Dear Diary...
"Who is Charles Palanski?" Kofi asked as he watched Punk read files on the mystery man from New Jersey.
"I told you who he was. He's a guy from New Jersey who lied about seeing Tiffany Walker before she died. Ape found something of Tiffany's in his place too." Punk told him.
"Where did he even come from?" Kofi questioned. "How did he end up as a suspect in a solved murder?"
"I thought he could have been a potential suspect in Ape's stalking case, still think he is." Punk said to him as he kept his eyes on the files he was reading.
"He wasn't around at all the week you were gone." Kofi told him. "If someone had been following her I would have seen him or Anderson would have."
"They have a past." Punk admitted.
"Oh." Kofi said shifting in his seat. "Are you sure you should be working this?"
"Tiffany Walker was and still is my case no matter what personal ties Ape has to it." Punk said to him. "There's just not a lot on paper about Charles. I think I'm going to have to go to New Jersey."
"Really?" Kofi asked.
"Yea, I have a hunch. I really hope I'm wrong but I have to sit down with this guy's wife." Punk told him.
"Think she will?" Kofi asked.
"She already said she would." He said. "I just don't want to fly out again and leave Ape behind."
"Can't you do this over the phone?" Kofi questioned.
"I would if I could but it's not that kind of a conversation." Punk said to him. "I have to do this face to face and maybe even see Tiffany's parents which I would love to avoid."
"Are you sure about this or is this April getting in your head?" Kofi asked.
"Both." Punk said to him. "It doesn't add up. This guy has a history with Tiffany, had something of hers and was seen arguing with her at the club the night before she died. When April confronted him he lied and said he never saw her, Alan has proof he did. He's hiding something."
"Could have been a relationship." Kofi shrugged.
"No." Punk said shaking his head slowly. "Tiffany Walker ran away from New Jersey to escape the people and life, she wouldn't just fall into the arms of a resident she didn't even like."
"What about Bret Walsh?" Kofi asked.
"He's in lockup, if this turns out to be a waste of time at least I can sleep at night knowing he's locked up, can't do that if I don't fully investigate Palanski." Punk told him.
"So you think he killed her and copied Bret?" Kofi asked.
"Maybe." Punk shrugged. "Maybe there's something else I can find out about Charles that will give me the evidence that he's April's stalker."
"For a guy who hates flying you sure have been doing it a lot." Kofi snorted.
"I have to look into this. And not for April but for Tiffany." He told him. "I owe the Walker family closure, if there's even a small chance that Bret didn't do this I won't take the easy way out. I have to be sure."
"Do what you have to do man. It's just going to be hard since April took that necklace out of his place." Kofi told him. "And now it got stolen again."
"If I can get a warrant and get into that trailer I'd bet my life I'd find that necklace again along with my gun." Punk told him.
"You think it was him?" Kofi asked.
"I think April showed her cards and he knows she knows. Probably noticed the necklace was gone and found it at our place." Punk told him.
"How are you going to get a warrant?" Kofi asked.
"By going to New Jersey and getting the evidence I need. If he killed Tiffany Walker then he's been stalking April and he'll kill her next." Punk told him looking over to him.
"I don't know if you're completely reaching or you're about to crack the case of the century." Kofi admitted.
"For April's sake and Tiffany's family's sake I hope I'm reaching." Punk said to him.
"Want to tell me what you think went on between Tiffany and Palanski?" Kofi asked.
"No." Punk said to him. "I'll tell you when I get back."
"I don't understand why we had to come here." AJ said as they drove in the rental. They flew in late that night and AJ still wasn't sure why Punk insisted on her coming. "You're not going to tell my parents, right?"
"About what?" he asked keeping his eyes on the road.
"About me and Charlie." She said to him. "Please don't."
"I would never betray your confidence." He assured her reaching over and grabbing her nervous hand. "Seriously Ape, don't worry about it."
"It's just my dad has been doing so good lately and he'd hate me if he knew what I did." She told him.
"I don't think he would." Punk assured her. "You were just a kid."
"It's was like three years ago." She laughed.
"Charles used your issues with your father to get you into bed." Punk said to her.
"It wasn't like that. I wish I could put all the blame on him but I can't." She told him.
"I can and will." Punk said as he continued to drive.
"Oh! One more thing not to tell my parents-" She began.
"You didn't tell them we live together now?" He asked already knowing.
"No they know that." She scoffed. "They're thrilled, they love you. They think I'm the safest I'll ever be living under the same roof as you."
"They're right." Punk smirked. "So what don't they know?" he asked peering over to her briefly.
"My stalker." she told him and his face dropped.
"You didn't tell your parents that some psycho has been stalking you for the last seven months?" He asked stunned.
"It never came up." She defended.
"Ape." He sighed.
"I know, I know." She said to him. "I just don't want them to worry, you know?"
"I get that but they should know, they're your parents." he said to her.
"It will freak them out. Look where I'm from." She gestured to the outside as they entered her small town. "We don't have stalkers, we don't have shootings! Stuff like that happens on Criminal Minds and Criminal Minds only. There's been one murder in this town over fifty years ago that's it."
"I get it, I just wouldn't be able to keep it from my mom." He shrugged.
"I know. You're a mama's boys." She said seriously and he glared at her.
"I am not a mama's boy." He defended.
"You're a total mama's boy." She said to him seriously and he frowned. "It's not a bad thing. My grandfather used to tell me that you can judge a man based on how he treats his mother and waitress."
"Gee, thanks." He mocked.
"It's true." She smiled. "I love that you're so close to her."
"I'm not that close." He scoffed.
"You call her all of the time. You call her more than me." She said to him and he rolled his eyes.
"I'm her only child." Punk defended.
"I'm not judging you." She laughed.
"I think you are." He said seriously and she just laughed more.
"I like just being with you like this." She admitted. "No work, not chaos, just us laughing about your odd obsession with your mom."
"It's not an obsession!" He yelled laughing now as well.
"I hope my son calls me ten times a day like you call your mom." She said honestly.
"I'm going to leave you on the side of the road." He warned her.
"No you wouldn't." She smirked.
"Do your parents know we're in town?" He asked her.
"That I did tell them." She told him. "They want us over for dinner tomorrow as long as you're done with whatever it is you're doing."
"I'll be done." He said to her.
"If you want to just fly back tomorrow my parents will understand." she assured him.
"I want to have dinner with your parents." He insisted.
"Why? You want to call my mom ten times a day too?" She teased and he glared at her.
The next morning Punk left the motel early and AJ sleeping in bed. He headed over to Palanski's home where his wife and children lived. He was a tad nervous meeting with her since this was personal for him, anything related to AJ was personal to him.
"Mrs. Palanski?" Punk asked as she opened the door. "I'm Detective Brooks from Chicago." he said showing her his badge.
"Come in." She nodded. "My son is upstairs sleeping so please keep it down. I don't want him to know I'm meeting with you."
"I appreciate it." Punk said as he followed her into the kitchen.
"Coffee?" She offered.
"Yes. Black, please." he said and she poured him a cup. "I appreciate you meeting with me."
"Well, I know this was serious since you offered to fly down. I also trust you because Mr. Walker and the Mendez's praise you." she admitted. "I'm not sure why you want to speak to me about Charles. We're divorced and we don't speak. He sends child support and alimony checks that's it. He doesn't even call our son anymore."
"Were you aware he's in Chicago?" he asked her.
"No." She said a little surprised. "I know he got in trouble in Texas, dating a younger girl if I recall."
"That's true." Punk nodded.
"What did he do now?" she asked with a sigh.
"I don't know." He told her.
"Is he bothering AJ?" Mrs. Palanski questioned.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked.
"My husband has always had a thing for young girls." she whispered. "Texas is just one example."
"One?" he asked.
"I can't discuss this because this town is small-" She began.
"What you say to me will stay between us." he assured her.
"I have a son to think about." Mrs. Palanski said to him. "And I don't even know why you're here-"
"Can I trust you?" he asked her.
"Of course." She said to him.
"I think your husband and Tiffany Walker had an altercation before her death." Punk told her honestly. "I need proof of that."
"You arrested the man who killed Tiffany." Mrs. Palanski pointed out.
"I did." Punk nodded. "I hope I did. Did Tiffany and Charles have any kind of connection?"
"You could say that." Mrs. Palanski said to him. "He liked young girls and I'm not talking about children I'm talking teenagers." she told him. "He loved Tiffany. Everyone did. She was 15 and looked and dressed like she was 25."
"Did they have a physical relationship?" he asked but she didn't say anything. "Please, I need to know. Your husband won't know we spoke I promise."
"Don't call him my husband." Mrs. Palanski shivered. "I don't know for sure if they were physical but I know one night when I was at my book club I came home early and Tiffany came running out of my house crying."
"What happened?" he asked.
"She wouldn't tell me. She ran right past me and I grabbed her but she pushed me away and around the corner." Mrs. Palanski told him. "She was baby-sitting for me but Charlie came home early apparently."
"What did Charles say?" Punk asked curiously.
"He said she was upset about a boyfriend at school." she shrugged. "She was 16."
"Did you believe him?" Punk asked warily.
"No." Mrs. Palanski admitted. "I went to see her the next day and she told me she got into a fight with AJ. They gave me two different stories. I told Charlie that and he said she was just embarrassed. I didn't pry any further. I didn't want to know anymore. AJ would probably know more than I do, if Tiffany would tell anyone what was happening it would have been AJ."
"She doesn't." Punk said to her.
"I think AJ knows a little more about my husband than she's probably told you." Mrs. Palanski insinuated.
"I know everything." Punk told her.
"I don't blame her." Mrs. Palanski told him. "My husband and I were separated and AJ and Tiffany were conquests for him. She had her own issues at home and he used that. He always had a thing for those two."
"Was your husband every violent with you or your son?" Punk asked as he jotted a lot of this down.
"No." She told him honestly. "I'd kill him if he touched our son. He's all grown up now and I'd still kill for him. Probably shouldn't be telling a cop that..."
"It's ok." Punk assured her.
"I can't attest to his mental state now." Mrs. Palanski told him. "Has he been around AJ?"
"They bumped into each other." Punk said to her.
"And you mentioned Tiffany?" she asked. "I'd bet my life he followed her there."
"Really?" Punk asked and she nodded.
"Out of all the places he picked to move Chicago is a place he's never mentioned visiting. We all knew Tiffany moved there." Mrs. Palanski told him. "Do you think he hurt her?"
"Do you think he'd be capable of hurting her?" Punk asked back.
"I don't know what that man is capable of anymore." she told him honestly.
"I really appreciate you meeting with me." Punk said to her standing up.
"I just ask one favor, if you discover something criminal- please give me a call and a heads up so I can speak to my son first?" She requested.
"You got it." He promised.
The next stop wasn't going to be as easy. Punk knocked the Walker house and glanced back at AJ's house hoping no one would see him walk him.
"Detective Brooks?" Mr. Walker asked stunned.
"Mr. Walker." Punk greeted and he shook his hand. "Do you have a minute?"
"Sure." He stepped aside and let Punk in. "Is AJ alright?"
"Yea." Punk assured him. "She's around here somewhere."
"So this is about Tiffany's case?" Mr. Walker questioned.
"Can we sit?" Punk asked and he led Punk into the living room. "Is your wife home?"
"She's sleeping." Mr. Walker told him with a forced smile. "She sleeps a lot now."
"I'm sorry." Punk said feeling the pangs of guilt hit him.
"What's this about Detective?" Mr. Walker asked intrigued.
"Upon doing some research on the case it was discovered that Tiffany was seen with Charles Palanski the week she was-" he stopped short of saying it.
"Charlie?" Mr. Walker asked confused. "Are you sure you about that?"
"Yea." Punk said to him. "I don't think much of it but I have to do my job and ask about it. Did Charlie and Tiffany have a close friendship?"
"Tiffany babysat for the Palanski's but that's as far as it goes as far as I know." Mr. Walker said to him. "AJ would probably know more."
"She doesn't. Actually, Tiffany told AJ that she didn't think highly of Charles at all so it was AJ who discovered the two were together in Chicago and it peeked her interests." Punk admitted.
"It's peeked mine." Mr. Walker said to him. "You don't think-"
"I don't think anything." Punk told him quickly. "But I promised you I would solve your daughters case and I wouldn't be doing my job if I ignored this."
"What made AJ look into Charlie?" Mr. Walker questioned.
"Between us, April has been having some problems in Chicago with someone bothering her." Punk told him.
"What do you mean?" Mr. Walker asked concerned.
"Someone sending her gifts and sneaking around her place why she isn't home." Punk told him.
"My god." Mr. Walker frowned. "Poor girl. Is she alright?"
"She is. And please don't mention this to anybody her parents don't know and it's important we don't draw more attention to it." Punk said to him.
"Of course. You think Charlie is involved?" Mr. Walker questioned concerned.
"April gave me a list of names and I was surprised to see he was in Chicago." Punk admitted.
"Charlie and her dad were great friends." Mr. Walker told him. "I didn't know him as well though."
"Did he every show special interest in Tiffany?" Punk asked.
"I would have killed him." Mr. Walker told him without fear.
"It's difficult because clearly the only two people who can tell me what exactly went on the day or two before Tiffany died are Tiffany and Charles Palanski." He said to him. "Obviously Charles isn't talking."
"Give me a second." Mr. Walker said standing up and running up the stairs. A minute later he came back down and sat across from Punk. "This is Tiffany's diary. I want to help AJ that's the only reason I'd give this to you and by give it to you I mean lend it."
"Wow. I really appreciate this." Punk said accepting the diary from him. "You'll get this back." He promised him.
"I've never read it and I don't want to, her thoughts were her own but I know she'd want to help AJ. Do you think it could help her?" Mr. Walker asked.
"Yes I do." He said to him. "More than you even realize. I will hand deliver this back to you as soon as I can."
"I know my daughter wasn't perfect and I'm not sure what she's written there-" he began.
"I won't be judging your daughter." Punk promised him. "April speaks very highly of her and she was extremely important to her. I'll guard Tiffany's secrets with my life."
"I heard rumors around town about Charlie." Mr. Walker admitted. "They weren't about Tiffany though and by the time the rumors started Charlie was already in Texas."
"They were about him and April?" Punk asked but he didn't say anything. "It's ok. I'm not here to judge April either, I'm here to protect her."
"Just keep me updated." Mr. Walker pleaded.
"I will." Punk promised.
After leaving the Walker house Punk spoke to a few more locals. The rumors were strong in town but it was mostly AJ and Charlie. If something had gone on between Tiffany and Charlie only those two knew and hopefully something would be in her diary. He had dinner with April's parents and now they were back at the motel and getting ready to head home the next morning.
"Did you find out information about Charlie?" AJ asked.
"Not discussing my case." Punk reminded her packing up his small bag.
"What's this?" She asked grabbing the diary that he was about to put in his bag.
"Ape-" he started.
"Did you take Tiffany's diary?" AJ asked coldly.
"No of course not. Mr. Walker lent it to me." Punk said holding his hand out for it.
"You can't read this. This is her private personal thoughts." AJ said to him. "I've never even read this!"
"You wanted me to solve this case." Punk reminded her. "The more I hear the less crazy I think you are."
"I don't care. You can't read her diary." AJ argued.
"I have to." he said snatching it from her.
"It's an invasion of privacy!" AJ argued.
"She's gone Ape." He reminded her. "I think she wouldn't mind me reading it if it meant putting her real killer behind bars and keeping you safe."
"It's not just an invasion of her privacy but an invasion of mine." AJ argued. "Personal things that only Tiffany and I know are in there."
"I'm not reading it for that reason." Punk promised her.
"I literally don't have anything do I?" She asked him and he let out a sigh.
"You think I'm going to judge you?" he asked her.
"This is the last thing I have with her!" She yelled crying suddenly. "Private stories and inside jokes is all I have and no one can take it away from me, not Bret Walsh not Charlie and not you!"
"I don't want to take anything away from you." He promised her.
"That's it. Don't you get it?" she asked crying. "That's all I have of her."
"You'll always have that." He said to her. "I won't read the stuff that doesn't matter I swear."
"It doesn't feel right." AJ cried.
"You may have made a huge discovery with Charles Palanski." He said to her. "I want to put this to rest for you and I know it doesn't mean much but you can trust me."
"She wrote everything in there." AJ told him trying to calm down. "Every thought, every dream-"
"I'm not going to print it or anything." He told her. "I just need something to go off of. Tell me you understand that."
"I want to understand that but I still feel like I have to protect her." AJ sniffled. "Tell me YOU understand that."
"I do." He said to her. "But she's gone now. And now I have to protect you and other innocent people. Don't let her death be in vain, let me help other people."
"And reading her personal and private diary will do that?" She asked folding her arms.
"Yes." He said rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "I'll be respectful, you know that. I know your privacy hasn't been, well, private- but let me try to make sure that it can be. Let me get this guy."
"What if it's not him?" She asked him. "What if I'm wrong and I started this for nothing?"
"Something doesn't add up either way." He reminded her. "I have to investigate that's my job."
"Ok." She said to him. "I trust you."
"And I don't take that lightly." He said looking down at her. "I wouldn't betray that." she just nodded and he cupped her face gently. "Let me end all of this for you. I'll give you the peace of mind that you deserve. No more questions and no more fears."
"I feel like you could talk me into anything." She said with a light smile even though her eyes were still glassy from tears. "I trust you completely."
"Good." he said kissing her tenderly.
