Occam's Razor
A/N: A little plot bunny that was born after a long discussion with "Jaspers temptress". Hope you all like it
~*~ Occam's razor ~*~
He was driving aimlessly in the small town. He was hoping to find a clue as to why this mysterious -A- person had sent him there but had found nothing. He was trying to find his way back to the more tourist part of the town when he saw it. A girl was being herded by a few guys looking freaked out.
"Stay away from me"
The girl warned in a meek-trying-to-be-strong voice but it only made the men laugh.
"Don't be like that, sugar"
The man called, and the raucous laughter started again behind her. Some sort of long forgotten chivalry instinct had the sandy blond man pressing harder on the gas to reach them putting the small cop light on his car's roof.
Driving fast as the street racer he once was, he stopped abruptly not caring when the stockiest one had to jump to not be run over. The girl dove on the road and without thinking the driver opened the passenger door as he skidded facing the opposite direction. All four assailants froze but the girl looked from the cop light to him.
"Get in"
He ordered barely waiting for her to enter the car before pressing on the gas hard and driving away as she closed the door.
"Are you alright?"
He asked taking in her wild eyes, fast expanding of her breasts with the long hair tangle around her face as she panted. She shook her head in contrast with her words
"I'm fine. A.. Are you a cop?"
He nodded
"Detective Darren Walden"
She was quiet for a moment.
"Is there an ID to go with the name?"
She asked and for a moment he thought he heard a smile in her voice. Stopping at a red light he reached to his inner pocket and procuring his wallet and ID, he handed them to her.
"Where is Rosewood?"
She asked with her fingers touch the cool metal of his badge. This time the dirty blond man did smile.
"Pennsylvania. Want me to point it on a map?"
He flirted bringing a smile to her lips.
"You mean a map actually has it?"
She deadpanned before a blush crept on her cheeks and she looked down
"Sorry. My father's a cop; I guess I wanted to make sure"
She muttered and reached to put her seatbelt on. Well, that killed his mood. He always had a thing for teenage girls but his usual time was blond, witty, and available. He could swing it to brunette, witty, damsel in distress but he wasn't going to get a bullet in the balls because he wet after the wrong girl, even as she looked absolutely inviting with her pink-red lips her hands passing through the long hair and her blue shirt driving slightly dangerously between her breasts.
Putting his mind in order he looked at her again as he drove them to the more downtown area. She was still shaking and there were a set of headlights behind his black car ever since he picked her up. He frowned slightly.
"Your boyfriend?"
He asked the girl with his eyes still locked on the car behind them.
"I don't have a boyfriend"
She blushed. Score!
"Well someone is tailing us"
He pointed to the car behind them sounding as professional as he could and her brown eyes widened, looked behind them leaning between their seats giving him an ample chance to look down her shirt. She shook her head
"I have a classmate driving a Volvo but I have no idea who that is"
She stammered looking at his eyes. 'She's lying' he thought sneaking another glance at the white bra before she settled back down.
"Do you have a name?"
He asked her realizing that they were in the car for quite a bit and the only thing he knew about her was that that she had almost been attacked, the color of her bra and that she was a cop's kid.
"Bella, Bella Swan"
He shook her hand. Parking to the waterfront he turned fully to her.
"Where do you live Bella swan?"
He asked unable to keep the smirk of his face as her eyes widened
"Why?"
"I'm not letting you go home on your own"
He realized just how flirty that came out as she only stared at him.
"You just got attacked; I'll either take you to the police station or home. It's my duty as an officer of the law"
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"Forks, nearby small town"
"What are you doing here then?"
Her eyes opened large as she just remembered something
"I have to go back. My friends will be worrying"
She made a move to get out of his car. He took the wheel again starting the engine.
"Just tell me where"
She bit her full bottom lip.
"You don't have to"
"I'm not leaving you tonight"
"The Italian restaurant by the mall"
She gave in and he drove them quietly the few miles to the large mall, the silver Volvo still after them. Parking a few cars away from the entrance Bella unbuckled her belt and turned to face him.
"I'll be right back"
Stepping out of the black car Bella jogged to two girls heading for another car anxiously.
"Jess! Angela!"
Bella shouted, waving to the girls. They rushed back to her, with relief edging on both their faces. He couldn't hear what they said but registered their glances at his car and him. the taller girl with the straight hair hugged Bella while the other one sent him a friendly smile and said something to Bella that made her stare at the girl before saying something, accepting a beige jacket and walking stiffly back. Turning around she waved with an annoyed expression and joined him in the car.
"Friends of yours?"
He asked amused earning a glare.
"Jess is the biggest gossip in town. I'm almost afraid of what she'll spread about me being in a car with someone"
The brown haired teen replied with a hint of annoyance in her voice. Darren almost felt bad. Almost.
"If I take you home now they'll see I'm taking you to your father. Unless he's working late"
He allowed himself a ray of hope but Bella shook her head.
"No, he should be home"
Kicking himself he put the car in gear, making sure to leave some distance between them and the small red car with Bella's friends and the silver Volvo still hot on his tail. He was beginning to get annoyed! How could he get her alone and what was the age of consent in Washington State?
A light bulb flickered open in his mind and driving with one hand he turned the other to Bella who was once again biting her bottom lip.
"Can I ask your opinion on something?"
"Sure"
She replied turning to face him interested. Getting out on the highway, he trusted the small red car to show him the way as he spoke to her about his most confusing case.
"A girl went missing in September..."
Darren then told Bella about the teenage girl that went missing. He said how Alison was considered to be the golden girl of the small town they lived in. He told her how she was far from perfect and had a nasty habit of blackmailing people. How he had heard a rumor of her and her friends attacking and blinding someone. Someone had whispered she might be pregnant. She was sleeping with half the available men of the town. How she was only fifteen years old. And how a mysterious person had sent him a text message sending him to Port Angeles telling him, he'd find the answers he needed there.
"Did you"
"No, the address exists but it's a rundown empty office"
Bella thought for a minute
"Alison sounds... unique"
Bella replied at a loss for words.
"Are you sure she's missing and not dead? Maybe she pissed off the wrong person"
She asked. When Darren's baby blue eyes gleamed she got her answer.
"Why did you kill her?"
Darren didn't reply but slowed down to a stroll rather than a drive allowing the small red car with Bella's friends to drive away. His slow driving forced the silver Volvo to slow down as well but Darren paid it no mind. Turning the heater on high he turned to the seemingly calm brunette girl.
"She blackmailed me"
"Over the baby?"
He nodded. In his minds eye all he saw was the annoying, self assured smirk Alison had when she blackmailed him with paying for the abortion or she'd blow a whistle of him raping her. The baby would prove it and she was a minor.
"Are you sure it was yours?"
Bella asked surprising him.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
Bella blinked pursing her lips.
"From what you told me, she was sleeping with every male that could get it up"
She deadpanned telling him a story about a girl in her old school. Shawna had gone from 'queen bee' to 'no bee' within a month after a story about her having slept and gotten pregnant with the entire football team had come out. Darren frowned. That was a possibility he hadn't considered.
"I hadn't thought of that"
"You committed murder without having thought out the possibilities? Wow"
She breathed. When Darren remained silent she spoke again seeing the mile marker for forks coming up
"Why did you tell me this?"
"I'm not sure"
He frowned.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"NO!"
He shouted scandalized as Bella's eyebrows rose in question.
"Then what do you want from me?"
She asked resigned. The highway was empty apart from them, even the Volvo wasn't there. Taking the turn for Forks Darren remained quiet following Bella's directions to the her street where he parked behind a police cruiser with the word 'Sheriff' parked innocently in front of it.
"You think you're real funny huh?"
"Oh, I think I'm adorable"
She replied with a charming smile.
"I didn't kill her you know. I did hit her when she came on to me that night, but I didn't kill her"
He said quietly killing the engine. Bella pursed her lips looking at the man.
"Occam's razor. The simplest solution is the correct one. She was with her friends all night, wasn't she? If she didn't run away and is indeed dead, then they did it"
With that the teenage girl stepped out to the cold night and began walking to the front door. Mechanically the detective followed her and the moment she reached in her coat's pocket for a set of keys the door opened to reveal a stone faced man.
"You're home early."
The man directed his observation to the girl but his eyes were set on Darren
"Am I?"
"It's not even eight yet. Did you have fun with the girls?"
"Yeah — it was lots of fun. They both found dresses."
She replied sardonically
"Dad this is Detective Wilden. I was in some trouble and he stepped in. He wanted to meet you"
The man's eyes sized the younger man again before extending a hand.
"Chief Charles Swan, thank you for bringing her home"
"Detective Darren Wilden. I'm just happy I was there"
He returned the nod the chief gave him and turned to leave. Reaching his car he turned to the girl that was watching him
"Thank you for the advice"
"Anytime"
He walked to his car and reached to make some notes in a notepad.
"What advice?"
He faintly heard the father ask.
"On a missing person's case he has. The girl was abit younger than me"
He waited till father and daughter went safely inside the house before starting the engine again. There was a bright yellow post-it stuck on his steering wheel .
"Occam's razor Detective. I told you they're not innocent -A"
The end