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Ch. 9

"We need to ask you both a few questions about the disappearance of Charlotte and Tiana." Said Emma.

Al and Naveen both looked at each other and appeared they were silently speaking to each other.

Humbert went around behind the pair and pushed them into the seats at the poker table. "Why don't you both sit down?"

Al pulled back against Humbert. "Hey, watch it."

"Look man, we didn't do anything." Said Naveen.

Humbert pulled out a chair at the poker table and sat down. "You can either answer the questions here or I can take you to the station. Your choice."

Both of them grumbled but reluctantly moved in to the table.

She moved around the table and took the chair across from them. She wanted to be able to watch their body language.

"For the record, you are Al and you are Naveen." She said as she pointed towards each after saying their name.

They nodded. It was Naveen who spoke first. "Any news or leads on the girls?"

"I've just started the investigation today. Tiana's family asked me to help them." Said Emma. She was reluctant to tell them anything she'd learned just in case they were involved.

"No new leads. That's why we are here with you two street rats." Said Humbert.

Naveen stood up and moved towards the bar. He grabbed the bottle, poured a shot and slung it back. "What's taking so long? Shouldn't we have heard something by now?" he asked.

Al looked back towards him and then to her. " Tiana was his girl. You'll have to excuse him."

Emma pulled her notes from her bag. " Al, your girlfriend is Jazzy from the sorority house?"

He grinned. "That's right, she's my queen."

Naveen grabbed the bottle and joined them back at the table. Emma nodded. "Were you at the frat party that night?"

"Yeah, we were there. It was a joint party. Everybody whose Anybody is at our parties." Said Al.

She jotted down the information. "Did you see Charlotte at the party?"

"Yeah, she was doing her normal thing." Said Naveen.

"Her normal thing?" asked Emma.

"You know, flaunting her Daddy's money and teasing all the guys in the back." Said Al.

"She talked about her father's money to the group?" asked Emma.

"That girl couldn't help but talk about how she rich she was. She was dripping in bling. Even if she didn't talk about it, you'd know she was a princess." Said Naveen.

"Was there anyone at the party that would want to hurt Charlotte?" asked Emma.

Al gave a half smile. "She may have acted like a princess, but she'd give you her last dollar. She's got heart."

"Yeah, Lottie may be flighty, but she wouldn't hurt a fly." Said Naveen.

"Tell me more about the party. Were you all together? Do you remember seeing her? Was she talking with anyone in particular?" asked Emma.

"We were all hanging out in the backroom. Lottie was doing her thing with the guys back there. Nobody special, just a bunch of guys from the Frat. You know playing games and what not. Jazzy and I didn't stay to long though, you know she felt the urge for some loving and we left the party. You know what I mean?" Grinned Al.

Emma shook her head. "Did you come back to the party?" she asked.

"Nope. We were bunking for the night. She wears me out." Said Al.

"So you didn't see Charlotte leave the party"" she asked.

Al grinned. "Nope, I only had eyes for my girl that night. I was kind of busy. Besides, I'm not her babysitter."

It looked like Humbert was busy playing with his phone. Was he taking selfies? She shook her head. She was literally surrounded by children. She jotted down her notes and turned her attention to the sad sack sitting in front of her. "Ok. What about you? Did you see Charlotte leave the party with anyone?"

Naveen was taking sips from the tall bottle of whiskey. He looked to the sky and sighed loudly. "No, I didn't see Lottie hanging out with anyone or leave with anyone. I wasn't even supposed to be there. Ti is so mad at me. She's wouldn't talk to me and I needed to see her. That's the only reason I was there. Why does she always got to babysit that girl? If she would have been home that night or out with me like we'd planned she wouldn't be missing right now but she always got to babysit that girl."

Al pat him on the back. "Chill man."

"What do you mean if she would have been home that night she wouldn't be missing?" asked Emma.

Humbert seemed to come back to reality. "Answer the question boy."

Naveen snapped forward. "I mean it was supposed to be our night out. I had tickets for a show. We were supposed to go but she dumped me. If she'd have just stayed with me, she'd be here right now but she had to babysit that damn Lottie. She's always getting her into things. Tiana's a good girl."

Naveen had tears in his eyes. She could tell he really cared for her.

"Any idea where Lottie would have gone or who she might have left the party with?" asked Emma.

"Could have been anyone at that party. Lottie had a group of people around her at all times. She had this way about her, she could draw people in with her charms, almost like magic. The problem is that like Al said, she also liked to shoot her mouth off about her Daddy's money. Tiana's had to get her out of a jam more than once because of that mouth." Said Naveen.

"Did you notice anyone suspicious at the party? Someone who didn't belong? Anyone hanging particularly close to her?" asked Emma.

Naveen appeared to be thinking about it. "Nah, nobody I could think of."

"So Al, we've established you were with your girl when Lottie left, what about you Naveen? What time did you leave the party? Were you with anyone that could offer you an alibi?" asked Emma.

He wiped his face roughly and she could hear the frustration in his voice. "I don't even remember how I got home. One minute I was in the back room watching the games and feeling sorry for myself. Next morning I was here passed out on the couch."

"So this is your place?" she asked.

Al laughed. "He just stays here, this is not his place."

Naveen huffed. "yeah, I just stay here, you know while school is in session."

"So who is the prince?" asked Emma.

Al and Naveen both looked at each other grimly, their eyes reaching the back of the room.

She was just about to begin another question when the a loud bang from the back of the room stopped her.

"Somebody want to tell me what is going on in my house?" boomed the voice behind them.

Both she and Humbert stood and turned around at the same time. It was Al who spoke first. "Sir, um, the game ended. They were asking us some questions about the missing sorority girls."

There was a tall, dark man dressed in an impeccable dark suit, accented in similar colors to the room around them. She surmised that he might be "The Prince" that the guys out front mentioned.

He moved forward. His dark eyes lingering over them. "I suggest that if you don't have a warrant, you leave my premises immediately or I'll have you thrown out. I have rights, as do these boys, stupid as they may be."

"Who might you be?" asked Emma.

He rolled his eyes and slipped off his white gloves, placing them into his pockets. "I am the owner of this property and I don't appreciate police invading my space uninvited. I have nothing further to say to you."

"Is there a reason why we might need a warrant?" barked Humbert.

The man was suddenly directly in front of Humbert staring him down ominously. Two other large figures entered the back of the room. "Anything wrong boss?" asked one of the men.

"We were just leaving." Said Emma.

Humbert stood looking him dead in the eyes before following her lead. "Alright, well, you two boys don't go leaving town. We might have more questions for you."

Al and Naveen both nodded. Each of them seemed to be a shade lighter than moments before.

"Will you let me know if you hear from Ti?" asked Naveen.

Emma felt the pain in his question. She recognized the look from families who'd lost their loved ones. She turned to him. "Yes, I'll be in touch."

She couldn't leave that apartment or building fast enough. She had a bad feeling about that guy, he just wasn't right. It was as if the air was sucked out of the room when he'd entered. Humbert was right at her heels cursing the whole way down. When they reached the outside door, she was thankful for the fresh air. She quickly moved towards the car.

Humbert was fumbling for the keys to unlock the door. "Fuck!, Do you believe that guy? I'm a cop. How dare he step to me like that?"

Emma climbed into her seat when she heard the door lock click open. "Humbert, the guy was right. We were in his house, no warrant, and he didn't want us there. He's hiding something and we were too close."

"I don't care. I'm an officer of the law." He said flatly.

"Have you ever seen him before? I've never seen him in town." Said Emma.

He banged his hands against the steering wheel. "No, shady mother fucker! I'm going to get a warrant and come back here for his ass."

"I think you should watch yourself." She said plainly.

He turned on the car in frustration. "Yeah. You want to get a drink?"

"No, I've had a long day. Can you just drop me off at the firehouse?"

He frowned. "Fine."

She went over the notes in front of her. Those boys knew more than they were telling her. How could Naveen just end up at home? Al left the party and didn't see Charlotte leave or who she was hanging out with? How could someone so loved and attention grabbing just disappear from the room without being seen. She needed to talk to those frat guys.

They pulled up out front of the firehouse. She collected her things. "Humbert, If your detectives find anything will you let me know?" asked Emma.

"Yeah, ok. You sure you don't want to grab a drink with me?"

The thought of seeing Killian's baby blues crossed her mind. She needed him to hold her in his arms and bring her to her happy place. She popped open the door. "Sorry, maybe another time. Thanks for the ride. Call me if you hear anything."

He didn't respond. He just sped away, and her step quickened as she rushed to the firehouse door.

Al grabbed the bottle from Naveen and took a swig. The ominous man grabbed the bottle and slammed it down before jumping in his face. "Are you boys going to tell me what the hell those cops were doing in my house?"

"I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again." Said Al.

Naveen pulled out a chair and sat back at the table. He began swigging from the bottle again. "Yeah, I'm sorry, Sam. Its just that my girl is missing. I'd have thrown them out too, but I just hoped they had info."

Sam was behind the bar making a drink. "If I ever walk into my house and find the fuzz in here again. I'll kill you both personally."

Naveen closed his eyes and took another sip. He knew he wasn't kidding. "Yes sir."

He came over and sat at the table in front of Naveen and Al. "Now, where is my money? There was supposed to be a game going on in here. I didn't line up those fish for you to let them off the hook."

Naveen pulled all of the money they'd earned from the game out of his pockets and placed it on the table.

He grabbed the wad of cash. "This is it." The man picked up the money and quickly assessed it. "That looks a little light to me. Was the Franklin boy here? He's usually good for more than this."

"He was but he was too blitzed to keep playing. He also brought that whore in here again." Said Naveen.

"Baker was here but he left early, and Jennings nearly passed out on the table." Said Al.

The man raised his eyebrow. "I see, and how long were those cops here?"

"Not long, the girl, Ellie. She played a few hands with us." Said Al.

He looked at the money again. "Doesn't appear she was a high roller?"

The boys looked at each other and back to the man. "No, she wasn't. "said Al.

He grinned. "Did she beat you?"

Al shrugged his shoulders. "She won a few quick hands."

Sam picked up the cards from the table and started maneuvering them around. "Haven't I taught you all my tricks? It seems like you boys might need to practice a little harder." The man laughed heartily.

"Well, looks like there was no cut for you tonight. Your tab is still holding. You owe me for tonight's losses so I'll add that to it as well. I'd think twice about who I let in my games boys. You never know." Said the man as he rose from the table.

"Ah man. Come on." Said Al.

"Don't sass me boy. I could do a lot worse for what you owe me." He boomed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Said Al.

"Look Sam, we promise. It won't happen again." Said Naveen.

Sam started walking towards the door.

Al breathed a sigh of relief but it was too soon.

Sam turned back to them. "Oh, I also heard that there were Scots here tonight. What did they want? You know I don't allow them to play in my games anymore?"

"They were looking for the girl. You know, the cop." Said Al.

Naveen's eyes went wide.

The man nodded and began his stride towards the door. "Clean up in here. I want it spotless for the game later. I've got some friends coming."

"You got it sir." Said Al.

"And you boys' better practice. I want my money." he threatened.

"Yes, sir." Said Naveen.

Al went over and pulled his friend up from the table. "Get it together man. We've got problems if we can't pay him and the scots. We were lucky that cop walked in her when he did."

"Man, I don't even care anymore." Said Naveen as he sipped from the bottle.

Al shook his head and started cleaning up. His friend was not going to be any help tonight even if their lives were on the line.

When Emma walked through the firehouse doors a wash of relief overwhelmed him. He stood from the chair, rushed towards her, and picked her up into a big bear hug. She laughed. "Not too tight."

Killian let her down gently. "Sorry, Love. I've just been worried after our last call."

"I didn't say let go."

He smiled and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head and caressed her back. "That bad?" he asked.

She peeked up to look at his baby blues. " I could use a drink."

He pulled her close again. "I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

As long as she was with him, he knew she was safe.