This is the first part of three of a Little POV thing I'm doing with Justin. Who knows? I might do one for Al and Hilda as well later on. But for now enjoy! I'll get the other parts up as I finish them. Reviews are appreciated, as well as pointing out any grammar errors that I might've missed. Thanks for reading!
It was a normal day, a little cloudy and rain patters gently on the window when the detective received notice from the higher ups that he'd been assigned to work on some big serial killing case. Lawson grinned in spite of himself. Now this was the kinda case he joined the force for, the big leagues, making an actual difference, and so not even the sour looking stick that turns out to be his new partner ruined his mood.
The other man was a sight to be honest. His long red locks were put absentmindedly in a ponytail, while pieces still hung in his face. A pair of apathetic golden eyes stared him down, a spark of annoyance flashing in them once or twice. Obviously this Layton fellow would've preferred working alone but came to the unfortunate conclusion that the commissioner wouldn't let him take the case all on his own, and even if he was allowed the workload would be too brutal for one man to take alone. It was a partnership of necessity. Alfendi made sure Justin knew that at least. Taking the gruff treatment in stride, the detective dove into the case full force.
As time passed, the pair slowly became nearly inseparable. The road was bumpy in the beginning, sure. Arguments were had. Insults were thrown. Threats were made. Al made it clear that he found Justin's smoking while they were discussing a case revolting. Justin plainly explained that Al really needed to pull that stick out his ass. Little by little, however, the arguments threats and complaints became less serious. Eventually both of them ended several of their shifts at a local pub together, getting into brawls with other patrons only once or twice at most. By the time Hilda joined on the time, Justin could read Al well enough to know that his annoyance of having yet another person added to the case lasted a far shorter amount of time than the man ever let on to the blonde. Despite Al's new penchant for striking up arguments with her at every opportunity, the female detective was included into the fold almost instantly.
Soon they settled into an amiable routine. Those were the days. Working late into the nights, Hilda chastising them like a mother hen, Al actually picking up a cigarette or two just to bother her after heated arguments, and Justin peacemaking even while he laughed, Lawson considered all of it some of the best moments of his life. And then it happened. He discovered things he shouldn't have. He caught a glimpse behind the curtain. He struck a deal with the devil. Sacrifices were made.
The mask never fit comfortably. Deception suited him terribly. Not when Justin had always been about the straight and narrow, the blunt truth, brutal honesty. After the first faked 'killing however, everything became a bit easier. Although loathe and ashamed to admit it to himself, the detective now had motivation to deceive, to undermine his closest friend's investigations, fear. He covered his tracks and unease well. Al and Hilda never doubted him. The commissioner seemed more dubious about the unexplainable crimes and their lack of evidence, but he never voiced any concerns. As the cases continued, as they started to examine his own murders, things between the three of them seemed perfectly normal. It was all business as usual, though Al increasingly got obsessed with the killings.
Justin both aided and impeded his pal's frenzied search for the truth with a resigned air. The investigator recognized the inevitable conclusion to this dance. Even with his help, Makepeace couldn't avoid being found out by them eventually. Al and Hilda were too good for that; his best friends growing closer and closer, uncomfortably close to the truth. There was nothing for it. His partners were unflappable. Though part of the reason he liked them so much, it was becoming a problem. The time had come to wrap things up, so he set a plan into motion.
First he contacted Makepeace. After all if he wanted this to go down right, he needed to make sure Makepeace knew at least half of what was going on. It took a while to calm the deranged man down and assure him that he wouldn't be caught and that the inspector had it in hand, but eventually he agreed to the plan. Keelan would hole up at Forbodium castle, a place Justin knew well. Al, though usually level minded, would be too caught up in finally catching the murderer to wait for anyone else. Makepeace would shoot Al out of sight, and Justin would orchestrate things to make it look like it was a standoff, with Keelan already injured. Then, he told the gaunt man, they would have the element of surprise, and Justin would take it from there. The execution worked flawlessly. As he jumped onto the west tower roof, his partner in crime asked him the next course of action.
"Simple," Lawson murmured, carefully picking up Layton's gun so that no finger prints would be transferred, "We complete the crime scene." Makepeace's look of confusion turned to horror after the first shot. The second shot ended it. Hearing the mad pounding of the commissioner trying to break down the door, Justin quickly returned the gun to its original position, lingering in his squat near his fallen friend for only a moment. Al was still breathing, albeit shallowly, and if the detective knew anything it was the fact that Alfendi Layton would not die here. The man contained too much stubbornness, had too much of a fighting spirit to croak now. So, he left him there, the biggest risk to his plan and his best friend, alive. Perhaps that led to his undoing in the end, but Justin would not kill him. He couldn't.
Later when he rejoined the Commissioner and Hilda, acting disturbed at the bloody scene before him, he offered to ride in the ambulance with his downed partner. Hilda insisted on coming too, but he gently reminded her about the investigation that had to take place, and the extra vehicles that would have to be driven home. "Keep the crime scene untouched by any upstarts; this case is ours. Always has been." Eventually she complied, more out of sort than Justin had ever seen her.
The ride to the hospital was a chaotic one. Paramedics buzzed about Al like flies, keeping his heart beating, doing damage control. The detective watched in silence never looking directly at the other. When they got there, and the staff whisked him away for surgery, Justin simply stared the doors they vanished behind, before turning away.
"Sorry about this Al, I really am." It became the first unheard apology of many in the long years to come.