Chapter 11

I wake up early the next morning to my surprise. That's not what startles me, but the fact that I didn't jolt out of bed with any nightmares; instead I actually slept through the night. It felt good, different. Minus the aching in my head but I clear that up with a couple of Aspirins.

After changing into a pair of sweats, I sit at my desk roving about on my laptop. I know I shouldn't… but I really want to. Before I can stop myself I'm googling Four – Person. A whole bunch of other things pop up that serve as distractions. I keep scrolling until something catches my eye. It's a link to the county jail records with the name 'Four'. I click on it and wait for the screen to load. A lump settles in my throat when I see Four's picture appears on the screen. His eyes stare intently at the screen. Dark and guarded, no sign of emotion. I quickly open my drawer and pull out the whiskey bottle. I pop the cap off before drinking from it.

"I have no choice."

His words ring in my mind. I scroll down on the screen and view his charges.

Assault.

Violence.

"Four, violence."

He has no choice. What does that mean exactly? I need to talk to him.

I wait by the back door to the gym, hugging myself to keep warm. I'm thankful when I see Four's truck pull up. He gets out and walks toward me with a confused face.

"What are you – "

"When I asked you last night of why you had to go to the support group you said to drop the conversation."

He snickers and looks away. "Are you still on this?"

"Yes Four. You said we were friends and I think you should tell your friend that you went to jail for assault!"

Slowly he turns his head to me. His eyes burn with anger. "What did you say?"

I step back slightly. It's only now that I remember that this man actually scared me the first time we met. Still, I hold my ground. "Y-you wean to jail for assault."

"What right did you have to do that!" He bellows. I flinch at his outburst. "You think that you can just dig into my life like that! I am not one of your cases for you to do that! You don't even know me Tris!" He backs me up into the brick wall. I hold my breath as he berates me. "Who the hell do you think you are to do that!"

I press my palms against his chest before shoving him back. "This coming from the man that I looked to for help! You said we were friends, we talked and laughed together and then you yell at me that I don't even know you! What if I want to get to know you better? To help you the way you help me! I know you judge me! I know you do just because I'm a drunk! I have my reasons for it! But you help me without even knowing it Four! I thought I could confine in you as a friend and that eventually… y-you'd do the same." My voice cracks at the end of my rant.

"You don't want to know me Tris." He quietly speaks.

"You don't know that."

He shakes his head and walks into the building leaving me standing in the cold.

The police station swarms with different people. Phones are ringing from left to right. I sit on one of the chairs near the front waiting for my appointment with the chief.

"Tris Prior!" A voice booms throughout the walls. A man comes walking out, his eyes glued to a file.

"That's me." I stand up and walk towards him.

He lifts his eyes up to meet mine for a brief second before they return to the file in his hands. "Jessica," He says to the receptionist. She looks up from typing. "Get this over to booking."

"Yes sir."

He turns to me. "I'm Amar, what'd you want, I'm swamped in work so you need to make this quick."

"Maybe if you'd stop talking it would be." I retort. He raises an eyebrow. "I wanted to talk about the case with the missing teenage girls."

"And what jurisdiction do you have to come in here and ask me that?"

I pull out my wallet and show him my ID. "I'm a private investigator and I'm looking into the case of Kathy Smith, one of the missing girls."

"Come with me." He leads me into his office towards the back of the station. "What do you want to know? I'd assume as a private investigator you'd have this figured out by now."

"All of these girls went missing around the same time, all around the same age, all lived around the same neighborhoods, all went to nearby high schools. Kathy befriended Kimberly before she went missing, two days later Kathy went missing. Both were last seen by the docks, sometimes accompanied by a man covered in piercings and tattoos. Nobody has seen what the purpose of that was but it definitely isn't right. Now I need to know everything you have on Kimberly."

Amar's thoughtful for a moment. "Just because you have your own investigation going on doesn't mean you get to come in here and demand answers. This case doesn't involve you. We have some of our finest detectives working on it so I'm sure you can find your way out."

"Your hiding something." He scoffs and walks around his desk. "The police are hiding something. Something big, something that could solve this case and you're not letting me in on it. I could be an asset. I know things you don't know and you know things I don't know."

"And what are those things Ms. Prior?"

"Let me help you and I'll let you in."

"Whose holding back information now?"

"Well you can't play a game all by yourself, now can you?"

He stares at me, his eyes challenging. "If you'll excuse me Ms. Prior, I have a case to solve. Leave my room."

I snicker. "I know things you don't know." I remind him before walking out.

"The police are doing nothing about it Uri! They're just sitting around stuffing donuts in their mouths."

"Just like you sit around and drink?"

I glare at him.

I had called Uriah and we'd met up at our favorite park to do my daily ranting. About the case and about Four. Of course he teased me about Four before telling me that the man likes to keep things private, that he's always been that way. Though his tone of voice changed from humor to seriousness in an instant when I told him about what I found out with the investigation.

"I just feel like I don't have all the resources." I groan in frustration.

"Tris look at me." He stops walking and I do the same. "You're not going to like this but… you have to talk to her."

"No. No!"

"Tris listen to me!" He roars and I quiet down. "She can help. She has the resources. You don't need to make this a friendly chat, focus on your job and getting the right help for those girls. You have no other choice."

I don't want to believe it. It can't be true. But deep down I know that Uriah is right. I have to go for help.

My feet lag up the steps to the courthouse while others rush past me. Every thought swarming in my head is telling me to turn back and forget about the crazy idea. At this point, I'm not ready to face my past. I stop in sudden movement, though, when I hear her voice. It's been a long time since I've heard it, though it hasn't changed.

She chuckles. "Alright, I'll see you later."

I look up to see her waving to someone else as they walk off. She wears a beige jacket and skirt with a white shirt underneath. Her heels click and clack as she walks down the stairs while concordantly checking her phone.

Do I really want to do this?

Before I can stop myself I call out her name, "Christina." She looks up from her phone, her eyes flooded with disbelief. Her breathing becomes ragged as if she's having a hard time believing I'm here. "I need your help."

Are the puzzle pieces falling into place now?

Thanks you for all the wonderful reviews on the previous chapter as well as all of you who followed/faved my story. :D There seems to be a bit of angst and drama in this chapter between Tris and Four. :0 Let me know what you think of the chapter.

See you all in the next update!

~Mal