Why does everyone think that she's good for him?"

"Because she's never done anything to show us she's not."

"Ugh," Maisie groaned. "Not you too."

"What does that mean?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Why do you think she's so good for him? No person should be allowed to be that sugar coated. It makes you start to question what she's trying to cover up with so much sweet."

"Or maybe, you're just jealous you have to share Wolf," he accused.

"First Alice, now you. What is it with you people and thinking that there is something going on between Wolf and me?"

"I never said there was."

"Can I see the file. Please," Maisie begged, changing topics to allow her cheeks some time to cool.

Rob gave her a disapproving glare before once again picking up the file. "This could tear your friendship apart you know. If he sees that you don't trust him, he'll be hurt, because he trusts you more than anyone."

"Then I guess I won't let him see it."

"Only till the end of the day. That's all I'm bending the rules for you. And you'll owe me," Rob finally submitted under the weighted stare of Maisie.

Lunging across the desk, she pulled him into a hug, which was kind of like hugging a log with how stiff he was, but she didn't care. "Anything. Anytime. Anywhere. You ask it and I'll do it," she promised, grabbing the file from his hands, turning to walk out the door.

"Please be careful, I care about Wolf too."

"Always," she responded, leaving the room with the file tucked under her arm.

… and abruptly slamming into a solid wall of muscle. Will secured her from falling with the two thick arms he wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest.

"That is not how you catch a woman," Maisie breathed, not bothering to extract herself from his arms. She felt Will's deep chuckle rumble through their connecting bodies.

"Where you going, Red?" Will inquired, releasing Maisie.

Stepping back, she waved the file in front of her. "Rob just asked that I take these lab results back to Alice to double check. Something to do with inconsistencies in the blood sugar counts or something."

Will narrowed his eyes. "Why'd he ask you?"

Maisie sighed. "I was pestering Rob about Thanksgiving dinner again. I'm going to get him to make those mashed potatoes again like he did last year if it kills me; they were to die for," she explained, the lies rolling off her tongue.

Will stared at her for a while before answering. "They were pretty good," he finally admitted. "Here, let's go together."

Maisie smiled, and linked her arm through his. She could tell that he was still angry with her for snooping, but he had mostly gotten over it. Because that's what you do when you're friends: you trust each other. Maisie felt the red hot burn of betrayal that radiated from the file, but she kept it so hidden with her determination, that she would never show how much it stirred the guilt in her belly.

Arriving at the door to Alice's lab, Wolf pushed the door open. "After you," he slurred, sweeping his arm in a grand gesture in front of his body.

Laughing, Maisie made her way into her friend's domain. "Alice, my sweet. I have something for you," she called across the room.

Alice lifted her head from the work she was doing at her desk. "I thought you bailed on me this morning," she mocked, placing a fluttering hand over her heart. "I couldn't believe that I had been abandoned by my one true friend."

"I'm sorry, I had some work at the office I needed to grab," Maisie admitted, giving Alice a stare that she hoped she'd understand.

She didn't seem too, and before Alice could open her mouth to contradict her, she shoved the file into her opened hands. Staring directly into her eyes, Maisie spoke every word carefully. "Rob asked me to give this to you, some inconsistencies in blood work or something."

Alice squinted her eyes but took the file. Opening it, she gasped, before closing it again.

"What's wrong?" Will worried.

Alice waved her hand before fixing her glare on Maisie. "I was just surprised is all. Tell Rob I will have this back to him later today."

"Sure thing. We're still on for lunch right?" Maisie asked.

Looking to the file and back to her, Alice responded, "Yes, you and I have some things to talk about."

"How was your date last night Alice?" Will wondered.

"Good enough that I hope to have a second," she responded. "Now shoo, I have work to do."

"See ya later."

"It's a date, sweet cheeks."

Alice glared at her over her mug of tea that she had deliberately steeped and mixed without saying a word.

Finally having enough, Maisie slammed her own cup of coffee on the table. "I don't know why it upsets you so much. Actually, I don't know why it upsets everyone so much."

"Because Wolf and you are both friends, and anyone with eyes can see that the friendship between you guys is unique and no one wants to see it broken."

"I'm not breaking it. I'm trying to save him."

Raising the mug to her lips again, Alice took a sip. "That's what you keep telling everyone, but no one else can see what you see. I was okay with following them around town. I was okay with stalking them to lunch. But running a background check on her? Isn't that a little extreme, Red?"

"I thought you said you were with me until the end."

"I want to be Red, but I think you're taking this a little too far."

"Can I at least see the file. I only have it until the end of the day. If I don't find anything, then I'm done. I'm finished. I'll drop the issue. But, if this does contain some sort of information. Then I'm using it. I don't know why I don't like or trust Gwen, but this might tell me something."

Alice studied Maisie's face for a long moment before sighing. "You're not going to give this up, are you?"

"Not while I still have some tricks up my sleeves."

She hesitated. "And you swear, if this turns up nothing, you'll stop and let the cards fall as they may."

Holding out her fist, Maisie raised a pinkie. "Pinky promise."

Alice locked pinkies with Maisie, securing her promise, before ducking down to retrieve the file from her bag.

"You're the best, Alice!" Maisie sung, reaching for the file that was extended over the table.

"Just remember," Alice reminded as she handed it over. "You promised."

Tucking the file into her handbag, Maisie looked at Alice with accusing eyes. "And what about you Missy?"

"What about me?"

"You haven't told me anything about your date. So spill," Maisie scolded.

"Well," Alice started. "He was cute."

"I know that, I saw him last night. I want to know the details."

"Fine. Fine. Well, he was the perfect gentleman, brought me flowers, opened the car door for me, pulled out the seat for me at the restaurant. He didn't treat me like some piece of ass he wanted, but as a lady he wanted to get to know."

"That's always sweet," Maisie complimented. "So what happened?"

"Well he brought me to this really fancy restaurant. I got to order lobster, so I am so glad you had me dress up. And when we got to talking about our jobs, he wasn't squeamish like everybody else. He even asked for me to explain further the proper way examine the stomach for its contents. He listened and asked questions and generally seemed interested in what I do."

"I'm seeing a second date in your future," Maisie teased.

"I hope so," Alice sighed. "And the best part was the kiss he gave me when he dropped me off."

"What!" Maisie exclaimed. "I thought it was one of your rules of dating that you don't kiss on the first date. So spill."

"Well, he was an expert," Alice swooned.

"An expert at using his tongue, I bet," Maisie laughed. The blush that crawled up Alice's face answered her question. "He was!"

Alice's face burned bright under the accusation. Maisie just laughed at her predicament.