Thank you for the reviews Lifes Rich Pageant , LilyMalf23,UltimateBethylFiclist.

Flashbacks

Disclaimer: first chapter

Ch 4

Merle, Daryl, Rick and Rick's old partner Shane Walsh were sitting on the front porch of the Grimes family home arguing on their next move.

"No Walsh we are not using the girl and her father as bait to catch this guy. He could KILL her." Merle said angrily. Daryl was just glaring at Shane as he heard Lori and Beth come into the living room.

"Didn't know you Dixons were such pussies. Here's your chance to catch this guy and you are not going to take it?" Shane asked. " Sometimes I wonder how you two became the top detectives if you don't take risks." He added. He grunted when he felt a fist enter his stomach and hugged his middle and glared at Daryl . "WHAT THE FUCK Dixon. You nearly made me puck up my breakfast."

"First off asshole WE became the top cause we didn't use victims of crimes as bait to catch our guys unlike you which caused the death of your witnesses, and second I personally made a promise to that girl's father we would keep her safe. Using her as bait would be going against that promise. " Daryl growled. He swung again and punched Shane in the nose breaking it. "And that was for calling us pussies." he said before he walked off the porch towards the woods.

"Daryl is right Shane. We can't use Beth or Hershel as bait to catch the Governor. " Rick said. "We need something else to draw the Governor out or his men."

"Why not release a false statement about another witness at the scene that saw everything that happened. The Governor is sure to send someone to 'silence' them." Merle said. Rick nodded in agreement.

"That might work." Risk said as he thought. " I'll get Michonne to come up with something to give to the press to print." He said. Shane shook his head in anger.

"You are all Idiots if you think this is going to work." He said walking off and leaving the property.

" You need to do something about him Rick. He's going to end up getting someone on the force killed." Merle said watching him. Rick nodded.

"He's changed since the break up with Andrea. His temper has gotten worse. The Captain wants me to suspend him and put him behind a desk until he calms down." Rick said as he scrubbed a hand over his face. He looked over to Merle then toward where Daryl had walked off. "when did Daryl go see Hershel?" he asked. Merle shrugged as he took a cigarette out of his front pocket and placed it in his mouth as he lit it.

" He went after dropping the girl off at our apartment." He said. " He only told me about seeing the old man and the promise since then he's been tight lipped about it."

Merle looked up when the door opened for the fourth time that night and saw Daryl walking in. After hearing the girl sing herself to sleep Daryl had seemed to bolt out of the apartment like a bat out of hell. Merle had finished his beer and went back to the file to see if they had missed something. "Where did you go little brother?" he asked glancing back down to the file.

"Just out to the hospital." He heard Daryl say.

"Why did you go there? We got a statement from Beth." Merle said Daryl shrugged.

"Thought he could say why the Governor's men are after his family. He didn't know but he made me promise him something." Daryl said softly.

"What?"

"That no matter what happens we keep Beth safe."

Rick sighed before he straightened up when he saw Daryl come back over. "Daryl what happened when you got to the hospital?" Rick asked when he got closer. Daryl looked like he wasn't going to say anything before he gave a frustrated sigh and took the cigarette from Merle.

" When first got to the hospital the nurses wouldn't let me in the room but the doctor recognized me from the previous case and let me see Hershel." Daryl started.

" Detective, He may not survive the week. We managed to repair most of the damage but there is nothing a doctor can do against a broken heart." The doctor said softly outside Hershel's room. Daryl looked inside and saw the man just staring into space.

"Does he know his youngest is still alive?" Daryl asked. The doctor shrugged.

"Nobody has come to check on him. You are the first." The doctor said. The doctor walked off leaving Daryl to go in the room. When Daryl entered he saw Hershel's eyes briefly meet his before going back to stare at the ceiling.

" Hello Mr. Greene, I'm Detective Daryl, I've been assigned to your case-" Daryl started.

"No offense Mr. Daryl but there is nothing you can do for me. MY family is dead. case closed." Hershel said in a dead voice.

"Actually Mr. Greene, Your youngest Beth is very much alive as well as you oldest Maggie." Daryl said. Hershel looked back at Daryl with tears in his eyes .

"Bethy? She's alive?" he asked. Daryl nodded.

"She's safe with My brother and I. We are going to do everything in our power to solve this for you and her Mr. Greene." Daryl said Hershel shook his head.

"No son, It's too late for me. I heard the doctor and he's right I don't want to go on without Annette." Hershel said as the tears finally fell from his eyes. " Solve this so Beth can continue her life and follow her dream to be a music teacher. Maggie is already living her life in New York." He said softly. Daryl sat in the chair close to Hershel head.

"Mr. Greene, I already promised this to Beth and now I am promising you. I will solve this so Beth can go back to her life before this happened." Daryl said. He jumped slightly when Hershel grabbed his wrist in a tight grip.

"That's not the promise I want from you, son." Hershel said. " I want you to promise me that no matter what Beth will be safe with you. You will not allow any harm come to her while there is breath in your body. That means even after you solve this. She has no one else to check on her." He continued." Don't get me wrong, I love my oldest but Maggie always seemed to let Shawn or Beth take care of things if things got hard around the farm. So yes she will call Beth everyday for maybe a week or so then Beth will maybe get a call from her during the holidays. She'll be all alone." Daryl locked eyes with Hershel before he nodded. He felt Hershel release his wrist and lay back down on the bed like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Daryl cleared his throat before he asked Hershel his next question. " Mr. Greene Why did the Governor's men come after you and your family?" He asked. Hershel looked back at him.

"That Mr. Daryl is between Shawn and Maggie. Apparently they found something on him and he got scared he attacked the rest of us cause he thought we knew as well." He said.

"So you have no idea what she found out?" He asked. Hershel shook his head.

"No, I wanted nothing to do with a criminal. I told that to Maggie when she called to see if Shawn had gotten this package from her. I believe that Shawn hid it in his room if you want to see it. " Hershel said reaching for the bedside table and handing a key to Daryl. "That's a key to the clinic. If Shawn didn't hide it in his room then he hid it in his desk at the clinic." He said. Daryl nodded as he took the key from Hershel.

Rick and Merle looked at him in surprise. "Do you have the key on you?" Merle asked. Daryl nodded and reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a golden key. Rick snorted.

"Well we know what our next lead is. Anyone up for a trip to the farm?' he asked.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

After leaving Beth at the Grimes' home with Lori, Daryl went to the Farm to check Shawn's room, while Rick and Merle went to check the clinic. Daryl looked around the room from the door way. All he saw was a plain twin bed, a mahogany desk and chair with a computer with several books on mechanics lay open on its surface. There was a matching bookcase next to it as well as a bean bag chair in the corner. He went to the desk and pulled open several of the drawers but didn't see what he was looking for. He turned towards the bed and lifted the mattress. He found a few magazines then he saw a manila envelope and quickly grabbed it before setting the mattress back down. He looked at the front and saw the address of the newspaper where Maggie worked and the family home address. He also saw written across the back Confidential He opened it and saw several photos of the Governor with different people. He decided to look at those later before pulling out several pages of everything the Governor had done from embezzlement to various other crimes. He quickly stuffed everything back into the envelope before pulling his cell from his pocket and gave Rick a call as he ran from the room.

Here's the fourth chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. R&R plz.