The Rookie

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

Chapter 10 (The Sense of Danger)

Sitting in his local coffee shop, Beck mulled over his thoughts while going over a printed copy of his friends' case files. He didn't understand how the hell Mr. Sikowitz was tied into all of this; but no longer did he feel like his former teacher was just another victim. There was something there, he was sure of it.

Granted, it could just be coincidental, but he didn't know for certain. If Mr. Sikowitz truly blamed them for whatever happened to his nephew, it made sense he might be involved with the kidnapping. What Beck didn't understand was why the man himself not only went missing but was murdered.

Looking up from his black coffee he had the strange feeling of being watched. His gaze travelled to that of a woman approaching his table. She was tall, tan, and had curly hair that was golden and like flames encircling her shoulders. Meeting her piercing blue gaze, he couldn't help but think she was familiar.

"You're Beck," the woman said, "Beck Oliver?" His eyebrows rose at his name's mention and he gave a brisk nod as the woman's lips curled into a smile and she extended her hand. "I thought I recognized you. One of the friends of an old roommate I had." As realization dawned, he rose from the table and met her handshake with a smile.

"Cat's roommate? Haven't thought about you in a long time." This was Samantha Puckett, a former member of some internet show in the early 2000s. She came to California towards the last few years of their schooling. She had the unfortunate timing of selecting Cat as her roommate, because the redhead would go missing in a matter of a few months. "I remember you used to host a show or something back in the day?"

"My friend back then did." The woman withdrew her hand with a sigh and started to reach into her purse, pausing with her fingertips inches from the zipper. "Part of me wonders how she is, but we honestly never kept in touch. Sad, really."

"Unfortunate." Beck folded his papers into the manila folder they belonged in and positioned the folder beneath his arm. "What have you been up these days? I thought you moved out of that apartment when Cat went missing."

"I couldn't afford to pay both our rents after all." Sam looked to the door. "Are you staying long enough to finish that coffee?" The woman ran her index finger and thumb on the leather zipper of her purse, her eyelids sank halfway. "Or, if you're finished, I wouldn't mind catching up outside. It is a rather lovely day."

"I was just finishing up." The woman dropped her hand to the side of her purse and gave a curt nod. He flashed a smile and extended a hand to the door. "But no, I don't mind catching up."

"Certainly." They walked to the door and Beck opened it for her, breathing in slow. "To answer your question, I've had a few odd jobs here and there. I do pest extermination, mostly. The best in all the state." He followed her out, furrowing his brow slightly.

"I don't think I've ever seen your business advertised."

"Primarily word of mouth." As they made their way out the door, Beck watched Sam slide the zipper of her purse down. In the moment, he was sure he saw something metallic glinting in the sunlight. There were a variety of other objects, such as strange packets, neatly organized inside.

Strangely, he felt uncomfortable even at the brief glimpse of the contents of this woman's purse. In that moment, he started to think of his old friend and wasn't sure why. Andre's image was heavy in his mind, his pained expression gazing upon him. Next came flashes like that of a storm, showing Mr. Sikowitz, kneeling on the ground followed by the sound of a gunshot.

Raising his gaze to meet Sam's, he mustered a smile as she adjusted the strap on her shoulder. "What have you been up to these days, Beck? Through the grapevine, I think you've become a detective of sorts."

"Oh? You keep up with old friends or something?"

"Yes, something of the sort. Cat wasn't my only contact down here."

"Interesting, and yes I'm a homicide detective." Given how frequent the flashes of random memory came in his head from his deceased friend, he wasn't sure telling Sam that he was a homicide investigator was such a good idea anymore. "Who all do you keep up with these days?" He started walking towards his car, half hoping that Sam would not follow him. After all, these flashes in his head were making him feel unsafe and he suspected more than ever if his dead friends were, in fact, trying to send him messages from beyond the grave, then it had something to do with this blonde walking at his side.

It was an absurd thought, especially since he didn't believe in such type of paranormal activity. No, this was merely an overactive imagination derived from listening to his sister talk about paranormal mystery novels.

"Actually Sam, you say you haven't kept up with your old friends? Why? I thought you and that girl were best friends."

A blank expression came over the woman's face and her shoulders started to rise. "She took the guy I was interested in, so I've moved on. Besides, I don't think she'd much care to remain friends with me, given my line of work."

"She likes pests too much?" He chuckled softly, though his half smile faded as fast as he saw the unamused expression on the woman's face. Her hand was slowly reaching into her purse as he was reaching for his car door. His head was pounding and he desperately needed some Asprin. "Actually, I thought about catching up but realized I need to get going. My head's killing me."

"Oh, sorry to hear that." Suddenly his phone began to ring. Sam's eyes rolled upwards and her voice fell flat as she removed her hand from the purse. "Phone call."

Relief flooded his body as he yanked the cell phone from his pocket and put it on speaker. Trina's voice echoed and Sam's eyes darted to the phone. "Oliver, I need you at the station stat. There's been another body. Rather, meet me at the location. Ballona Wetlands south of Del Rey. Vega out."

"Your boss?" Sam tilted her head and scrunched her nose as Beck pocketed the phone and shook his head.

"No." He sighed, feeling rather unconvinced of the answer himself. "She's my partner on force. She probably is supervisory, though."

Sam started to smile and gave his arm a gentle pat. "Well, I won't keep you from work, Beck. It was nice meet you again after all these years. Perhaps we'll run into each other again sometime soon."

She gave him a wink and he slowly ran his hand over his neck. "Yeah. Sure." He watched her pivot and make her way across the parking lot. Blowing out a heavy breath of air, Beck eyed his car for several seconds before hurrying into the driver's side.

He wasn't sure what to make of the sudden rush of danger he felt, but the moment he was in his vehicle, the flashes in his head had ceased. "What the hell was all that?" He shook his head and shifted his car into drive.

Beck arrived near the marshes of the Ballona Wetlands reserve, though where Trina indicated the discovery had been found was in the marshes beyond the creek just west of the marina freeway.

He had to wonder if it would be in connection to the Jacoby case given how close in proximity the bodies were, but he doubted it. No, Renee Jacoby was an isolated case, as evidenced by the countless times unrelated homicides would be in close proximity to another case.

"Apparently some rangers found the body just outside the perimeter of the reserve," Trina said as they made their way to the location. "Sorry to have to pull you away from whatever you were doing for work."

"Honestly, I'm as happy to be at work as one can be, considering." Trina arched an eyebrow, then shook her head.

It wasn't long before they found the body, and both of them froze on the spot, speechless when they saw it. There in the swampy marsh was a woman laying upright, completely nude and head turned with her face to the north. Her body did not look to have been there long, rather Beck would have suspected she'd been dumped there after death.

The heart-wrenching sight for him wasn't the manner in which the body was found. No. This was a thin, bony corpse whose familiar blue eyes stared lifelessly at him, shrouded with vibrant red hair.

Falling to his knees, holding his stomach as he felt a violent churn of nausea, he didn't need to see if the victim had identification to be able to identify her. To his right, Trina wasn't reacting with sickness but her expression was contorted with a look of vicious rage.

"It's Cat," he uttered in a single quaking breath as tears welled up in his eyes. "Poor Cat." Suddenly he recalled his night terror, remembering how he saw Cat rising up out of some swampy area. His eyes clenched shut and he fell forward, grasping the grass and mud with his hands. "Oh god."

Trina knelt beside Cat's body, looking her up and down. "Contusion on her forehead, I'd say she hit her head on something." Trina's nose crinkled when she looked down the girl's body. "Looks like she's been assaulted." The woman rose to her feet, growling and tensing. Her words stung Beck's hears and he continued to violently shake.

"I'm sorry, Beck." He paused, looking up to Trina with surprise. It was the first time she actually spoke his name. The woman looked visibly upset, though it was difficult for him to tell just how upset she was. "I'll call it in. You go on if this is too much for you."

"N-No, it's an investigation. I'll deal." He rose to his feet and started to sigh as his eyes travelled to the woman's body. Not only was Cat's body clearly fresh, she appeared older than when he last saw her. It was hard to believe, even harder to imagine what this meant. "She's been alive all this time? Where has she been?"

"I guess we'll find out, just means she's been in California at least recently." Trina shook her head. "I don't see a form of identification or anything. If it was any officer besides us, she'd probably end up a Jane Doe. Let's see what forensics can dig up, with luck the killer's DNA will be on her and we might get a glimpse of where she's been."

Hmm, well this doesn't bode well. Thoughts on everything?