Love the reviews! So much here is the next chapter on my first night off. Really glad I have so many ppl sticking with me so far.
Thanks goes out to Kegel for betaing it, but all mistakes are still mine. Read and enjoy, and don't forget to review.
Chapter Three: Unsettling Situations
He wasn't the only one there; Greg coming to a short stop as he passed through the doors. Jaysen glanced up at him briefly, barely acknowledging him before turning back to the woman who was standing in the back of the room. Her arms were drawn tightly over her chest and her eyes were red; obviously she was upset over the entire matter, and Greg wouldn't blame her. Even if the child wasn't hers she still saw her nearly every day; a loss, after all, was still a loss.
He moved to the side, setting his case on the floor as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a pair of gloves. Jaysen was scribbling the notes on the pad up front, nodding as the teacher continued her story, doing her best to describe the young girl's mood. Greg waited for a moment longer, using the next pause to his advantage to inquire the whereabouts of the victim's desk.
He ignored the pointed looks Jaysen shot his way. Regardless of what the other man thought of him, he was just going to ignore it. He had a job to do, and that was what was important at this point in time. Greg headed towards the indicated location, smiling as he came across the child's name scrawled in crayon across the front.
"I let them create their own name tags," the teacher told him quietly, her gaze transfixed on the very spot. "It gives them a chance to identify with themselves who they are. Gives them a chance to be creative."
Greg nodded, giving her a weak smile before kneeling down so that he was eye level with the opening. In the background he could hear the young detective talking again, the pencil scratching against the paper as he wrote, but Greg ignored it as he frowned, focusing on what he was looking at. Or rather what he was not.
The desk itself was virtually clean. A few school books, a handful of crayons, and a few pencil shavings, but that was all. There was no dust, no dirt…no mess. A highly unusual trait for such a young child. Greg had always been up to par with his organization…nothing exaggerate, but to a point that he knew where everything was. The problem here was that not even he was this tidy at his given age.
"She was very tedious."
Greg glanced up quickly; shamefully embarrassed to admit the woman had startled him. Letting out a breath he nodded for her to continue, noting with mild amusement that Jaysen had already left the room. It wasn't mandatory for the detectives to update anyone immediately, but it was preferred. It made his job easier, Greg knowing that simple things could be overlooked without a story to put it against.
"Cynthia would clean her desk out everyday. First she would pull out all her books and set them on her chair, then go get the cleaner off the counter. She wouldn't stop until it was sparkly clean inside. Then she would put everything back before leaving for the day. Her mother would be here by then."
"If that's the case," Greg cleared his throat, moving to his feet. "Then why are there pencil shavings inside?"
"Her mother pulled her out before the girl had a chance. Cynthia wouldn't leave until I told her that I would make sure it was clean. She never liked a single thing out of place. Must have got it from her father, her mother was near the opposite."
"Do you know who the father is?" Greg wondered, raising an eyebrow in question.
She shook her head, sniffing as she closed her eyes. "It never came up. I assumed he was dead, or at the very least departed…well, gone, but not dead…"
"I know what you mean, Mrs.-"
"Sally…everyone calls me Sally," she filled in, offering to shake his hand, but pausing as Greg indicated to his gloves. "I'm sorry," she whispered, nodding in understanding.
"You've already talked with one of our detectives," Greg told her, indicating towards the door. "It might be best for you to head home. One of the officers can take you."
"I have a car," she pointed out, moving to get her stuff.
"It'll have to stay for now," he explained. "It's a crime scene, and until we clear it…"
"You don't think I have something to do with this?"
Greg shook his head, giving her an apologetic smile. "No, I do not. But whoever did may have come in contact with your vehicle, or perhaps left something on the road that can be obscured by your car as well. Until we clear the scene and release everything it'll have to stay. It's procedure."
She was quiet for a moment, but then nodded, reaching for her purse. "I understand…and if you need any help I'll be more than glad to do whatever I can."
He let out a small smile, waiting until she had left the room before turning back to his work. It was already halfway into his shift and he had yet to even scratch the surface of the crime scene. With a weary sigh he realized the one and only thing that was certain; it was going to be a long night.
The sun was already setting as the Texan pulled off his sunglasses, double checking the address that was given to him. With the kit clutched tightly in his hand he made his way down the sidewalk, coming to a stop with a small frown as the loud jarring noises could be heard from afar. The sleek red car pulled to a stop, the music blaring for a moment longer before the engine was turned off. Somehow it didn't surprise Nick to see Jaysen come stepping from the car, and the Texan let out a small sigh. The last thing they needed was another Greg.
Nick smiled at the thought, resuming his pace to the front door. It had taken a few good years to knock some sense into the ex-lab rat. The wild, eccentric man always trying to best and beat everyone at something. He had been energetic, and outgoing, always ready to crack one joke or another.
True, in the past few years he had clamed down; partly due to all that had happened, but Nick knew that was also due to Sara. The pair worked out nearly perfect. Greg's enthusiasm for live was the drive she needed, and yet Sara's calm was what kept him from stepping over the boundaries. If they both weren't so stubborn or hot-headed they would indeed be a remarkable pair, but Nick guessed that only fueled the need to be together.
He had once admired Sara's passion, her quiet, yet strong outlook and demand, and of course her beauty. Nick knew that he could joke with her in a way he could with no one else, and that was what he truly enjoyed. In the end he had lost her, but Nick hadn't taken it personally…at least he knew she was in good hands with Greg.
Reaching the door he pushed the button on the side, hearing the dull sound echo throughout the inside of the house. "Michael Walters, LVPD, are you home?"
"Not starting the party without me, were you?"
Nick resisted the urge to roll his eyes as the younger man came up next to him, panting from the long run. The house sat some ways from the road, the front door actually to one side under a makeshift awning. Aside from a dreary outside appearance, the house seemed to be well kept.
"Wouldn't think of it," the Texan muttered in response, trying the doorbell once again.
"Good, because you know I am here for your protection," Jaysen let out a sigh, straightening up as his hands rested on the small of his back, doing his best to catch his breath. "What do we have?"
"Michael Walters, last known boyfriend of our female vic. Phone records indicate they talked for five minutes yesterday around noon. The victim has no known family, but the principal stated he was Cynthia's emergency contact if anything happened. According to the principal, Michael Walters' name was removed from the card about two weeks ago with no reason. The mother just wanted it gone."
"So you think he's responsible then?"
"We don't know," Nick stated quietly, grumbling inwardly as he called out again to the supposed occupant of the house. "All we're here to do is ask some questions. Surely Brass updated you."
"He was too busy with that Sara chick," Jaysen responded, "who by the way is amazing. You should get a load of her."
"Excuse me?" Nick turned to him sharply, frowning.
"She is one hot piece of meat, if you know what I mean, male to male."
"Here's from me to you," Nick rebuffed him lightly, "First off Sara isn't a piece of meat, or any other selection of food. Secondly, she's unavailable, so back off."
He could hear the younger man snort in distaste, "Who would have guessed," he remarked crisply. "You and her. Somehow I just can't imagine it."
"Not that it is any of your business, but she and I aren't dating. It's her and Greg, so just back off man."
Jaysen laughed briskly, shaking his head. "And I thought the two of you made a sad pair, they have like nothing in common."
"Don't make me hurt you," Nick threatened, pushing the doorbell another time as he grumbled quietly. He desperately needed a distraction before he did something that he would regret.
"Why don't we just go inside," Jaysen wondered mildly, reaching for the knob. Nick was quick in grabbing his wrist, stopping him.
"We don't have a warrant. We can't just go sauntering in because we feel like it."
"We're the police," Jaysen griped, pulling free from his grasp. "Besides, the door's ajar. Now we no longer need a warrant."
"The scene hasn't been cleared," Nick argued, protesting as the other man nudged his way in. "You're not authorized to clear one either."
"What's so hard about it?" Jaysen asked smugly, one foot already inside the house. He had pulled his gun free, readying it to fire if needed as he continued inside. "All I have to do is wave this thing around and our killer will drop to his knees begging."
"If he is our killer then that means he's already taken two lives. If he can take a little girl's life without remorse, what do you think will make him consider not shooting you?"
"Come on Nicky," the man laughed, turning back to him. "Don't tell me you're afraid."
"You can compromise the entire case by doing this," Nick warned, staying well clear of the door. If he could just convince the naïve detective to venture back outside all he would have to do was file a report on an accidental entrance; no one would have to know the details, and if they were lucky, nothing would be excluded in court.
"If you say so," Jaysen remarked gruffly, rolling his eyes as he continued around the corner. Nick huffed, coming up with the last possible reason.
"We don't even have back-up. You don't know what's in there."
"You can be my back-up," the man responded from inside. "Make yourself feel important."
With a slight scowl he turned away, glancing down the street as the sun began to set. He couldn't just let him go in alone, knowing far too great of the possible dangers. If something happened to him the blame would rest on Nick's shoulders, and his shoulders alone. However, by proceeding into the house after him, he would only garner more trouble for himself.
Jaysen wouldn't be to blame. He was a rookie, and that alone would get him off for this mistake, however large it was to be. Yet for Nick, who knew well of what was and was not allowed, it could possible lose him his job. And at the same time, by not acting, he was risking the very same thing, but with greater results.
With a sickening groan he readied his own gun, knowing that either way he would be screwed in the end. At least this way his conscience would be clear, and with a steadying breath he pushed his way in, prepared, hopefully, for whatever he would find.
TBC