𝘴𝘪𝘧𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘵

AGATHA ALL ALONG

KATHRYN HAHN CHARACTERS

Lily Lebowski

SERIES

I am your slave even if I don't know it

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

ONE SHOTS

A few days after returning to work at the morgue as the grief counselor, Lily was quickly reminded that the place never failed to throw unexpected events her way. Take her very first day back, for example. After telling Garret that whatever they had was officially in the past, Bug—one of her closest friends there—ended up confessing his feelings for her. And honestly, after everything that had gone down with Garret over the last few months, dating was the last thing on her mind. Luckily, Bug was a total sweetheart and took it well when she let him down gently.

And of course, because the universe has a sense of humor, her first day back was also the day the entire morgue was taken hostage by Mr. Marsh. Jordan had three hours to bring him the man who’d been sleeping with his dead wife, or he’d blow the whole building up.

Quite the first day as a grief counselor!

But deep down, Lily knew she wouldn’t have it any other way. She liked her new position at the morgue; it gave her a renewed sense of purpose—to help families process their grief and to give them space to voice their feelings.

Sure, some days Lily would question whether she was really any good at her job. It happened sometimes, especially on days when a grieving son, mother, or other relative came to the morgue for an identification and ended up yelling in her face.

Still, she reminded herself that the anger was never really about her. It was about shock, loss, and the kind of pain that had nowhere else to go. Lily learned to take it quietly, to listen even when it hurt, and to stay steady when emotions ran high.

If she could help someone feel even a little less alone in the worst moment of their life, then every difficult day was worth it.

That’s what she kept telling herself now after a very... difficult conversation with a widow who wanted nothing to do with her husband’s body after she found out he was cheating.

Lily sighed, rubbing the back of her neck as she made her way to her office. Her thoughts drifting to coffee and lunch and just staying hidden in her office until Garret comes to find her about the paperwork he needs.

As Lily stepped into her office, she froze. A woman stood inside, rifling through her space. With her back turned, she hummed softly to herself, completely unaware that Lily was there. The sound grated as Lily watched the stranger reach for something on her desk. That was when she finally made herself known, clearing her throat.

“Can I help you?” Lily asked and when the stranger finally turn around to face Lily—she could feel her own heart skipped a beat inside her chest. Her blue eyes widening to be now faced with the gorgeous stranger in front of her. It felt like she was standing in front of a supermodel with the woman’s ebony hair falling behind her shoulders in soft, curled waves and her eyes—a clear, striking green that is impossible to miss with how sharp her gaze is but also held a hint of warmth.

The stranger’s red-tinted lips curled into a small smile, dimples appearing as Lily thought it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen, almost enough to distract her when the stranger spoke. “Nice office. It’s about damn time this space was used. The last time I was here, they only used it to store files.”

Lily blinked at the stranger, her mouth opening before closing again as she processed the woman’s words.

The last time I was here...

Wait, does this mean this beautiful stranger used to work here?

“Oh, um… you used to work here?” Lily asked, unable to stop herself, her gaze lingering on the stranger who still hadn’t introduced herself.

The woman let out a quiet laugh and shook her head, waving a hand dismissively.

“No, but my dad does. He used to bring me around here when I was a kid.”

Lily nodded, curiosity settling in as she took in the woman standing in her office. Before she could follow up, the stranger spoke again, her smile turning a little shy.

“Wow, I’m sorry. That was rude of me, not introducing myself. I’m Alexandra, MD—but please, call me Alex.”

Alexandra... Alex... what a beautiful name.

Lily thought as she stared at Alex, her heart giving another slight tug inside her chest, but she forced herself to ignore it as she accepted Alex’s hand for a handshake with a small but genuine smile.

“It’s fine. I’m Lily Lebowski, I’m the grief counselor here in the morgue.”

“Grief counselor? Wow… that’s new. Last time I checked, there wasn’t anyone like that here,” Alex said, tilting her head slightly. Her striking green eyes lingered on Lily, and the intensity of her gaze made Lily shift just a little, feeling self-conscious.

“Yes… um, Dr. Macy thought it would help to have someone to, you know, talk to the families of the deceased. To help them through their loss, give them a safe space to share how they feel,” Lily said, her voice softening.

Alex’s smile tightened at the mention of Garret’s name that Lily can’t help but noticed, and a small hum slipped past her lips. “Did he now?” she murmured, her tone carrying something unspoken—something heavy that Lily couldn’t exactly point out what.

Lily cleared her throat, taking a step forward as she observed the other woman in front of her. Taking in how some of the warmth in her eyes seem to fade away. In attempt to change the subject, Lily let out a soft hum as she spoke, “So, you said your father used to work here?”

“Oh, he still works here, actually. I’m here to see him,” Alex said, her voice steady but tight. Lily’s curiosity immediately spiked.

“What’s his name? Maybe I can call him for you,” she offered, smiling.

Alex’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. When she finally spoke, her tone was sharp enough to make Lily’s stomach drop. “My father’s name is Garret. Dr. Garret Macy—the Chief Medical Examiner.”

Lily felt her heart skip a beat, cold and heavy, like someone had dumped a bucket of ice over her.

*

After learning that the gorgeous woman who invaded her office earlier is the daughter of the man he used to date—Lily’s stomach drop, her mind a jumble of thoughts as she hurriedly made some flimsy excuse to get out of her own office and telling Alex to wait there while she called for Garret.

So many questions were running through her mind, questions that she wanted answer but with how closed off Garret is, she doubts she’ll get any answers from him.

“Are we sure she’s really Dr. Macy’s daughter? I mean… come on—she doesn’t even look like him!” Bug said, nodding toward Alex as he watched her through the glass of Lily’s office.

Once Lily’s initial shock from Alex’s revelation had faded, she pulled Nigel and Bug aside to fill them in. Both men looked just as surprised and curious as she had been, and now they couldn’t help but glance at Alex, who sat on Lily’s couch, completely unaware that she was the subject of their conversation.

“Yeah, and I thought Dr. M’s only kid was Abby. This is really suspicious. I bet that woman over there is just making things up,” Nigel said, and Bug nodded, keeping his eyes on Alex.

Lily rubbed her temple and let out a quiet sigh. Her gaze flicked to Alex for a moment before returning to Bug and Nigel.

“I don’t think she’s lying,” Lily said softly, crossing her arms. “She mentioned that Garret used to bring her here when she was a kid and she even knew my office used to be a storage room for files and junk. She clearly knows her way around.”

“But if she really is Dr. Macy’s daughter—which I still think is a lie—then why hasn’t he ever mentioned her? Not once,” Bug said, and Lily couldn’t deny he had a point.

Garret’s always been open about Abby. He talks about her proudly when anyone asks. So why has he never said a word about Alex—the other daughter who suddenly shows up out of nowhere?

That was just one of a million questions running through Lily’s mind, and she didn’t even know where to start.

“Look, I don’t know, okay?! I’m just as confused as you are.” Lily said, her tone dripping with slight frustration as she ran a hand through her hair before letting out a sigh. Nigel places a hand on her shoulder giving it a small squeeze as he asked.

“Well, have you called Dr. Macy and told him about his daughter being here?” Lily shook her head, a small huff escaping her as she answered.

“No, he’s still at Boston PD. Working on a case with Woody but he’ll be back soon.” Both men nodded at Lily’s quiet words, their eyes flicking back to Alex inside Lily’s office.

Just as Lily was about to head back into her office to keep Alex company, Jordan walked past them, arching a brow at the three of them, curious about the serious expressions on their faces. A small, amused smile twitched at her lips as she crossed her arms and spoke.

“Okay, what are you three plotting now? Without me, I might add,” Jordan asked, her eyes moving from Bug to Nigel, and finally to Lily.

“Jordan, thank God!” Lily exclaimed, pressing a hand to her chest before grabbing Jordan’s arms. “Does Garret have a daughter?”

Jordan raised an eyebrow. “Uh… yeah. Abby. You know, the teenage girl who shows up here just to give her dad a hard time.” She glanced at her friends, frowning at the odd looks on their faces.

Then she rolled her eyes and added, “Come on, you guys. You already know Garret has a daughter. Why are you even asking?”

Lily sighed, biting down on her bottom lip before she answered. Arms crossed in front of her chest, “Well, a woman just walked in my office claiming she’s Garret’s daughter! Said she came over to see him—”

“What did she say her name was?” Jordan cut her off, eyes looking a little bit frantic which caught Lily off guard.

“She said her name is Alex, she’s in my office right—wait, Jordan!”

Lily gasped and ran after Jordan, with Nigel and Bug close behind, as Jordan strode into Lily’s office. She pushed the door a little too hard, and Alex jumped in surprise—but the moment her green eyes landed on Jordan, they lit up. Her lips curved into a bright smile, dimples showing, and she sprang up from the couch.

“Jordan!”

“Oh my God, Alex!”

They both ran toward each other, colliding in a warm hug—like a little sister finally seeing her older sister after years apart. Lily watched them, noticing the ease and familiarity in their movements. Jordan, usually so composed, looked completely at ease, and it was rare to see her react like that.

Maybe Alex really was telling the truth.

“Look at you! When did you get back, kid?” Jordan asked, still wearing a wide, warm smile as she squeezed Alex’s shoulders. Alex shot her back a grin—dimples showing—which made Lily’s heart skip a beat.

“Just last night, actually. My plane landed really late, and I didn’t want to disturb Mom or Abby, so I stayed in a hotel,” Alex answered, her smile softening as she mentioned her mother and Abby.

“Man, your father is going to be so happy to see you again. It’s been what? Six years since you left Boston.” Jordan’s words piqued Lily’s curiosity again and at the mention of Alex leaving Boston six years ago which only made her want to more about what happened.

Lily noticed it again, the smile fading away from Alex’s lips at the mention of her father and the forced one she shot Jordan as she nodded, “Yeah. It’s been six years.” Alex said, her voice quiet as she let out a small dry chuckle.

Lily kept her eyes on Alex, noticing the small changes in her posture at the mention of Garret, when a movement behind Alex caught her attention. Garret stepped into the office, and Lily saw the shock flash across his face the moment he saw his daughter standing there.

His usual indifferent expression was gone, replaced by surprise. Then his eyes softened, just a little—maybe with a touch of guilt, like this was the first time in six years he’d really looked at her.

Garret cleared his throat, drawing Alex’s attention. Lily watched as Alex stiffened for a moment, then slowly turned to face her father. The whole room fell silent—even Jordan, usually full of chatter, didn’t say a word. The air felt heavy, every eye on the two of them, as Alex let out a shaky breath and finally met Garret’s gaze.

“Hey, dad…” she whispered.

Garret didn’t reply right away. He just watched her, hands in his pockets, letting out a small grunt. Then, almost cautiously, he took a step toward her. “Are you back for good?”

Lily’s eyes shifted between them, taking in the quiet tension. There was a weight there—something from six years ago that had driven Alex away, and that had kept Garret from ever speaking of his eldest daughter, as if she didn’t exist.

“Yeah, I—I’m back for good.” Alex answered, a tight smile on her face and Garret let out a relieved sigh, swallowing thickly as he nodded then his lips started to form that usual barely there smile of his as he look at his daughter before taking her into a hug.

Bug and Nigel could only stare, still reeling from the realization that their boss had another daughter—one he had never once mentioned. Nearby, Jordan watched the reunion with a small, knowing smile, catching the way Garret tried to keep himself together and clearly failed.

And Lily? Her blue eyes never left Alex. She saw the hesitation in the way Alex hugged her father back, the guarded set of her shoulders, the distant look in her eyes. It made Lily’s chest ache. Whatever had happened between Alex and Garret wasn’t in the past—not really. It was still there, sitting heavy on Alex’s heart, and Lily could feel it without a single word being said.

Lily kept watching them, her heart tugging for Alex, and even when both father and daughter finally stepped apart, her gaze stayed with her. The longer Lily looked at Alex, the stronger the pull became—the quiet want to know her, to understand what lived behind those guarded green eyes, and maybe, if she could, ease some of the weight she carried.

Lily’s mind was still with Alex even when Garret had led her to his office so that they can talk privately. She couldn’t help it, something about Alex just seem to pull Lily close to her which made her even more confuse. This is Alex, Garret’s eldest daughter which she only knew about just now—the daughter of the man who she used to date, the said man who dumped her all because Garret chose to sleep with his ex-wife again and ruined what they could have.

Lily sighed, shaking her head to get rid of her thoughts as her ears caught Nigel and Bug trying to coax Jordan to tell them more about Garret’s mysterious daughter.

“Oh, come on, Jordan! We’re your friends—basically family at this point. Just tell us what happened between Dr. M and his daughter,” Nigel tried again.

Jordan rolled her eyes. “No. Absolutely not. Guys, it’s not my story to tell. And if Garret found out I said anything, he’d skin me alive and stick me with the worst cases for the next year.”

“That bad, huh?” Bug said. “Now I really want to know.”

“I’m telling you, it’s gotta be huge if you won’t even hint at it,” Nigel added, shaking his head. “I mean, he acted like she didn’t even exist until now.”

Jordan sighed. “And that right there is why I’m keeping my mouth shut.”

“Guys, just stop it. It’s really not our business.” Lily jumped in on the conversation, crossing her arms as her eyes flicked between Bug and Nigel. Although, she also wanted to know herself—she also knows that whatever happened wasn’t any of their business.

“What if Alex did something bad—like illegal bad—that finally pushed Dr. M over the edge?” Nigel said, lowering his voice like he was sharing state secrets, a conspiratorial grin on his face.

Lily and Jordan exchanged a look before turning the same flat, unimpressed stare on him.

“Oh, oh! And maybe Dr. Macy said something really messed up,” Bug jumped in. “Like… disowned-her-level messed up. That’s why she left!”

Nigel snapped his fingers. “Yes! And then Dr. Macy felt guilty for driving his eldest daughter away, so he just… erased her from existence. Never talked about her. Ever.”

“And now,” Bug added dramatically, spreading his hands, “the prodigal daughter returns. Cue emotional reconciliation. Tears. Healing. Family therapy.”

Jordan rolled her eyes so hard Lily was surprised she didn’t pull something. Lily, on the other hand, couldn’t help laughing.

“You two need hobbies,” Jordan muttered.

“I mean, is our theory even close to what really happened?” Nigel asked and Jordan gave him a hard stare before shaking her head no which made Bug throw his hands up while Nigel groaned running a hand over his face which only amused Lily even further.

“Dang it, I thought our theory was really good.” Nigel muttered to himself and Lily chuckled, reaching out to pat his back before her eyes crossed over towards Garret’s office and landed on Alex’s form. They were still talking inside, about what? No one really knows, but guessing from Garret’s expression—it must be pretty serious.

Then Lily watched as both Garret and Alex stood up, making their way outside Garret’s office and Lily cleared her throat—getting everyone’s attention before they followed her gaze and watched as Garret alongside Alex, sauntered up to them.

“Nigel, Bug, Lily—this is my daughter, Dr. Alex Macy. She’ll be working as a new medical examiner here from now on.” Garret spoke, introducing Alex to them and the other woman spoke up, her warm green eyes landing on Lily as she did.

“Oh dad, I’ve already met Miss Lebowski. She’s been very nice, letting me stay in her office while waiting for you.” Alex said, her voice soft and the corner of her lips tugged into a smile that showed her dimples again which had Lily’s cheeks turned pink.

“Please, call me Lily.” Lily spoke up with a warm smile of her own.

“Wait, she’s going to work here? Just like that?” Nigel asked, breaking Lily out of her quiet observation of Alex.

Garret arched a brow. “Yes. Just like that.”

“Wow. Nepotism at its finest,” Bug muttered, shaking his head.

Alex chuckled, a teasing smile tugging at her lips, her jade-green eyes sparkling. “Careful, you two. Keep talking like that, and I might start demanding special treatment.”

Lily felt her chest tighten a little at the sound of Alex’s voice, and she realized she’d been staring a beat longer than necessary. Alex caught her gaze and gave a small, playful tilt of her head—just enough to make Lily’s heart skip.

The thought of Alex actually staying here, working at the ME’s office, stirred something unfamiliar in Lily. Part of her was excited—thrilled, even—that this wouldn’t just be a fleeting visit. She’d get to see Alex regularly, talk to her, maybe even understand the woman behind the guarded green eyes. And yet… there was a quiet nervousness too. Having Alex here meant sharing the space she knew so well, watching her interact with everyone, and maybe learning things about her she wasn’t ready for.

But despite all that, Lily couldn’t help but want it, to learn more about the woman right in front of her.