Chapter 20: "Unwelcome Guest"*
Marie sat on the couch in her dimly lit apartment, her eyes scanning the scattered files spread across the coffee table. The autopsy reports, witness statements, and photos of the crime scenes had become her nightly companions, haunting her with the faces of the dead and the constant nagging feeling that she was missing something. She sipped from her mug of now-lukewarm coffee, trying to push aside the fatigue that was settling in after days of non-stop work.
The knock at the door startled her, breaking the silence. She wasn't expecting anyone, especially this late. Marie glanced at her phone—no messages from the Eds or Officer Green. She walked cautiously toward the door, her pulse quickening as she peered through the peephole.
Kevin.
His face was flushed, and even through the distorted glass, she could see the slightly erratic way he swayed. He looked drunk. Marie frowned, gripping the doorknob but hesitating to open it. The last thing she needed tonight was to deal with him, especially in this state.
"Marie," his voice came through muffled but insistent, "I know you're in there. Come on, open up."
Marie bit her lip, debating whether to ignore him entirely, but then he knocked again, more forcefully this time.
Sighing, she cracked the door open just enough to meet his gaze but blocked the entrance with her body. "Kevin, it's late. What are you doing here?"
Kevin smiled, but it was crooked, his eyes glassy. "I just wanted to talk. You've been ignoring me, Detective." He slurred her title as if it were a joke. "I thought we had a connection. I've been thinking about you a lot, actually."
Marie tensed, her fingers tightening on the edge of the door. She could smell the alcohol on him even through the small gap. "Kevin, you're drunk. This isn't the time for whatever you think this is. Go home."
His smile faded, and his gaze flicked past her to the coffee table. His expression darkened as he noticed the files, recognizing the crime scene photos. He leaned in, pressing his weight against the door. "What's all that? Still digging, huh? After I told you there's nothing to find."
Marie blocked his view, pushing the door back slightly. "It's my job, Kevin. Now, you need to leave. We can talk another time, when you're sober."
But Kevin wasn't backing down. His hand shot out, gripping the edge of the door as he tried to force his way in. "Let me in. We need to talk—like, really talk. You keep playing hard to get, but I know you're just doing this for attention. All this with the Eds... you think I don't notice?"
Marie's heart began to race, and she pushed back harder against the door, her voice firm. "Kevin, go home. You're drunk, and you're not thinking straight."
He laughed, but it wasn't a friendly sound. "You think you're smarter than me, don't you? You think you can mess around with those losers and I won't care? But I know what's going on. You spend all your time with them, pretending like you're investigating... when really, you just like the attention. From *him*."
He was referring to Edd. Marie's stomach twisted at the possessiveness in his tone, and she felt a surge of anger. "This is not the time for this, Kevin. Leave."
Instead of listening, Kevin shoved the door harder, his hand slipping down to grip Marie's wrist. He was stronger than she anticipated, and before she could react, he had managed to push the door open. "You owe me, Marie," he hissed, his breath hot with alcohol. "After everything I've done for you. The least you could do is give me a damn kiss."
Marie's instincts kicked in as she yanked her wrist free, stepping back and putting space between them. "You need to leave now." Her voice was calm but dangerous, a warning. "Before you do something you'll regret."
Kevin stumbled toward her, his eyes glazed with something darker than just drunkenness. "I'm not leaving until we finish this." His hand reached for her arm again, this time catching her elbow and squeezing hard
Marie shoved his face away as he pulled her in for a kiss, fury rising in her chest. "Get out, Kevin."
But Kevin wasn't listening. His grip on her arm tightened, "Come on, Detective. You're making this harder than it has to be."
Marie had had enough. She twisted her arm free and shoved him hard in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. "Don't touch me!"
For a moment, Kevin just stood there, breathing heavily, a flash of confusion crossing his face as if he didn't understand why things weren't going his way. Then his expression darkened with anger. "You think you're better than me? That you can just string me along and then run off to your little boy-toy upstairs?"
Marie's heart raced, but she didn't show fear. She stepped toward the door, her hand reaching for the gun on the table. "Kevin, you need to leave, now. Before I make you."
He stared at her for a long, tense moment, as if weighing his options. Then, slowly, the drunken arrogance began to fade from his face. He ran a hand through his hair, looking dazed, his bravado slipping. "You're making a mistake, Marie," he muttered, his voice low and venomous. "I'm the only one who can protect you in this town. Don't forget that."
Marie didn't respond. She just held his gaze, her hand firm on the doorknob, ready to slam it shut the second he turned away.
After what felt like an eternity, Kevin finally backed off, muttering under his breath as he staggered toward the door. "You'll regret this," he slurred, stumbling out into the hallway. "I'll make sure of it."
Marie shut the door with a firm click, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She leaned against it for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn't expected Kevin to show up, let alone to confront her like that. He was losing control, unraveling under the pressure of her investigation.
She locked the door and sank onto the couch, her body still tense from the encounter. Kevin was dangerous, and it was clear he would become more unpredictable the closer they got to the truth.
