Alright, I know you've waited a loooooong time. I know this is pathetically short for the amount of time you waited. I have no excuse.
Now that that's out of the way, here it is! Hope you guys like it........
Chapter 7
"Did we miss anything?" Beth asked as she walked down the hall towards Abigail. She shook her head, crossing her arms as they approached.
"Unfortunately, no," Abigail replied, Beth pressing her eyebrows together.
"Why would you say that?" she asked, stopping in front of her.
"The boy's obsessed with you. It's bordering on sickening," Josef responded, answering for her.
"Really?" Beth asked, making sure to turn her eyes to Abby this time.
"Yeah. Sickening, disgusting, creepy. Take your pick," Abigail stated, not making eye contact with her.
"Oh. Well, who's doing the interrogation?" Beth questioned. Abigail shrugged, smiling at her.
"No idea, they haven't decided. But, I believe it's leaning toward my favor," she answered, her voice taking a slightly happier tone.
"I didn't know you were an option," Mick said, and she chuckled.
"They never do. Part of the mystery. Anyway, I'm beginning to wonder if Lance is really involved like we think he is," Abigail said.
"What do you mean?" Beth asked.
"He's got no freaking motive, he seems like he's trying to keep the list quiet, and he's keeping his distance, from all of us. But, it is Lance. If he doesn't think your worthy, he doesn't take the time to bother noticing your existence," Abby replied, keeping her laid back stance as Claudia came down the hall, followed by some other vamps that Beth had never seen before. Or, at least, she assumed they were vamps.
"You get the first go," Claudia stated, making eye contact with Abigail. She smiled, and Beth watched the other vamps/new comers shift.
"Fantastic," she murmured, entering the small room. Beth followed Mick and Josef into the smaller room on the other side of the mirror. There was so much that Beth really didn't know about Abigail. Beth always felt like she could always talk to Abby about anything. Then there was moments like this, where Beth was wondering who she was really spilling her guts to on a regular basis.
"Mr. Talbot, I've got a question for you. And how you answer it depends on wether or not you get what your asking for," Abigail stated firmly as she sat down across from him.
"Fine," he said back, his mouth an unfamiliar line.
"How did you discover our society?" she asked.
"I stumbled ass backward into it," he answered, his voice flat.
"Great. Who, or what, if you prefer, told you?" she responded.
"Why is she playing into him like this?" Beth asked Mick.
"If she acts like she understands what he's going through, maybe he'll tell her what she wants to know," he whispered.
"But he's a lawyer. He has to know what she's doing," she thought aloud.
"Well, yeah. But at this point he's got no one on his side. If he tells her what she wants to hear, then maybe he'll get what he wants. It's a lot like when a criminal gives up information or pleads guilty for a shorter sentence," Mick said quietly, crossing his arms.
"But what is he pleading guilty to?" Josef asked, putting his hands in his pockets.
"No one told me. I...I walked in on one of you sucking someone dry," he snapped, tapping his fingers on the table.
"Is this who it was?" she asked calmly, pulling a picture from a folder that her hand had been lying on. Beth hadn't even noticed she'd been holding it earlier. Ben leaned forward, pulling the picture towards him. His fingers stopped their motion for a moment, his eyes carefully studying the photo. He scooted it back to her, keeping his eyes down. Almost as if he's ashamed..., Beth thought to herself as he spoke again.
"Yeah. That's....that's them," he stated quietly, keeping his eyes down on the table.
"He's not lying," Mick murmured.
"No he's not," Josef replied, taking a step towards the window.
"What is he so ashamed of?" Mick asked.
"I don't know," Josef whispered, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Thank you, Mr. Talbot. I'll be back in a moment." Abigail stood, folder in hand, and walked out of the room. Everyone left the room in a rush, wanting to see who the picture had been of.
"Who was it?" Mick asked. Abigail sighed, handing Mick the photo. He turned it to him, and, rolling his eyes, handed it back to her.
"Who was it?!" Beth questioned urgently, not having gotten a good enough look.
"Coraline," she answered. Abigail handed the folder to Claudia, and turned on her heel, walking with a vengeance in the opposite direction.
"Wait, wait, wait! Where are you going?! If you're going after Coraline, then I'm coming too!" Beth called after her, running to catch up with her. Abigail stopped dead in her tracks and turned to her.
"I'm done. I'm not going after her, or anyone else," Abigail said, her voice a silent razor gently slicing into Beth's skin.
"What do you mean you're not going after her? She's got to know who's doing this!" Beth replied angrily, suddenly on the defense.
"You do what you like, Beth," Abigail responded, turning away from her and stalking back towards the exit. Josef was at her side in an instant, lying a solid hand on the small of her back. What the HELL is going on?! Beth thought, suddenly very pissed.
"You can't just not go after her! She knows who's killing vamps! She knows who's killing the others! She knows who has the list, Abigail! You can't just quit!" Beth cried.
"She's sitting at the Sixty-Seven Club," Abigail called back over her shoulder, throwing up a small wave as she and Josef rounded the corner. Beth's voice was suddenly caught in her throat, her mind running every possible scenario as to why she didn't want anything to do with the case anymore. Is she working with Coraline? Are they friends?
"Beth?!" She jumped, turning towards the interrogation room. Ben had heard her yelling after Abigail.
"Can I see him?" she asked Claudia. She nodded.
"Step away from the door, Mr. Talbot." She waited a few seconds, and then opened the door and let Beth pass by her.
"You've got five minutes," she told them, the click of the door following her exit.
"Are you alright?" he asked frantically, stepping towards her. She motioned for him to sit, taking the seat across from him.
"Yes, yes. I'm fine. I've just got a lot going on. How are you?" she responded.
"I'm fine. I haven't gotten my lawyer, though."
"They don't exactly work like that," she murmured.
"Then how do they work, Beth? They get whatever information they want, then kill whomever they're questioning? That's not right, Beth," Talbot said, reaching for her hand.
"That is not how they work, Ben," Beth said, pulling her hand away. "All they want is to know who's killing their people."
"Really?! Then why are you helping them?! They aren't your people, Beth!" he snapped, slamming his hand down on the table.
"Yes, they are! They've got feelings, and minds, and thoughts just like any other higher being on this planet, Ben!" she retorted, standing up and leaving the room. Why was everyone mad at her all of a sudden?!
"Hey, hold a second." Beth stopped, and turned around. She had stomped halfway down the hallway before Mick had spoken.
"Sorry." She sighed, running hand through her hair. "I just don't understand. Ben is pissed and obviously ashamed about something, and Abigail just stormed off like I'd cussed her out."
"I'm sorry. I have no idea what is up with Abigail or Ben. But, I promise you, we'll find out. Alright?" he said softly. She nodded, staring at the floor.
"We need to go see Claudia."
xXxXxXxXx
"I can't believe we're doing the club thing again," Mick murmured, letting the valet take his car.
"I doubt we'll even get in. This is one of the most sought after clubs in all of LA. It takes major credit just to get in the line, let alone get in," Beth grumbled. Mick smiled and shook his head, getting in line next to Beth.
"Don't worry about it. We'll get in," he replied. The bouncer slowly walked down the line, eyeing anyone that the other man should let in. He stopped when he reached Mick and Beth, flipping a page on his clipboard. He looked back up at them, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Mick St. John?"
"Yeah," Mick answered, shifting.
"Beth Turner?"
"Yes," Beth responded, glancing at Mick.
"You're in," he stated flatly, motioning for two men to lead them to the entrance.
"Enjoy," the bouncer at the door said as he moved the velvet rope and motioned for them to enter.
"What the hell was that about?" Beth asked as they stepped into a flash of lights and sound.
"I have no idea," Mick said, slowing in his pace.
"What do you see?"
"Not what, who." Beth followed his gaze, watching as Coraline entered the VIP lounge.
"Think we'll get in?" she asked him.
"We got in here, didn't we?" he asked back. She smiled, letting him lead her past the bar and the mass of dancers to the velvet rope.
"Name," stated the bouncer.
"Mick St. John," he responded, just as monotone. The large man looked through his list, and then nodded. He removed the rope from their path and opened the door behind him. Once it was closed, Beth turned her head to whisper to Mick.
"Have you been here before or something?" Mick shook his head, glancing down at her momentarily. They strode down a long hall, Mick slowing to a stop in front of a door. He inhaled deeply, his mouth forming into a straight line.
"She's not alone. Stay here," he stated, putting his finger up when Beth opened her mouth to object. She leaned against the wall and watched him enter, listening helplessly as the door clicked shut. She sighed and pressed her ear up to the wall, straining to hear the conversation. She couldn't get anything over the blasting music. Suddenly, and man burst out of the room, clutching his wrist to his chest protectively. He froze, staring at Beth. When he finally gained his composure, he sprinted down the hall and out on to the dance floor. It all happened so fast that Beth didn't even have time to say anything to him.
"I'm not letting them take me away!" Coraline exclaimed, making Beth jump.
"What are you doing here?!" someone hissed into Beth's ear. She jumped again, spinning around to see Abigail.
"Abby, I-"
"-shut up. At least you didn't come alone. That would have been a very big mess. Don't move, beautiful," she interrupted, brushing past her and entering the room. Beth scooted closer to the open door, hoping to hear something worth her heart attack.
"You," Coraline whispered.
"Hi. Listen, it's not what you think. As long as your innocent, they'll let you go," Abby responded, her voice bored.
"No, they won't. Once they get a hold of me, they'll shove a stake through my chest, cut me up into little pieces, and burn what's left," she snapped.
"Coraline, listen. Come with us, cooperate, and you can walk out. It's not that hard to understand," Mick hissed, making goose bumps form on Beth's skin. It got quiet for a moment, the bass in the club matching the quick beat of Beth's heart.
"You lying bitch! They're here!" Coraline yelled, Beth looking down the hall to see the Cleaners headed her way. Oh God...
"Well, if you'd have made a damn decision, we wouldn't have had to do it this way!" Abigail growled. "Now we both have to do it their way! Smooth. Epically smooth." The Cleaners entered the room, Coraline's hiss sending a shiver up Beth's spine. Abigail left the room, followed closely by Mick.
"What're they going to do?" Beth questioned. Abigail sighed, walking past her without even a glance.
"ABIGAIL! DON'T IGNORE ME!" Beth screamed, catching herself off guard. Abby was her best friend. She was supposed to be able to talk about anything with her. Abigail turned on her heel, placed a hand on her hip, and stared at her. Beth nor Mick moved, waiting for her response.
"I. Am. Leaving. They are going to arrest Coraline and take her in for questioning. You are either going to go watch the interrogation, or make a pathetic attempt to follow me out of here. You really should thank me," she finally answered.
"Thank you?! For what?! Insulting me?! Talking to me like I'm stupid?!" Beth asked, stalking toward her. Mick tugged on her arm, trying to give her a silent warning.
"For putting you on the VIP list," Abigail said with a smile, turning back around and walking elegantly out the door.
"Damn," Beth whispered.