XI
Frankie was sprawled across the couch when Face returned.
"Oh, Face, Hannibal's mad at you guys. Is Murdock with you?" Frankie asked, not noticing Face's obvious shock. "Where have you been man?"
"Where's Hannibal and BA?" Face said, his tone flat.
"Outside. Are you Okay?" Frankie asked, catching on that something was wrong.
"Just, er, just stay here, alright?"
"Yeah sure." Frankie said eventually.
Face robotically made his way outside and over to his two team mates, who were talking quietly to one another.
"Face..." Hannibal started as though he were going to say more, but he noticed the body language coming from his lieutenant and stopped himself short.
"What's wrong?" BA asked.
"Jessica's dead." Face said.
Frankie watched the guys from inside, trying to figure you what was happening.
He could only see BA's features and he looked confused and a little worried.
He absently wondered if Stockwell knew what had rattled Face's cage so much. Probably, he usually had a hand in everything that happened to them.
He also wondered where Murdock was. He hadn't turned up for the training and hadn't so much as called since. Frankie gathered that Hannibal would call him soon enough, if Face's problem required it.
For now, he'd just have to sit and wait.
"So, you went to her apartment, broke in and found her body in the tub?" Hannibal recapped.
Face nodded.
"And you didn't call for an ambulance." BA stated.
"She was already dead. There was nothing they could have done."
"It's just as well you didn't. So, you then called Murdock, from a phone booth outside, right?"
"Yeah. I don't know why, his number just came to me first. I didn't even realise I'd left it so long."
"Whatcha do all that time?" BA asked.
"I, er, I ran out. I just felt like I couldn't breath in there."
"Is Murdock staying to talk to the police?" BA asked.
"I don't know. He just told me to go." Face explained.
"I guess we'll soon find out." Hannibal said.
Murdock casually walked up the stairwell, a lit cigarette in his mouth as he made his way up to where Jessica's apartment was.
Her place was on the third floor, and when Murdock reached the second, he found the nearest fire call point and broke the glass.
Sirens blared out as he quickly made his up to the room where the body was awaiting him.
Face and BA remained outside as Hannibal walked inside to talk to Frankie.
Frankie wasn't sure what mask Hannibal was wearing, or more precisely, what he was hiding underneath it.
He felt the need to stand as Hannibal got close to him.
"What's happening, Johnny?" He asked, hoping he didn't sound as nervous as he felt.
"Somethings happened."
Murdock gave the people five minutes to clear the building, before he began.
He'd done most of the work beforehand, setting everything up just right. He'd decided to wait until after 9am, so most people would be at work- instantly cutting the number of people who would possible be injured. He'd raided Jessica's cupboards of all alcohol so that he could set up the fire in her room. The bed was already soaking in the liquid and Jessica's body laid in the middle of it.
With one last look at her motionless face, he took the cigarette from his mouth and threw it onto the bed and watched as the flames engulfed the woman.
Frankie felt the shock waves of what he'd been told hit him again and again.
The fear that came with the news was taking over now and the consequences it would have on his life. His dad was prone and poorly, he'd have no chance if someone wanted to take him out.
He heard BA's voice as he came into the room. At first he ignored the chatter, but then remembering that this was Face's girlfriend, he turned to see if the conman had entered too, which he had.
He recognised the shock now- it was how he felt, but less. BA was sticking close to Face, offering a silent support Frankie had come to realise by now, but he wouldn't meet anyone's eye, like he was afraid it would spoil the illusion.
Hannibal had been his normal self throughout speaking to Frankie. He'd been strong although there was something in those eyes that wasn't in tune with what he said and how he acted. The incident came across as rather cold and clinical from Hannibal, like he'd told too many people too many bad things throughout his life and it was almost as though he expected to have to repeat the process over and over again.
Sudden movement by Face caused Frankie to turn his attention back to him and he watched as he turned the sound up on the TV.
Frankie looked at the screen to see a building on fire.
"What's he done?" he heard Face faintly mumble.