Just then, the door eased open, and Seven slipped in, balancing a carrier bag in one hand.

  “Everything okay?” His voice was calm, but his eyes swept the room.

  “Mmhmm,” Katherine hummed, her tone light. “We just finished.”

  “I got a latte and a panini for you,” he said, warmth threading through the quiet.

  “Thanks, Sev.” Katherine’s stoic edges softened as her brother set the meal on the overbed table.

  Then, without missing a beat, Seven turned to the other bed. He drew out a plain container, popped the lid, and stirred the thick, piping-hot goo inside. Steam curled upward, carrying the faint scent of oats and milk. He cooled a spoonful with a gentle blow before holding it out to Sana, his hand steady.

  But Sana stared at the offering like it was poison. Her nose wrinkled. Her whole face spoke volumes before she managed a strangled protest.

  “I… I can’t eat this.”

  Seven’s outstretched arm froze mid-air. “Are you allergic to oatmeal?”

  Before Sana could answer, there was a knock on the door.

  “Come in,” Seven called out.

  A man in a pristine navy-blue Hugo Boss suit entered the room, immediately drawn to the scene before him: a man in scrubs, presumably Colonel Seven, holding a spoonful of what appeared to be oatmeal in front of his sister. His brows furrowed, wondering how she would react to this.

  As soon as Sana’s eyes locked onto the newcomer, an urgent plea escaped her lips. “Kas! You’re just in time! Please tell Seven I can’t eat oatmeal.”

  Kasra’s forehead creased. “Colonel Seven, Sana endured a prolonged illness in her childhood. She was fed oatmeal three meals a day for months on end. Since then, she has developed an intense aversion to it. Could she have something else?”

  The revelation was an unexpected curveball.

  Turns out it’s a psychological aversion.

  Seven mulled over the options. “Since oatmeal is off the table, and there’s nothing else suitable from the cafeteria, how about some nutrient solution? Would that be okay?”

  Relief washed over Sana’s features, her gaze sparkling with gratitude. “Yes! Anything but!”

  A faint smirk tugged at Seven’s lips. “Alright, I’ll go get it for you; be right back.”

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Watching from the sidelines, Katherine was just as tickled by Sana’s over-the-top response. It was completely at odds with how composed she’d been when giving her statement moments earlier.

  With Seven’s departure, Kasra glanced at the other person in the room, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. “Detective, we meet again!”

  Katherine nodded firmly. “Yes, Mr. Shahi, we meet again.”

  “Detective, did FCPD send you here because you processed the crime scene and interviewed Lara?” Kasra wondered aloud.

  Katherine clarified, “No, I was in the vicinity. FCPD assigned me to come and take Ms. Shahi’s statement.”

  Understanding dawned, and Kasra added, “If possible, I would very much like to collaborate with FCPD.”

  Katherine considered his request before replying, “Well, now that there are three victims, it’ll surely become a high-priority case. As for collaboration, I’ll bring it up to my superior when I get to work tomorrow. I don’t know if a lead detective has been designated yet; I’ll keep you posted.”

  “Thank you, Detective.”

  As Kasra’s words settled, Seven entered with some nutrient solution cradled in his hands. He poured a cup of the colorless liquid and brought it to her lips.

  “Sana, even though this is nutrient solution, it doesn’t mean you won’t feel hungry. If you do, please let me know. I can have a colleague run out to get something else for you.”

  Before Sana could get a word in, he turned to Katherine and said, “K, drop me a text later?”

  Sana’s expression tightened, her fingers gripping the edge of the blanket as a pang of disappointment shot through her. Looks like my guess was right: they might reconcile. I guess… I won’t stand a chance…

  Katherine quickly swallowed the bit of panini she was chewing before speaking. “Bruh, I’ll hit you up when your statement’s ready.”

  At her casual reply, Sana and Kasra stared at the duo, a look of stunned surprise on their faces. “Colonel, you and Detective Kavanagh are sibs?” the latter interjected.

  Seven beamed. “Yeah. We lost touch for many years. It’s a coincidence running into her today.”

  Sana’s taut heart inexplicably lightened, and a delighted smile crept across her lips. Phew! It turns out they’re sibs! But… they don’t look like it…

  Seven’s next words brought her out of her daze. “Mr. Shahi, did you bring your employee’s patient file? Is it alright if I eat while I review it? I haven’t had anything since dinner last night.”

  A flicker of indebtedness danced in Kasra’s gaze. “Colonel, please go ahead. Sana and I are truly sorry for causing you so much trouble.”

  Without hesitation, Seven took the bowl of uneaten oatmeal and mindlessly shoveled spoonful after spoonful into his mouth as he pored over James’s report. He was so focused, he didn’t notice the interaction between the Shahi siblings.

  Kasra was side-eyeing Sana, whose face was a fusion of repulsion and disapproval as she watched Seven gobble up the oatmeal. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of his little sister’s twisted features.

  Distracted by their antics, Seven looked up at them and thoughtfully suggested, “Why don’t I get a colleague to order some takeout? You guys should be hungry.”

  “That sounds great, Colonel,” Kasra murmured.

  “Mr. Shahi, just call me Seven.”

  “Alright, Seven. Then, please call me Kasra.”

  Seven set down the empty container and placed a call. Then, he moved on to his panini, intermittently sipping his black coffee that had already cooled. He finished eating at the same time Katherine had polished off her meal.

  Katherine stood and began clearing the table before announcing her departure. Seizing the moment, Seven said, “K, let me walk you out. I have to take Mr. Porter’s scans to imaging.”

  Then, turning to the Shahi siblings, he added, “Sana, Kasra, I'll be back shortly.”