JORDAN'S PAINTINGS
A/N: "Cold Case" started in Germany last year, and I was instantly hooked on the show. I was so inspired that I started writing this fanfiction after I had watched the second episode. By the time they replaced Chris by Scotty, I had already written at least one third of this story and did not want to change everything. This explains why it's still Lilly and Chris in this story, although Chris was only there for four or five episodes. Take this as their last case together. To all you Lilly/Scotty 'shippers out there - never you worry! This stoy does NOT contain any explicit Lilly/Chris 'shipping (friendshipping, if anything). I tried to stay as general as possible, really concentrating on the case. Yes, there are a few scenes between the partners, but again: it's no intended 'shipping. And this Kite or Kyte guy (however that's spelled) doesn't appear, anyway.
Now, as of August 2005, the second season is over in Germany (and probably even the third season where you live), and I really hope you guys won't be too confused by Scotty's absence. I suppose you've all more or less forgotten about Chris. The reason why I'm posting this so late is that the show came, of course, later to Germany because it had to be dubbed first. And I had the story actually finished by last summer, but due to a hard drive crash, the file was partly destroyed. I had to type in about half of the story anew (thank God I had at least a printout of the original!)
This was my very first attempt to write a crime story. I hope I got everything at least about right. All reviews welcome (or rather: desired...), and as usual: If you spot any grammar/syntax mistakes (not just typos), please tell me.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story were created by Meredith Stiehm (or Stehm?), and I'm just borrowing them for another cold case for them to solve. I do not take any profit out of this story; it is written merely for fun.
Summary: A skeleton is found buried in a nice and peaceful Philadelphia suburb. The suspects: Four families who live in the area. Detectives Lilly Rush and Chris Lassing investigate and burrow deep into a history of secrets, misunderstandings and loss...
Prologue
Deansville, 1967
The wind was howling, and the chilling cold kept everyone indoors in front of the fireplace. Gales hit the windowpanes and let the blinds rattle. It was the January storm that held the whole area in its icy grip. Not a mouse stirred in this night, or at least the people thought so.
This particular part of Deansville did not exactly belong to the actual town. It was rather a group of four houses that formed the very northern border of the Philadelphia suburbs. The four families that lived here mostly kept to themselves. Every now and then, they would drive down to the center of Deansville, do the necessary shopping, maybe go to church once a month. They went to the local elections, and their children went to Deansville High. But apart from that, the four families ware rarely seen guests in the community, and therefore there was no reason for any inhabitant of Deansville to waste more than an occasional thought on the "Outer Four", as they were called.
Surely no one in Deansville thought of the Outer Four that night. They all went to bed early and listened drowsily to the howling gales, glad to be home in bed, where it was warm and cozy.
And with one exception, the Outer Four did as well.
Little wonder that no one noticed the person going across the meadow adjacent to the last house on the street. It was four past midnight, and the rain was getting stronger and stronger. But this person did not seem to mind. He or she was busy dragging a large thing across the meadow. Reaching the edge of the forest, the person stopped, took a spade he had brought along as well, and began to dig. The ground was soaked with rain, and the frost had melted. The digging went fast, and when the hole was deep enough, the person stopped and pushed the large thing inside. The he shoveled the earth back into the hole.
When the person finally turned around and headed back for the houses, it was shortly before two.