The familiar comfort of discussing the case beckoned like a safe harbor. The balcony doors opened periodically, letting in bursts of crisp night air that carried the metallic tang of the rescoil system below.

“Have any of you been here before?” Daniel asked, attempting to break the ice.

Small talk now? Juniper thought, but some of the earlier acid had faded from her internal tone.

Sophia’s brows lifted, her attention caught by a particularly stunning glass sculpture catching moonlight. “First time.”

“Mine too,” he admitted. “It’s really something up here.”

“Are we getting drinks or getting to work?” Juniper cut in, clinging to the professional topic like a lifeline, her tone clipped as she shifted in her seat, aware of how the silk of her dress whispered against her with each movement.