The Past
Nathan's head lifted as he heard her door open and the sound of her boots told him she was leaving her office.
About time, he thought to himself. All day Audrey had been shut in her office catching up on backlogged paperwork. Now was his chance. He quickly grabbed the file headed toward Audrey's office. She had asked for the file two days ago and had been pestering Nathan about it whenever she had a spare moment. He would have been happy to have given it to her the day she asked, except she wasn't giving him an opportunity. She was always there and Nathan wasn't taking any chances. What if she forgot and her hand grazed his as she grabbed the file? No, if he was going to pretend he was distant, he had better avoid her touch.
He set the file down on her desk and read the name with sadness and disgust. Jessica Matthews. She was only 19. Circular wound at the base of the skull and her eyes surgically removed. No fingerprints, no evidence linking anyone to the crime. The Bolt Gun Killer was a ghost.
Nathan turned to leave, but something caught his eye. He slowly turned back to Audrey's desk and picked up a necklace. Nathan moved his thumb over the inscribed L.R. on the back slowly as the present melted away and his past came flooding back.
"Sterling silver, intricate scroll face with a blue, princess cut diamond in the middle. And of course the engraving on the back."
Nathan's thumb rubbed against the engraving as a smile spread across his face. She saw it in the window and every time they walked past, her eyes would light up. "Lucy Ripley. She's gonna love it. How much do I owe you Steve?"
"Nathan, you saved my life. You're a hero. It's my treat for you."
"I was just doing my job Steve." Nathan said, shaking his head.
"Now Nathan, don't sell yourself short." Steve said with a grin. "You know they even have a nickname for you."
"Yeah," Nathan said dismayed, "The Colorado Kid. Let's hope it doesn't stick."
"Nathan, Nathan!" Audrey yelled as she shook him back to reality. "Nathan, are you okay?" Audrey asked with concern evident on her face.
"Fin- Fine. I'm good." Nathan stumbled as he put the necklace on her desk and hurried out of the room.
Audrey looked on with confusion as Nathan scurried out of the room. He was his normal self this morning. Well, normal for lately, Audrey thought with a sigh. Some days she wished she could reverse the clock and take back her words that pushed him away. She missed having someone she could talk to about anything without any worry. Sure, she had Duke and Claire, but it just wasn't the same. She missed Nathan.
"Okay, something is seriously wrong with your partner." a familiar voice stated.
"What did he do, Duke? Is he okay?" Audrey asked. Her voice drenched with concern.
"He ran into me and said 'Sorry.' Nathan Wuornos was nice to me." Duke smirked.
Audrey attempted a laugh as she sat down at her desk. "What do you want Duke?"
"Can't a guy just come by and check in on his friend?" Duke said with mock worry.
Audrey glanced at Duke with doubt in her eyes.
"Okay, I knew that you have been waiting for the Bolt Gun Killer file and I wanted to help you on the case."
Audrey looked at Duke with a smile building on her lips. It was nice having people who care about her, even if they couldn't do a thing.
"I appreciate it Duke, but I think I've got it covered. Plus, I just got the file myself." She said as she eyed the folder.
She was terrified to open it. How many more innocent people will die? How did the killer know about the Colorado Kid?
"Oh come on Audrey. We could have another sleepover." Duke said with a sly smile. "You could invite your therapist - have a party?"
Audrey rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Yeah I think we're done."
"Oh come on! Just a little fun!" Duke insisted as Audrey pushed him out the door.
"Goodbye Duke." Audrey called waving him out of the station.
Nathan hurried into his office and quickly shut the door. What had just happened? He sat down at his desk trying to make sense of what occurred only moments before. He knew none of it was possible, yet everything seemed so real. He remembered the smell of the store and the sun hitting his eyes as he exited.
He needed to push these thoughts out. They just couldn't be true. Nathan closed his eyes and pressed his hands into them. But this had the opposite effect he had expected. The blackness faded and forgotten images sprung to view in its place.
Lucy was sitting on her porch with Nathan beside to her.
"I got something for you." Nathan said with a smile.
"Really, and what's that?" Lucy questioned.
Nathan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden box.
Lucy's eyes lit up as he fingers traced the delicately carved flower on top. "It's beautiful."
"Glad you like it Luc. Now will you open it and see your actual present?"
Lucy chuckled as she slowly opened the box. A small gasp left her mouth as she picked up the necklace and turned it slowly in her hands.
"Nathan, I—"
"Happy birthday Luc." Nathan interrupted with a smile.
The sound of the phone snapped Nathan out of his thoughts. He shook his head in an effort to dislodge the memories to no avail.
"Wuornos." He barked.
"Chief, we have a body at the Thornton's. Figured it would be best handled by you."
"Who's the victim Stan?" Nathan asked.
"Craig Thornton. Looks like natural causes but the family wants—rather—demands a formal investigation." Stan said with contemp.
"Okay Stan, give us twenty minutes." Nathan sighed.
He hung up the phone and took a deep breath to steady himself. It didn't matter if those memories were real or not, he had a job to do. He grabbed his jacket and walked in to the bullpen just in time to see Audrey turning back to her office.
"Parker." He called making her whip around. "Stan called. He's got a case on the hill. Wanna go?'
"Yeah, let me grab my stuff." Audrey said as she rushed into her office.
Nathan prayed he wouldn't be haunted by another memory while he was with Audrey. She was already so preoccupied by her past and the Bolt Gun Killer, adding his memories to her pile would be too much.
Audrey came out of her office as she slipped into her coat. "So what's the case?" she asked as they headed to the Bronco.
"Local man, Craig Thornton, 62, found dead in his study."
"Does it look like a trouble?" Audrey asked.
"No. Natural causes." Nathan said opening her door.
"If it's not a trouble, or a homicide, then why are we going out?" Audrey asked as Nathan started the truck.
"Thornton and his family are basically Haven royalty." Nathan said. "They contribute big-time to the community so when Mrs. Thornton asks for the chief of police, she gets him." Nathan said, rolling his eyes.
There was a slight pause before Audrey quietly asked, "Nathan, are you okay?"
"Fine," Nathan said hoping she would leave it at that.
But of course this was Audrey, and just leaving it at that wasn't her. "Nathan, you practically ran out of my office and then locked yourself in yours. Clearly something is wrong."
"Fine, Parker. Just remembered something about an old case." He lied.
He knew she didn't believe him but since she pushed him away, she tried not to delve into his life.
The chief would be happy, Nathan thought. He could still have feelings for Audrey without her wanting to take risks for him. The perfect compromise.
The rest of the drive was silent as they drove further away from town.
They were immediately surrounded when they arrived at the Thornton's home. Nathan knew he had to get the place settled down before it became total chaos.
"Stan, get everyone that isn't on the force or family off of the property."
"Chief I would like some answers." A woman said as Nathan pushed through the crowd. She was well dressed and obviously made of money.
"Mrs. Thornton, I just got here. Give me a few minutes to check everything out and I will talk to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, please stay with this officer." Nathan said.
Nathan looked around for Audrey, but only saw a giant crowd.
"Parker!" He pushed though the crowd to find Audrey pinned against the truck trying to get to the scene.
"If you are not a cop or a Thornton, I want you off of this property before I charge you with obstruction of justice." Nathan ordered as he guided Audrey past the tape with his hand gently on the small of her back.
"Thanks," Audrey said as Nathan lifted the tape and his hand dropped down to his side.
Nathan just nodded as they entered the house and looked at the scene.
"What do ya got Lucassi?" Nathan asked as he slid his hands in his back pockets.
"Seems like a cardiac arrest. Petechia and the wife's accounts support it. They only thing strange is a burn to the right arm, but that could be from anything. I'll know more after the autopsy." Lucassi stated matter-of-factly.
"No evidence of forced entry or foul play." Audrey said after walking around the room. "Wanna go talk to the wife?"
"Probably should." Nathan said "It will at least get her off our backs."
Nathan and Audrey left the room and made their way to Mrs. Thornton in the living room. Nathan couldn't help but watch Audrey and find the similarities to Lucy. He didn't even know if these memories were his or, for that matter, even real. Audrey caught his gaze as he quickly turned to Mrs. Thornton.
"Did you find anything, Chief?" she asked.
"We are still investigating, but it would help if you could give us your account." Nathan said.
"There's not much to give. Craig had been his normal self the night before." She said with tears building in her eyes.
"He was coughing a little but he seemed fine. He was a little weak this morning and then he just collapsed. I…I didn't know what to do."
"Our M.E. is going to take your husband to the station and try to get some answers for you." Nathan said consolingly. "As soon as we find anything, we will let you know."
"Thanks Chief." She said wiping at her tears.
Nathan and Audrey made their way to the truck, both lost in their own thoughts. Audrey quickly grabbed her phone as it rang and read the text with a quick look at the time.
"Need to be somewhere?" Nathan asked.
"Claire just wants to try and find out a little more about the Colorado Kid." Audrey said nonchalantly.
Nathan stopped in his tracks. What if she remembered him? How much did she already know?
"How much have you found so far?" he asked trying to hide his anxiety.
Audrey took a deep breath and then said, "We found out his name."
Nathan was afraid to ask, but he had to know. "What's that?"
"James Cohen." Audrey said as she hopped into the truck.
Nathan didn't understand. He remembered being called the Colorado Kid; remembered it being him. Yet Audrey thought it was someone else? Nathan no longer doubted his memories. He knew that they were real. And now, he was going to prove it.
