Chapter Four
I disclaim.
Quick Notes: SO SORRY about the delay. I really do apologize for not updating sooner, but with work and no muse, I was in the rut and extremely exhausted. But I promise I'll update regularly and warn you the next time I take such a long hiatus. So please forgive me, pretty please?
-Just to make it up, here's a little spoiler for the next chapter: LOTS OF G/L;)
"She's dead?!" I couldn't believe that the wench (may she rest in peace) was dead. I mean, Ashlie seemed fine when I left her at the bar.
"Yes. Jake found her when he went to pick her up this morning." Lalaine looked utterly devastated, she kept crying as she led me to Jake and Hilary. Poor guy, he looked terribly tired and wasted as he tried with no avail to console Hilary, who tearfully whimpered on his shoulders.
"Hey man, I guess you heard already. I can't believe it, I'm still in shock... denial and, for god sake, I was the one who found her." His voice trembled as he stared lifelessly to nothing in particular. He seemed to be in a haze, in his own thoughts, unwilling to be distracted by any of us.
"Oh Adam... when did you get here? I'm so glad you're here... I don't think I can held Ashlie's death without my best friend." Hilary finally broke in as she walked over to my side and hugged me tightly. She sent shivers to every part of my body. God, even during mourning I couldn't prevent the repercussions of her touch. She looked completely distressed, her puffy red eyes calling for some comfort. It broke my heart to see her hurting, to witness her in pain. And, even then she appeared absolutely gorgeous.
"Don't worry, Hil... I'm here for you. We'll get through this," I held her tighter, knowing she needed the assurance. "Jake, do they know who did it?"
"No. In fact, they're checking for prints as we speak." The youngest of us all, naive as hell, and the poor kid had to face death in such a gruesome way. "Oh, and they also told me to tell you guys that they'll be coming over later to ask us a couple of questions."
"As expected," I blurted.
"Well, I got to go, guys. I'm not feeling that well. You can tell the cops that I'll be home all day," and with the wave of his hand, Jake was gone.
"Bye, Jake," Hilary sadly muttered as she lifted her teary face from my shoulder. "Adam, I think I'm going to do the same. I just can't bare to be here much longer." A new flood of tears began falling, she was obviously devastated. I mean, who can blame her? Ashlie and her had grown somewhat close. Although the wench didn't treat Hilary so well, they still went shopping together and occasionally hit the club scene. "I'll talk to you later, Adam... and Lalaine, I don't think I can make it to our lunch date today. I'm sorry..."
"Hilary, I understand... don't worry. If you need anything, just call my cell anytime." Lalaine gave Hilary a hug, clearly letting her know that she meant what she said. That was Lalaine for you... always dependable, compassionate, and strong for all her friends.
"Thanks , Lainey."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unbelievable, Ahslie was dead. I still couldn't believe it until I received a visit from a Detective Skylar at Tony's. His presence just made reality sink in so quickly. There he stood with his classic tanned trench coat and a cigarette in his hand. He took a seat at the bar by my side, and began, "I know this is probably not the best of times, but there's a couple of questions I need to ask you."
"Not a problem," I said as I took another shot of whiskey.
"When was the last time you saw Ashlie?"
"Last night, right at this bar. She was going to meet up with some guy here."
"Do you know who," he asked as he made a grab for another cigarette.
"No, she wouldn't tell me. She said it wasn't any of my business. But, as I was leaving I saw Frankie Muniz and Lalaine go inside. Maybe they got a look at the guy."
"Maybe. Where'd you go afterwards?"
"Home... I went to sleep," I answered honestly. Of course, I wasn't going to mention the fact that I was actually sulking the whole night.
"Alright... thanks for the statements, kid. I'll probably talk to you later."
"Hey, Detective... do you have any leads?"
"No... not really. We know someone broke in....to intentionally kill her."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because there was nothing stolen," and with that the detective left.
Strange. I mean, I knew Ashlie was an egotistical bitch that no one really liked, but she was no real threat... and she certainly didn't have any maniacal enemies. This is certainly strange and too surreal.
"Hey buddy, you're cell is ringing!"
"What? Oh my cell." I gotta stop getting caught up in my thoughts.
"Lamberg here."
"Hey, Adam... it's Jake."
"Hey Ja-"
"Shhh... just listen up, man. You have to meet up with me NOW. I have to tell you something real important." Jake sounded really nuts. He was making me nervous as he whispered and breathed heavily into the phone.
"Jake, man... what's the deal? Why can't you tell me now over the phone?"
"'Cause I have to do something before you come... and you're wasting my time. Look, just come over. This is something really important that might be connected to the murder. It hit me this morning when-"
"When what? Jake? Jake?" I kept calling out his name as I continued to hear his breathing increasingly harshen. There was obviously something going wrong and there was no time to waste. I made a grab for my keys when suddenly I heard a thud... there were some voices, but they all sound muffled. Nothing was making sense on the other end and it was scaring the crap out of me.
"Jake? Jake, I'm coming man... I'm calling the cops and-"
"Morning... affair..."
"Jake?!"
"..."
I disclaim.
Quick Notes: SO SORRY about the delay. I really do apologize for not updating sooner, but with work and no muse, I was in the rut and extremely exhausted. But I promise I'll update regularly and warn you the next time I take such a long hiatus. So please forgive me, pretty please?
-Just to make it up, here's a little spoiler for the next chapter: LOTS OF G/L;)
"She's dead?!" I couldn't believe that the wench (may she rest in peace) was dead. I mean, Ashlie seemed fine when I left her at the bar.
"Yes. Jake found her when he went to pick her up this morning." Lalaine looked utterly devastated, she kept crying as she led me to Jake and Hilary. Poor guy, he looked terribly tired and wasted as he tried with no avail to console Hilary, who tearfully whimpered on his shoulders.
"Hey man, I guess you heard already. I can't believe it, I'm still in shock... denial and, for god sake, I was the one who found her." His voice trembled as he stared lifelessly to nothing in particular. He seemed to be in a haze, in his own thoughts, unwilling to be distracted by any of us.
"Oh Adam... when did you get here? I'm so glad you're here... I don't think I can held Ashlie's death without my best friend." Hilary finally broke in as she walked over to my side and hugged me tightly. She sent shivers to every part of my body. God, even during mourning I couldn't prevent the repercussions of her touch. She looked completely distressed, her puffy red eyes calling for some comfort. It broke my heart to see her hurting, to witness her in pain. And, even then she appeared absolutely gorgeous.
"Don't worry, Hil... I'm here for you. We'll get through this," I held her tighter, knowing she needed the assurance. "Jake, do they know who did it?"
"No. In fact, they're checking for prints as we speak." The youngest of us all, naive as hell, and the poor kid had to face death in such a gruesome way. "Oh, and they also told me to tell you guys that they'll be coming over later to ask us a couple of questions."
"As expected," I blurted.
"Well, I got to go, guys. I'm not feeling that well. You can tell the cops that I'll be home all day," and with the wave of his hand, Jake was gone.
"Bye, Jake," Hilary sadly muttered as she lifted her teary face from my shoulder. "Adam, I think I'm going to do the same. I just can't bare to be here much longer." A new flood of tears began falling, she was obviously devastated. I mean, who can blame her? Ashlie and her had grown somewhat close. Although the wench didn't treat Hilary so well, they still went shopping together and occasionally hit the club scene. "I'll talk to you later, Adam... and Lalaine, I don't think I can make it to our lunch date today. I'm sorry..."
"Hilary, I understand... don't worry. If you need anything, just call my cell anytime." Lalaine gave Hilary a hug, clearly letting her know that she meant what she said. That was Lalaine for you... always dependable, compassionate, and strong for all her friends.
"Thanks , Lainey."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unbelievable, Ahslie was dead. I still couldn't believe it until I received a visit from a Detective Skylar at Tony's. His presence just made reality sink in so quickly. There he stood with his classic tanned trench coat and a cigarette in his hand. He took a seat at the bar by my side, and began, "I know this is probably not the best of times, but there's a couple of questions I need to ask you."
"Not a problem," I said as I took another shot of whiskey.
"When was the last time you saw Ashlie?"
"Last night, right at this bar. She was going to meet up with some guy here."
"Do you know who," he asked as he made a grab for another cigarette.
"No, she wouldn't tell me. She said it wasn't any of my business. But, as I was leaving I saw Frankie Muniz and Lalaine go inside. Maybe they got a look at the guy."
"Maybe. Where'd you go afterwards?"
"Home... I went to sleep," I answered honestly. Of course, I wasn't going to mention the fact that I was actually sulking the whole night.
"Alright... thanks for the statements, kid. I'll probably talk to you later."
"Hey, Detective... do you have any leads?"
"No... not really. We know someone broke in....to intentionally kill her."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because there was nothing stolen," and with that the detective left.
Strange. I mean, I knew Ashlie was an egotistical bitch that no one really liked, but she was no real threat... and she certainly didn't have any maniacal enemies. This is certainly strange and too surreal.
"Hey buddy, you're cell is ringing!"
"What? Oh my cell." I gotta stop getting caught up in my thoughts.
"Lamberg here."
"Hey, Adam... it's Jake."
"Hey Ja-"
"Shhh... just listen up, man. You have to meet up with me NOW. I have to tell you something real important." Jake sounded really nuts. He was making me nervous as he whispered and breathed heavily into the phone.
"Jake, man... what's the deal? Why can't you tell me now over the phone?"
"'Cause I have to do something before you come... and you're wasting my time. Look, just come over. This is something really important that might be connected to the murder. It hit me this morning when-"
"When what? Jake? Jake?" I kept calling out his name as I continued to hear his breathing increasingly harshen. There was obviously something going wrong and there was no time to waste. I made a grab for my keys when suddenly I heard a thud... there were some voices, but they all sound muffled. Nothing was making sense on the other end and it was scaring the crap out of me.
"Jake? Jake, I'm coming man... I'm calling the cops and-"
"Morning... affair..."
"Jake?!"
"..."