Jadie
Disclaimer: I don't own Nub3rs or any of its characters…. blah blah blah…I have the strangest feeling that we've been through all this before…
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CHAPTER 6: Phone Call—" … his cell phone rang, shattering the fragile silence…"
Don drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel while waiting at a red light. The rain was pouring down in buckets from the sky, and the thunder and lightning boomed and flashed across the dark and gloomy sky. Don tried to calm himself by listening to the steady swish swish of the windshield wipers, but it was in vain; He was wound up tighter than a box spring.
The light turned green and Don took off, and then a short distance later he whipped across traffic and pulled into the parking lot of a nearby shopping center.
He parked the car, while Jadie looked at him, not in confusion, but rather as if she knew the question Don wanted to ask, and was merely waiting to hear Don voice it aloud. What am I thinking? Don thought as he tried to gather all the words, ideas, images and thoughts that all seemed to be running rampant in his mind. He couldn't take care of a kid. Hell, he didn't know the first thing about taking care of kids. But this girl, this girl…Don sighed. She reached out to him and he'd be damned before he let her down. On the other hand, she wasn't going to have that easy of a time; he wanted some answers.
"You are smarter than you let on—you understand more than you let us think, don't you?" Don asked Jadie, even though it was really more of a statement. Don merely wanted confirmation. She looked at him, hesitation plain in her expression. Don couldn't comprehend what the big deal was; if she was smarter than a normal ten year old, why not just admit it and be done with it?
Then, once again, like the day in the conference room, she gave him the tiniest of nods, acknowledging what he said and that he was correct. Don nodded to her in response, and though he said nothing else, his mind began to whir—she'll need to be tested; her ability to verbalize is definitely not ordinary…maybe after the case is wrapped up I can set up an appointment with a testing agency like the one Charlie went to when he was a kid…Don shook himself out of that line of thinking. I'm acting like she isn't going to be immediately whisked away once this is over with…like I'm going to spend time with her after, which just wouldn't be possible…a small voice in the back of Don's whispered that it could be otherwise but he repressed that quickly. I can't get a head of myself; there's still a killer to be caught…
Don turned toward Jadie who had been patiently waiting for Don; he was about to say something but at that moment his cell phone rang, shattering the fragile silence.
"Eppes" Don answered, just a little annoyed.
"Don, it's Granger."
"What's up?" Don spoke expectantly, hoping for some answers of what happened at the safe house.
"Don…" on the other end of the line Don could hear Colby hesitating.Tthat can't mean anything good…
"Don," Colby began again, "Agent Brian Carlos is dead."
"What?" Don exclaimed, "What the hell happened?"
"We aren't sure," Colby said, with more than just a little frustration in his voice, "We do know that Alan Richards was drugged, possibly even poisoned with something…he still hasn't woken up…" Don swore creatively into the phone.
"I can sympathize with that," Colby said wryly after Don finished his tirade.
"The drawings?" Don asked.
"Gone," Granger said, anger simmering just below the surface could be heard in his voice; "We did find a list of names hidden under the mattress in the back bedroom though…" Don looked over at Jadie.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, has four cities listed with names underneath and get this: The last city is LA and the five vics are listed, not including Laura Fields."
"Jadie wrote it then." Don continued to look at Jadie. She fidgeted and tried to look small.
"Looks that way," Granger continued, "Its in crayon for god's sake…not a killer sort of thing if you ask me."
"Did you check those city's records for similar serial murders?"
"Yeah and we got 'em too—in all the cities and names listed on the paper too. All identical murders. Age range five to eight, sexual assault, cause of death was bleeding out…the works." Don mulled this over.
"How many murders were in each city?" Don queried.
"Five."
"We've had six already…" Don paused.
"Yeah but we've got a witness." Colby supplied, putting into words the very thing that Don had been thinking.
"Ok," Don spoke definitively, "Good work Granger, keep me posted—I have some questions for Jadie that I'll see if I can't get some answers."
"Ok Don," Colby hesitated, "And good luck—that kid is one hell of a piece of work."
"Thanks Granger, I'll remember that. Call me if you find anything else out or if Richards wakes up."
"You got it."
Don hung up the phone. He looked at Jadie and began to open his mouth with every intention of questioning her right there on the spot, but as he looked at her, looking at him, and his heart melted and his voice died in his throat. She looked so scared and so fragile.
I'll question her later…Don thought decidedly as he shut his mouth. She's just a kid after all…Don thought for a moment while Jadie waited, suspended in time waiting for the proverbial ax that was never coming.
"C'mon" Don said as he suddenly got out of his vehicle. Jadie gave him a bewildered look. Don put on his sunglasses and again, he felt his heart ache for this poor girl. Just what exactly was done to her? Don wondered.
"Well?" He said expectantly, looking towards the shopping center, "I know its not going to go anywhere, but it might close." Jadie looked so confused, tears were gathering in her eyes. Don shut his door and walked around to the passenger side of the SUV and opened the door. He took off his sunglasses and met her eyes. He smiled gently.
"We have some shopping to do."
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Note: Ok this chapt was kinda short I know—I've planned out the next four or five chapters and this chapt and the next 2 are kind of filler chapters. Sorry! It'll pick up again soon, promise. Anyway R&R! Constructive criticism welcome! All thoughts and opinions are welcome!