Short chapter sorry folks but I felt it necessary to stop it where I did, please keep the reviews coming in they make my day thank you to everyone who has sent me messages reviews and followed my story xx
Daryl woke up to his mobile phone singing in his ear, he snapped it open not looking at the name or number "Wot?" he asked his thick sleepy voice coming out.
"I found something Daryl, was speaking to my tutor and he gave me some ideas to follow, told him I was investigating local cases for a paper, oh we need to meet, oh and when was Merle off in the army what age, year? Can you remember anything?"
"Beth your talking to fast, I have only been in bed" he glanced at his watch on his wrist, shit he had only been in bed two hours "For two hours, my brain is not functioning, come round mine, fuck I need coffee." he sighed getting out of his pit, slinking into his jeans then padded into his living room come kitchen, he filled the coffee machine up with water and switched it on. What could she have found out, it had been two weeks now they had been working together investigating his mothers death, two weeks of nothing, there was something wrong with the story Merle had told her when she questioned him, there was something wrong with the story his father had repeatedly told him over the years but they couldn't find what the answer would be, not a single clue to lead them to the water.
He heard a key in his door, standing up he went off around the counter and took two mugs out of the cupboard, they weren't expensive and they were chipped but they were clean, since Beth had been coming round everything was bloody clean, it smelt of bleach and some sort of citrus cleaner she had turned up with one day, moaning about the state of his bathroom and how a girl was supposed to take a shower here, then she struck him dead and asked him about the women he brought back surely they had mentioned the state of his small apartment but he had shrugged it of saying no one had ever said anything, he hadn't told her she had been the only woman to ever set foot in there or that he hasn't slept with anyone in years.
He watched as she breezed into the apartment like a breath of fresh air, he lent against the kitchen counter watching and listening to her in silence, she always managed to make a small smile appear on his face, even if he was feeling like he was 92 years old at the moment.
She flounced over to his little coffee table moving all the junk that had accumulated since the last time she came in and did the same thing, she spoke the who time "You see Daryl, you should really tidy these things away more often, as I was saying you see I was talking with my tutor and he suggested I went to check some of the old records of similar cases, he understood I need information about these cases for a paper that is due in about three weeks so I will have to slam something together really quick, don't worry I wouldn't use your mother's situation in this paper, oh have you made me one" she pointed to his cup then went and poured herself a coffee "oh I could do with this haven't had one in what feels like forever." she smiled at him while she took a deep gulp and he raised an eyebrow.
"Beth how much coffee have you had today?" he asked she looked thoughtful for a moment then shook her head she had no idea, Daryl stepped forward taking the coffee from her and replacing it with some water "Might do your brain some good" he shrugged.
"Ok thanks anyway, over the past 40 years there has been a series of similar accidents, well that is what they put it all down to accidents, mothers mostly dying in house fires under similar circumstances, see look I put them on a map with all pretty different coloured pens." Daryl walked over to the couch.
"Ummm Beth drink your water and take a breath, when was the last time you slept?" he asked her, not that he wasn't grateful for everything she was doing but hell the way she was going on someone would think she had been oh good lord... "Beth have you seen Merle since yesterday morning when I left ya?" Beth stopped talking for a minute and looked at him really considering what he had said.
"It wasn't yesterday you saw me silly it was this morning." Well that confirmed the lack of sleep.
"Beth it's 10.50am in the morning, its Wednesday." he said slowly making her listen to him. "Now have you seen Merle since I saw you yesterday morning." again she did another dramatic pause.
"I went to see him, are you angry with me I had some questions but he wouldn't answer me, told me to stop bothering him, so I slammed out of his stinky room and nicked a water that was in the fridge I didn't think either of them would mind I mean it's not like your father drinks anything but beer and the last time I saw Merle drink water was, well I don't think I ever have. Anyway I think your mother's death wasn't an accident I think someone killed her." she finished, crossing her arms over her small chest looking at him expectantly.
"Number one I need the water bottle you stole from their fridge, number two I told you never to go there without me if Merle isn't there the old man wouldn't think twice about taking a chunk out of you, number three drink more water Beth drink it all down right now, number four I have to ring Merle right now it's an emergency and number five we both know she was killed but how do we prove he did it?" he stood up and dialed Merle's number. "Yeah, yeah she is, …...about three quarters of the bottle, …...your joking, you dick why would you put that in the fridge?...How do I?...stop laughing dumbass, there is nothing funny about this...she will be ok?...just let it run its course and keep her hydrated...yeah I will tell her and Merle, don't keep that shit in the fridge." Daryl hung the phone up still looking at Beth, how the hell was he going to tell she had picked up a spiked bottle of water out of Merle's fridge he had put it in there as a joke on the old man, knowing full well that his dad would take it to bed with him at night so he could have several swallows in the morning, any other time he would find this funny especially against the old man but Beth!
"Beth?" he said gently "You drunk your water?" she nodded yes and he picked her glass up and put it back under the tap replenishing the drink.
"Hey Daryl, I feel like dancing shell we dance I want to listen to music and dance with you, I feel really happy, please Daryl." she begged, he shook his head no, Daryl Dixon dancing you might as well ask him to put a skirt on and do the hula.
"Beth I would be happier if you were to sit down we need to talk about what you found out, here drink some more water" he guided her back to the couch "So show me this map" he said trying to distract her from her previous idea, she dragged it out of her bag laying it across the table.
"See look this is the first one and so on I dated each one, it seems to happen every couple of years there is a definite pattern Daryl" she fell back into the sofa and he feel the smugness radiating off of her, he stared down at the map in front of them taking in everything she had said.
"Beth I think you really have something, I think you do, we should ring Rick, Officer Friendly should start investigating right away, I told them I told them all that she wouldn't have left me with that tyrant, he a fucking serial killer." Daryl was pacing the room now.
"Daryl, Sweetheart come and sit next to Bethy" he looked up at her startled by the way she spoke to him then he remembered, she was tapping the seat on the couch, he went over and sat down next to her. "Now to use something you said not to long ago Number one: all we have is names and dates of death, a small pattern and no actual evidence yet." he went to say something but she placed her finger to his lips "Number two: if we tell Rick now he could let your Dad know we are on to him and then he will either run or hid all the evidence. Number three: I am so hungry that if I don't get something that is completely unhealthy in the next twenty minutes I am going to eat you." she smiled and he nearly choked on his coffee "and Number Four:" she counted it off on her fingers "can I have some more water and use your toilet I am feeling really kinda funny right now." Daryl picked her up off the couch and walked into the bathroom with her, leaving her with her head over it, running back into the kitchen he grabbed more water and went to sit next to her by the toilet, when he reached the bathroom she was fast asleep on the floor he shook his head and picked her back up taking her into his bedroom laying her on his bed he went back collected the water, her files she had brought with her and a bowl, he led down next to her, at least he can get some sleep before he has to put up with grumpy Beth and her new hangover.
