The guy, who finally introduced himself as Nathan, wasn't kidding when he said he just left the Lester guy. Nathan drove Audrey and Haven to the crime scene here Nathan had just seen Lester. "Stay here." Audrey said to Haven as she started to get out of the truck.
"Oh come on, it's not like I'm going to cross the forbidden yellow line or anything." Haven replied sarcastically. The look Audrey gave Haven afterwards made it clear that she was not kidding around. Haven sighed and said, "Fine. I'll stay here but if you expect me to stay cooped up in this truck, then you're crazy."
"Just don't leave the truck's vicinity, okay?" Audrey asked and Haven sighed with a nod in reply. "Thank you." Audrey walked off to check out the crime scene with Nathan. As they walked he said, "You always let your sister tag along?"
"Better than the alternative." Audrey replied before ducking under the yellow tape as she entered the crime scene.
Nathan looked like he was was wondering what she meant by that but didn't say anything and just joined her behind the yellow line.
Haven hopped out of the truck and leaned against it with her arms crossed. She looked out in front of her, watching the officers going about taking care of their business. She really didn't want to stick to the truck but she made a deal with Audrey to stay out of the way but within sight. Haven pulled out her sketch book and started to sketch what was going on in front of her. At least that was the original plan, what it turned into was something completely different but Haven didn't even notice.
She was pulled from her sketch when Audrey approached her, "I need to check some things out with Detective Wuornos here. It might be awhile so you can go into town if you want."
Haven closed her sketchbook with an excited haste and said, "I would love it." She kissed Audrey's cheek in thanks and started walking off. "An officer will give you a ride into town!" Audrey called after her. Haven turned around and continued walking, but backwards, as she replied "Naw, I'm good!" Haven returned back around and waved behind her as she heard Audrey call out, "Call me when you get there!"
Haven semi did as she was instructed when she walked into town. She sent her elder sister a text saying she was alive and continued on her way. It was weird, Haven was having a sense of dejavu again. She was summing it up as seeing this town in a magazine or something. And yet, Haven couldn't shake the feeling that she'd seen this town of Haven before. She shuddered again at the thought and moved on.
Haven walked down the street and took in everything to memory. Audrey often teased that she had a photographic memory but it wasn't quite like that with Haven. She just...liked to remember things, people, places. It was just one of her things.
Another one of her things was that she liked souvenirs. So when she passed a shop that had a 'Haven' tee shirt in the window, she couldn't resist. Havent went inside and picked up a tee shirt, sweat jacket, and baseball cap all with 'Haven' written upon them.
There was an elderly woman at the register when Haven approached with her purchases. The woman looked at the items then slowly looked up at Haven. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Are you alright there?" Haven asked, worried for the woman's well being since she suddenly looked pale. "Yes, I'm fine." The woman replied and cleared her throat before ringing Haven up.
Haven looked skeptical but paid for her things and placed the cap upon her head. "Have a nice day." She said with a smile and left the shop. Haven walked down the street and spotted Nathan with Audrey. Just as she was about to cross the street a strange fog started to fill the area. "Whoa..." Haven said as she literally held onto her cap, "That's weird."
She didn't like it one bit and suddenly felt the need to get to her sister. Haven hurried down the street even though she could barely see an inch in front of her face. She was crossing when she heard the truck coming and saw Audrey and Nathan standing in the street. "Audrey!" Haven exclaimed and ran over to them, pushing them both out of the way, getting herself out of the way in the process as well. The three just barely missed being hit by the truck as they all landed on the ground.
The fog cleared and the paramedics arrived. Audrey was hovering over Haven just like she always did when she was afraid Haven was hurt. "I'm fine" Haven stated firmly as she swatted her sister's hands away as Audrey tried to examine Haven herself. "The last time you said that you needed ten stitches." Was Audrey's retort.
"I'm serious Audrey, you should be more concerned about the guy who literally can't feel if there's something wrong with him." Haven said as she looked at Nathan sitting next to her, who previously mentioned his 'disorder'.
Audrey narrowed her eyes at Haven before the paramedic said, "She's right Miss Parker. You're sister is fine. As for you, Nathan, you're going to have to come with me for another MRI."
"Lucky number nine." Nathan replied as he rubbed his shoulder.
"You get frequent flier miles?" Haven asked as a joke and Nathan didn't miss a beat when he said, "Tenth one's free."
"You seriously can't feel anything? What about fire? Ice?" Audrey asked Nathan, still trying to wrap her mind around it.
"Oddly enough I can feel ice." Nathan replied.
"You can feel ice?" Haven asked in reply, doubting it but still.
"No I can't feel ice." Nathan answered, "But I do feel a headache coming on." he added in sarcastically.
The paramedic interjected when she said, "Time to go Nathan, get in the back" as she gestured for the ambulance, "And don't even try arguing with me."
Nathan grumbled but complied and Audrey said, "Don't worry. I've got things covered." Audrey then turned her attention to her sister, "I still have my case Haven...are you sure you're going to be alright alone?"
"Audrey, I love you, but you're a worry wart. I'll be fine." Haven replied and hopped off the gurney thing. "I'll call you." She added in to give her sis a bit of a relief before heading off again. Once again she had no real direction in mind but wanted to see it all.
Haven walked down the street for a bit then realized she left her cap back on the gurney thing so she turned around and almost bumped into two men. "I'm so sorry!" Haven said in surprise.
"It's alright." The shorter man with a camera said and Haven felt like she believed his sincerity.
"Did you just arrive in our little town?" The taller one asked.
"Yeah, I'm here with my sister." Haven answered and the men introduced themselves, "That's nice. Well, I am Vince and this is my brother Dave."
Dave held out a card for Haven to take with a smile and she took it with a laugh, "I have a herald too?" The brothers looked at each other oddly which made Haven laugh again, "It's a lame joke. My name is Haven." After Haven's introduction the brothers looked at each other oddly again and Vince asked, "Is your sister Audrey Parker?"
"Yeah, that's her." Haven answered as she slipped the card into her pocket, "How do you know Audrey?"
Dave was the one that answered, "We just met her a few minutes ago. We better be going but if you'd ever like to read up on our little town you should come on by the Herald."
Haven smiled, "Thanks, I just might do that." She gave a little wave goodbye and continued on her way, completely forgetting about her hat.
As Haven walked off Vince and Dave looked at each other once again. Dave said, "First Audrey and now Haven?" Vince looked around and said, "We should get back to the office" and left it at that.
Haven walked all around the town finding a strange sense of...peace there. What was even stranger was that she seemed to know right where she was going even if she didn't realize it. After getting a text from Audrey that she wouldn't be around for supper because of a lead or something, Haven got some of her own and headed down to the docks. It was the only place she hadn't been yet.
Haven hopped up on a pile of crates and enjoyed her club sandwich and curly fries. After eating she was going to do some more sketching but before she could even pull out her pad, or even a pencil, it began to hail. "You've got to be kidding me" Haven said to herself as she pulled her 'Haven' sweatshirt's hood over her head and ran down the dock. Just as she was running past an electric box, lighting struck, the box exploded, and the force of it knocked her out threw Haven into the water.
By the time Haven came to, it was morning. She awoke in a strange place...in a strange bed...wearing...nothing. Haven checked the last part a couple times, just to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. The last thing she remembered was running down the docks and now she was in some bed, wearing only her bra and panties. "Dammit." She said as she had a 'facepalm' moment and took deep breaths.
On the nightstand there was a folded up shirt and her wallet. Haven took her wallet and pulled on the shirt. It was so uncomfortable for her. Haven had scars on her thighs from an event that she couldn't remember but she was ashamed of them. Mainly because she couldn't remember the story that went with them. But now someone probably had already seen them and now someone definitely would. "Dammit." She said once again as she tried to pull the shirt down further but it was no use.
There was no time to fidget with it now, she had to find out where she was. Well at least she was figuring she was on a boat given the appearance of it...and once again she felt like she was having dejavu. "One more time and I swear to Pete I'm going to scream." Haven muttered to herself as she made her way out of the room below deck. As Audrey would say, once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, but three times...three times was a pattern.
Haven made her way up to the deck easily enough and found someone sitting there, reading a newspaper that was definitely not in English. "Where are my clothes?" She asked, because in that moment that was the most important thing. Other questions could be asked afterwards once her clothing was in place that was like her armor.
The person, the man reading the paper lowered it and said, "Good morning."
"Where are my clothes?" Haven asked again then said in agitation, "You took my clothes."
"Actually, I laundered your clothes. And I saved your life, which is an odd combination if you think about it." The man replied as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Who are you?" Haven asked, while doing her best to keep her hands over her thighs to block the scars.
"Name's Duke." He replied as he added cream to the cup of coffee.
"Haven." She replied and stepped back a bit when he approached then handed her the cup of coffee, "Cream, one sugar." Duke said with a grin, "Right?"
Haven accepted the coffee from him and said, "Three actually, and how would you even know how I like my coffee?"
"I wouldn't" He replied and grinned again, "But it would've been pretty cool if I did."
Haven tried hard not to grin at that, but she failed and ended up grinning along with him. She then spotted her clothes hanging on the line and cleared her throat to excuse herself as she went over to them. Haven set down the cup of coffee and pulled her pants off the line, "What did you mean you saved my life, exactly?"
Haven was sliding on her pants as Duke replied, "Well some freak lightning struck the power lines causing the breaker to combust, which ended up throwing an unconscious you into the water."
Haven paused for a moment before zipping up her pants. "I don't remember any of that." She admitted before grabbing her shirt off the line and said, "Turn around." Duke chuckled but Haven was adamant and spun her hand around with an 'I'm serious' expression on her face. Duke complied and turned around so she could change her shirt.
"Shouldn't you be at college?" Duke asked while she was putting on her shirt. "Excuse me?" Was Haven's reply as she zipped up her jacket and proceeded with her shoes. Duke heard the zipper and turned around, "I looked through your wallet."
Haven narrowed her eyes at him, "You make a habit of snooping through people's wallets?" She tied up her sneakers and stood up as Duke went back to his coffee and paper, "Only when I can't tell how old someone is."
Haven raised her brows at that in an 'excuse me' manner, so Duke elaborated. "Before I removed your clothes I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to get arrested for it." After Duke's explanation Haven had an 'ah' look on her face and got it. Granted she still didn't like it, but at least it made her feel better knowing that he wouldn't have taken her clothes if she was younger than what she was.
Haven took the coffee and sat down in the chair across from him, "Where's my bag?" She asked and Duke reached behind him and handed it over to her. "It was on the dock when I found you in the water." he explained and Haven was so grateful to hear that. She reached out and took her bag and looked in it to make sure everything was there. "Don't trust me huh?" Duke said as he noticed what she was doing. "I don't trust anyone." Haven replied then added in, "Except for my sister."
As if on cue Audrey came upon the boat and was shocked to see Haven there, "Haven? What happened? I've been calling you all night, what are you doing here?" She glared at Duke after asking all those questions to Haven.
Haven stood up with her bag and went over to Audrey, "Audrey, I'm fine. I promise. If it wasn't for Duke then I probably wouldn't have been."
Audrey turned her attention to Duke again and asked, "Duke Crocker?"
"The one and only." Duke replied with a grin.
Audrey looked back to Haven and said, "This conversation isn't over, I'll meet up with you at the diner. Right now I need to talk to Mr. Crocker."
"Nothing happened if that's what you're thinking." Haven made quite clear. "I wasn't" Audrey replied, "But thanks for the reassurance."
Haven looked at Duke and said, "Thanks, for everything" and smiled a little before she left the boat, leaving Audrey and Duke to have whatever conversation Audrey needed to have with him.
End Part 2
