Chapter 4

Grief Stricken

"You won't believe what I found!"

Carl and Jackson turned from where they were talking to Alex's teacher, but Smith continued on, completely ignoring him.

Ben had a feeling that the senior agent fiercely disliked him. And it wasn't just cause he was British.

"At the bike racks. Signs of a struggle." Ben said breathlessly. That got Smiths attention.

He turned around, glaring at Ben, and said gruffly, "Maybe it was a soccer ball or somethin'."

Ben shook his head. "There was blood."

Smiths scowl only deepened as Carl, the youngest amongst them, opened his mouth.

"I say we go check it out. Sounds like a lead to me." He threw over his shoulder as he walked out the door to the classroom. Jackson clapped Ben on his back as he, too made his way to the bike racks.

Smith growl out a cuss word as he stormed out after his partners.

Ben turned around, giving the teacher an apologetic smile. He then left, following the three men.

He found them outside near the bike racks. Jackson was kneeling down on the ground, saying something to Smith, who had his arms crossed.

Carl was talking to one of the kids who were playing baseball on the field. He looked nervous and was shifting uncomfortably every so often. Ben guessed that talking to a CIA agent did that to you.

Ben walked up to Carl as the kid gladly escaped his smothering gaze. "Find anything?"

Carl turned, a 100-watt smile on his face. "Believe it or not, I actually found a lead!"

Ben raised his eyebrow as Jackson came over. "Kid had some useful knowledge. A number plate. 6DHE356."

Jackson and Ben shared a look. "Should we take it to Byrne? Get it analyzed?"

Carl nodded. "Sound like a plan."

Ben smirked as he saw Smith growl in anger.

"Looks like your friend got our lead. That kid must have told 'em that bit of information we shared with him."

Over the three days he had been there, a messenger would mercifully interrupt his 'bonding time' with Julius to bring updates on where Ben was with his investigation in finding him.

Alex winced as he adjusted himself so he was leaning on the wall of the room he was in. "Kid? You got other children in this mess, too?" He rasped.

Julius shot him look. "Don't be daft. We just...persuaded him to give your friend Daniels some false info."

Alex didn't answer. He had nothing to say.

"This is getting juicy. Isn't it? Your friends, playing all detective. I don't even regret it."

Everyone looked up as one of the CIA agents on the case barged into the conference room. "We have a match!" He gasped as he tried to catch his breath. Smith snatched the file from his hands and flicked through it, his face breaking in to a small, barely noticeable smirk.

"Let's go! Up and at 'em boys!" He said slapping down the file in the table. Everyone followed him out, gearing up.

When no one but him was left in the room, Ben looked around and darted towards the folder. Opening it, he flicked through the stack of papers. There was a picture of a tall, lean man with fair hair and a large, brick house.

Quickly he skimmed through the report.

"-Donnelly Ayers, twenty-seven, no spouse, no known kinship-."

"-Purchased a 2009 Toyota Camry Sedan mid-size car on the date of 4/12/10-."

"-Living on Emery Bay Dr. twenty-one minutes and eleven point three miles from last seen location of subject-."

"-License plate number as following: 6DHE356-."

Ben snapped the file shut after hearing a noise in the hallway. He cautiously replaced it exactly as it was previously, and walked out the room.

Seeing no one, he followed his team down to the debriefing room.

"We're going to have to split up. We have three possible suspects and four different locations. Smith and Jenssen will take the north side of town."

The two men nodded, making their way out the room and towards the vehicle.

"Fahey, Tan. Take the east side. William, Hacker. West side. Daniels; you're with me," Jackson concluded. Ben followed him out, causally throwing himself in the passenger seat.

Jackson rolled his eyes and started the engine. "You have the address?" He asked. Ben didn't even think twice before giving the answer.

The CIA agent studied his face scrutinizingly, before turning his gaze back to the road. Jackson didn't even bother asking him how he knew. He was better of without the extra headache.

Forgive me for the lack of suspense, but I never was one for writing mystery/crime stories.