Susan couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. It was one thing to admit to herself that Leo had affected her, but it was another thing entirely to say it out loud, and poor Jeremy was really hoping for something more. She liked him, and she enjoyed spending time with him. She really did, and she had only gone on more dates with him to see if her feelings for him would grow, but it was becoming clear now that they wouldn't and she had to tell him.
Caroline was still talking, and Susan forced herself to focus on what she was saying.
"Are you even listening to me?" asked Caroline.
Susan shook her head, "Yeah, sure," she said, but Caroline narrowed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.
"Thinking about your mystery man?" she asked with a smirk.
Susan decided to ignore the comment because she couldn't exactly deny it. Caroline dropped the topic of Jeremy, but a mischievous grin soon crept onto her face.
"Alright, fine. Let's move on," she said. "So… have you thought about your birthday next week?"
Susan rolled her eyes. "Not really. I was planning on keeping it quiet, maybe treating myself to a spa day or something. Nothing major."
Caroline gasped dramatically, clutching her hand to her chest. "Susan! You can't just let your birthday slip by like that."
Susan laughed softly, shrugging. "I don't know, Caroline. I've never been much for parties. Besides, it's just a birthday. They come every year, you know?"
"Well, too bad," Caroline said, crossing her arms with a determined look. "Because I think it's the perfect excuse to throw you a party. You didn't even do a housewarming when you moved in here—so this is your chance to make up for that. Just a small gathering, a few friends from work and the gym. It'll be fun!"
Susan shook her head with a chuckle. "I don't know… I don't really feel like planning anything. Besides, isn't a 'small gathering' usually code for a big, chaotic mess?"
Caroline's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Not if I plan it! I'm talking small, low-key, with just a handful of good people, maybe a little music, some nice food, a couple of drinks. Trust me, it'll be exactly what you need. Besides, everyone needs a little celebration, especially you!"
Susan felt her resistance starting to wane as she looked at Caroline's hopeful face. "You really think I need this, huh?"
Caroline nodded firmly. "Yes. A night with good friends will do you wonders. Just leave it all to me, alright?"
Finally, Susan let out a sigh, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Alright, fine. But no over-the-top decorations or anything, okay?"
Caroline beamed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "You won't regret it! And don't worry, I'll keep it low-key. All you have to do is enjoy yourself, and maybe you'll invite Mr Mysterious to the party too and I can finally get to meet him."
Susan laughed, feeling her own excitement start to rise. She doubted she was going to invite crime boss Leo to her party. Samuel would totally freak out, but maybe a small party wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.
___________
Detective Justin Beck flipped through the thick stack of reports on his desk, a slight frown creasing his brow. Across from him, Detective Collins Hallman sipped his coffee, his gaze focused on the case board where various notes and photos were pinned. Both detectives were silent for a few moments, lost in thought as they took in the extent of their new assignment.
"It's like they appeared out of nowhere," Beck muttered, setting the papers down with a sigh. "We've always had the occasional counterfeit bill show up here and there, but this?" He gestured to the pile in front of him. "This is on a whole new level."
Hallman nodded, tapping his fingers on his coffee cup. "Yeah, and not just the amount, but the quality of these bills. They're getting harder to spot, even for trained eyes."
Beck leaned back, rubbing the back of his neck as he pondered the pattern. "We've got cases from downtown, the suburbs, and even the high-end stores uptown. Whoever's behind this is targeting every part of the city, almost like they're testing distribution."
Hallman shifted in his chair, glancing over at the evidence board again. "We've got local businesses reporting they've been hit more frequently with fake bills, particularly larger denominations. And it's not just cash—some of these reports are coming in from financial institutions themselves. It's like someone's playing a high-stakes game, and we're just catching on."
Beck flipped to a specific report and nodded thoughtfully. "This one's interesting. A shipment of counterfeit twenties was found mixed in with real cash at a big-box store downtown. It went through three different hands before someone finally spotted it. If they're getting this brazen, who knows where it'll show up next?"
Hallman's brow furrowed as he leaned forward. "And if they're filtering through large businesses, there's a chance they're washing this money through legit channels, which means someone on the inside could be helping—or they're finding clever ways to work alone."
"Which makes them a lot harder to trace," Beck finished, nodding. "No obvious leads, no clear suspects, and no identifiable sources. So what do we have? A dozen different businesses, all hit within the last week, each with random amounts of fake cash—enough to hurt their bottom lines, but not enough to cause a huge scene."
Hallman pulled out his notebook, jotting down a few points. "Our best shot might be looking for a pattern in the places getting hit. If we can trace some common thread, we might be able to narrow down where the cash is coming from."
Beck tapped his pen against his desk thoughtfully. "Then let's get started. Let's talk to the employees who've handled these bills and see if any names come up. We're looking for anyone acting suspiciously—frequent returns, refunds, or anything that could point to someone circulating fake money intentionally."
He glanced up at Hallman, determination in his gaze. "We're not letting this go unnoticed. Whoever's behind this is too bold to stay under the radar for long. We'll start connecting the dots, no matter how many layers they're hiding behind."
Hallman gave a firm nod, his own resolve mirroring Beck's. "Let's catch ourselves a counterfeiter."
The two detectives gathered up their files, ready to dive into the web of connections that might lead them to the elusive source behind this surge in counterfeit cash.