Introduction

Fitz is a 32 year old cop who has a nagging suspicion about a past case. Working secretly he follows every lead he can in an attempt to solve 'The Old Case.' However, this isn't the only secret Fitz is hiding. Living a façade of grace in an attempt to hide his own problems only causes more him more pain… literally. In a bizarre string of events clues abound, unknown to him, and as they slowly interlock and the picture becomes clear will Fitz find what he is looking for?

Chapter 1:Monotony's the name of the game… or maybe not.

Home at last… again…Fitz thought sweeping off a crisp trench. Well this is about as good as it gets! Grasping a mug of Earl Grey he groped around in the darkness.

'Where is that sugar?' Got to change that bulb…

'Here you areeEARUGHHHH!'

Withdrawing his hand sharply from the hot plate, Fitz took a step backward, only to trip over his Chocolate Lab, Mocha, who had been sleeping on the kitchen floor. Toppling head over heels, he landed rump first in the garbage, receiving a scalding Earl Grey face wash. Awakened by the commotion, Mocha did a groggy version of her 'so-glad-to see-you dance' while licking away at Fitz's face.

'Thanks girl… I needed a facial anyway,' Fitz whispered with a weary, sarcastic grin. He tried his best to calm her with one hand, while lifting himself with the other.

'Sigh… guess I should just go to sleep…'

Winter was in full fury so a bath at 1:00am was out of the question. Fitz stole a glance of his front porch before turning in. The air was still, and quiet, with diamond-like snow fluttering to the ground, forming foamy billows on every surface. Even the tallest trees were still, elegantly wearing dazzling icy garments on every bough. Great! Now I have to shovel the driveway!

Flopping on his king sized fortress of a bed, Fitz flipped out his laptop and began tapping away.

Journal entry 762

Boring life…

My boring life… caught another perp today! Joy… well nothing interesting to report. Well only that Mocha might be with pups. I think I'm gonna sue that groomer! On second thought that may be good … I am lacking excitement lately… Especially since Sonia stood me up… she coulda called or something, o well. O yea bout that perp, we were looking for him for a while. Just another dumb drunkard who thinks it is wise to break into stores for fun… at least he was having some fun… o well its getting kinda late, so I think I'll just hit the sack now.

After clipping the laptop shut and placing in on its shelf, next to an old dusty book, Fitz slipped his pants off and turned to plunge into the one place where everything was as he wanted, where he could create his own alternate universe, his bed. Seeking warmth between the covers, he cast one last cold stare at his 'crisp' jacket, now soiled with his precious Earl Grey I don't even have the money to dry clean you now! His glance then flickered to the roof, is that water damage? GREAT! He gave one last heavy sigh and drew the covers closer to deflect the shivers. This bed wouldn't be so damn cold with two people in it!

A sleek silhouette stood in the snow covered patio. Fitz's snores were a clear sign the coast was clear. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her weapon of choice. After dealing with the door she disarmed the security system. Her slender frame glided across the hard wood floor and approached his room. A sly grin split her features as she approached her victim. As she took padded steps across the room she noted the all the valuable items, a large, silver Rolex watch, palm planner and fat leather wallet. Her attention settled on the lump of cloth in the middle of the bed, it rose and fell a few times. It was time to make her move. She gently reached under Fitz's pillow and removed his Glock 27 and placed a little token of appreciation in its place. Drawing her other hand from her pocket, she pointed her own weapon to the top of the lump; she finished the job with one flex of her index finger …

'PARPPPPPFFFFFFHHHHH!!!'

'AAAAAAWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHH' screaming at the top of his lungs Fitz flung the covers off himself and reached under his pillow grasping what he thought was his beloved 27 mini, took aim and fired.

'Pah ha ha, I got you good! Man! I should have taped that!'

Baffled Fitz dropped his aim and stared perplexed at the plastic water gun nestled in his fingers. The boisterous laughter continued, only adding to the confusion swirling in his head. He slumped back and blinked long and heavy then glanced at the figure once more. Then he understood; shame hit him like a ton of bricks.

'Kristiiiinaaaaaaa!' he shrieked and moaned loudly in frustration. 'What are you doing here?'

Kristina lay on the floor, completely over come with laughter. Though she tried to answer him, her sentences were reduced to unintelligible screeches and shrieks.

'Who did you get in here?' he shouted struggling to suppress a laugh.

Unbelievable! It was only a few days ago he had gazed at his 'lil sis' and marveled at how she had matured. He shook his head at the pile of giggles on his floor, convulsing in mirth. Kristina was five years his junior, and the true baby of the family. Though fun loving, she was sly and tough, traits that come naturally when you have two older brothers. Outside of their sibling squabbles, Fitz and Ronnie protected her with their lives.

Placing his head in his hands he sighed in deep thought. You got it so good girl. Kristina had recently been married to the man of her dreams. And they had recently taken out a mortgage on their own home. Damn! Rent is dew. How will I pay that one now? Maybe I'll get some tax returns. Shoot that's going to something already. Well there always is tha… no that won't work… Ah ha! Stephen owes me! Yes that could cover that bil…

'Dolly, you okay?' her first decipherable sentence!

'Uumm?' Their eyes met 'Oh I'm just thinking… wait! What did you call me?'

'What? Don't you know your own name Dolly?' she taunted with a smug grim plastered on her face.

Fitz's second name was Adolphus, and Kristina thought it was brilliant to call him 'Dolly', particularly because he hated it.

Fitz stood with a sigh and cracked every vertebra in his spine, and began walking to the door.

'Where do you think you are going like that?'

'For the paper you refused to bring in when you broke into my house.'

'I did not break in! I have a key, remember? And as for the alarm, you always use the same code for everything. Fitz put on some clothes!'

He glanced down at his smiley face covered boxers.

'What?' turning, he mumbled 'should be glad I didn't go commando last night!'

'What!?'

'Nothing, Krissy dear.'

Arming himself with a robe, Fitz scuttled onto the porch, snatched the paper and rushed back for the door. After putting the kettle on the hot plate he glanced across at Kristina, who had been rearranging mementoes on the counter.

'Did those things call your name?'

'Hmm?' she smiled 'they look better this way.'

'You want tea?'

'Depends, what do you have?'

'Earl Grey, Tangerine and Apple Cinnamon.' Apple Cinnamon would be good!

'Apple Cinnamon would be good!'

Unbeknown to Kristina, her dear Dolly did care for any tea but Earl Grey but he kept the other two flavours well stocked in case she or Ronnie stopped by.

'So what do you want?'

'Don't say it like that! Didn't mum teach you any manners?'

'I have a bad memory.' He teased with a mocking smile.

*Humph!*… *sigh *'It's about this case I worked on… you remember how the double death you worked on a while ago keeps nagging you?'

Nagging is an understatement Krissy! Two people dead, both burned to a crisp, and the deaths deemed as accidental! Countless children involved, all disabled in some way or another. Four of them dead and no one sees something wrong? Hardly any evidence when they had 16 security cameras to 'monitor the children because of their disabilities.' Honestly, who need so many cameras? Who could afford it, with so many disabled kids? Huh! Monitor my a…

'Fitz, are you listening to me?'

'Huh? Yea, sorry… you were saying?'

'I recently dealt with a case that doesn't sit well with me.'

'What is the problem?' his gaze intensified as he poured the hot water to the teabags, and slipped the kettle back on the hot plate.

'Well my superiors say I should drop it and avoid sticking out like a sore thumb.'

Fitz cringed. Who dare! My sister may be young and new on the force but she is way better that any old doughnut-stuffing butter ball you guys refuse to fire from your pathetic department!!

'But I don't know… it appears to a typical runaway case, but the note they left behind was peculiar.'

'How so sis?'

'Well look for yourself, I guess I shouldn't be showing you this, but you are a cop too. I copied it exactly on this piece of paper.'

With the crumbled paper in one hand and his Earl Grey in the other Fitz began to read the scribbled note.

I'M SORRY I JUST HAD TO LEAVE

This is the endd ooh yes then end be happt mother bee joyfool it's the edn! I am sorry moder I hod to gon, I had two beecause it was time four me too lleaved.

I leave the burn bag to you and the came razz all the came razz. U kan hav de rugs! Ha ha if u can fine them! No one can fine them! But I leave the suitcase to enyipede give the case to enyipede.

I hope you can understand.

Luv Carla

'Curious, huh?'

He scratched his stubble. 'How old was this person?'

'Around eighteen or nineteen. Why do you ask?'

'They have finished school right?'

'Yes… what are you thinking?'

He took a long, pensive slurp, and then slowly sat upright.

'Well they had to have attended a school, at least primary level so these grammatical and spelling errors are uncanny. Furthermore, the title "I'M SORRY I JUST HAD TO LEAVE" and that detached last phrase "I hope you can understand" are in perfect English. I find that very odd.'

'That is what I was thinking! It is as if the mistakes were purpose work.'

'Hmmm… is that case closed yet?'

'Not really… no one is bothering to work on it now since the suspect is not a minor, but it still isn't closed.'

'Hmm. Well sis keep thinking on it… I will too, these odd cases just bug me.'

'Me too.'

Kristina glanced at her watch. I know you soon gotta run sis. Fitz thought with a chuckle. You still wearing that silly watch? Fitz had won the little Quartz watch in a raffle and given it to her a few Christmases ago. He had expected her to act excited and wear it for a few weeks. However she had fallen in love with it and worn it almost nonstop ever since. 'It's so pretty,' she had screamed between shrieks and squeals. Not as pretty as you little sis…

'Are you going somewhere?'

He eyes lit up and her face beamed. 'Rick is taking me for lunch today, but he won't tell me where we're going!'

Ahh, young love. 'Dolly' gazed warmly at her again…

Standing to show herself out, Kristina paused for a moment and turned sharply. His warm gaze was now tainted with question, which only increased as her face grew excited.

'How was your date with Sonia? You were so excited and… '

A cold frost came over his once warm features.

'Oh no… what happened?'

Fitz dropped his gaze to avoid Kristina's soul reading eyes. She had an annoying gift of seeing everything in a person's heart, and he didn't wish for her to see the frost bite that engulfed his as a result of her question.

'It's getting late… I have an appointment.' He mumbled.

'Ok we can talk later then.'

Fat chance!

Krissy stepped close to her beloved Dolly, giving him a warm bear hug and a loving kiss on the cheek, unaware that this would melt most of frost from inside him. He returned her hug, closing his eyes and smelling her hair, this always comforted him. She then slid into the frosty day.

As usual she had barely touched her tea. After all it was the smell she enjoyed. Mocha was up and prancing around doing her 'so-glad-to see-you-are awake dance' in full fury. To her greatest delight her master poured the Apple Cinnamon tea in her dish where she greedily lapped it up. After opening the back door so Mocha could go and do her business at her own free will Fitz sat to finish his Earl Grey. He pondered that old haunting case, recounting the news REPORT as he always did.

It read:

PARENTS OF DISABLED FOUND DEAD

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Cavatina was burned to the ground three months ago. This couple was well known for their humanitarian works. Over their life time this couple adopted and fostered over 30 special-needs children, many of which suffered with degenerative or terminal diseases such as HIV/AIDS and several types of cancer. It was assumed that the couple was at home at the time of the fire and rescue/recovery efforts were put in place. After 2 days of searching the charred residence, the burnt remains of the couple and four of their children were found. The parents lay in different passage ways of the home while all four of the children were found huddled in one closet. It is believed that the children died as a result of smoke inhalation. However, the couple seemed to have been trying to reach these children, but was crushed by falling debris. The police have ruled the death an unfortunate accident and have organized an honourable burial with a 21-gun salute for these lost stalwarts of our community.

That's right! Leave out the details. Explain why 16 security tapes were missing! Where are the biopsy results? Why was foul play ruled out? Because they were "good people?" And what about the other children…hmm… I wonder who they were.