Chapter 1
Olivia Marsden, Via to most people, sat in her bedroom, working on an essay for her english lit class. Dressed in a white tank-top, and sweats, her hair thrown in a bun, Via sighed, rubbing her eyes, yawning. “Coffee,” Via muttered, setting her laptop on the bed and getting up. It was 12 AM, now Saturday. Via knew she needed to go to sleep, seeing as she needed to be up at 7 AM for work but Via also wanted to finish her homework before going to sleep.
Making her way towards the kitchen, Via grabbed a K-Cup, putting it in the coffee machine that cost Via one week paycheck, and started the machine. Opening the dishwasher, groaning when she saw the dishes still dirty.
“God damnit.” Via grumbled, slamming the cupboard shut. “Simon! I told you to start the dishwasher!” Via yelled walking towards her fathers room. “Simon!” Via banged on the door, “Open up, now.” There was no noise behind the door.
Via opened the door, flipping on the light to see her father’s room a mess and empty. “Are you kidding me?” Via sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Did he even come home at all? Via hasn’t seen Simon since Wednesday morning. Now it was normal for Simon to be gone for a day or two, but three days? That wasn’t normal.
Via turned off the light and made her way back to the kitchen, grabbing a regular cup, and pressed start, letting the coffee fill the cup as she grabbed the vanilla bean creamer and milk.
Just as Via was going to pour the creamer in, two knocks sounded through the apartment.
“Olivia Marsden, NYPD!”
Via stared at the door, which was next to the kitchen not moving at all.
Another knock. “Olivia Marsden!”
Via swallowed, setting the creamer down and made her way towards the door, looking through the peek-hole. Two people, male and female, stood outside her door. Via unlocked the door, but kept the chain lock in place.
“Can I help you?” Via asked cautiously.
“Olivia Marsden?” The female asked.
“Who’s asking?” They weren’t dressed in police uniforms.
The male pulled out his badge showing it to Via, “Detective Fuller. This is my partner, Detective Allen. We’re here to talk to you about your father.”
Via sighed, “Did he get arrested?” She asked. It wouldn’t surprise her if he did. Actually Via is surprised that Simon hasn’t gotten arrested until now.
The two detectives shared looks before they looked back at her. “No. I’m sorry to inform you but your father’s dead.”
Via stared at them surprised, looking between the two detectives looking for any lies. Via shut the door, and unlocked the chain, opening the door again, fully this time. “What the hell happened?” She asked.
Via was now sitting in an office at the police station, green cardigan tossed over her outfit and white sneakers on her feet, a cup of crappy coffee in her hands, waiting for the detectives to return.
Via pulled out her phone, an iPhone 5S, and pulled up Daniel Brandly, her bosses number from the Café and sent off a text letting him know what was happening and couldn’t go to work today.
The door opened and the detectives walked in. “Are you going to tell me what happened?” Via asked right away, setting her phone and coffee on the table in front of her.
“First, when was the last time you saw your father?” Detective Allen asked, sitting next to Via while Detective Fuller sat in front of them.
“Wednesday morning before school.”
“And you haven’t seen your father since?”
“No.”
“Why didn’t you report it?” Detective Fuller spoke up.
Via sighed, “Because he always does this. He disappears for a day or two then reapers. I only noticed he wasn’t home, like 5 minutes before you guys knocked.”
Fuller nodded, writing something down in his notepad. “And why didn’t you notice?”
“Because I just got home an hour ago.”
“Doing what?”
“Working.” Via snapped, tired of the questions. “I work two jobs. On Thursdays and Fridays I work from 6 to 10, okay?” Via rubbed her face. Fuller and Allen shared another look, this wasn’t a daughter who would hurt her father. This was a daughter just trying to survive.
“Okay, do you know anyone who your father may have got on the wrong side of? An enemy who would want to hurt him?”
Via shook her head, “No. Simon was barely home as it was, okay? He was a druggie, probably pissed off a lot of people.” Via wouldn’t be surprised if Simon crossed a powerful man, it sounds like something he would do.
Fuller sighed, “Right now we’re still investigating your fathers murder. Is there anyone who can take you? Mother? Grandparents? Anyone?”
Via snorted, crossing her arms, “No. My grandmother died before I was born, my grandfather isn’t known, and my mother bailed last year after the new year, taking my brother with her.” Via shrugged.
It stopped bothering her months after her mother left. Via didn’t know why her mom didn’t take her with them, but she didn’t care anymore. The only thing she cares about is finishing school and going to college.
“Is there anyone else?” Fuller asked, now feeling bad for the girls. She’s only 15 and lost the last parent she has. When he saw Via hesitate, he pushed on, “Olivia is there someone else?” He asked.
“I don’t know. Simon told me I was named after his sister.”
Allen raised a brow, “You don’t believe him?” She asked.
“He was high when he told me. Figured he just made her up or something.”
“We’ll check.” Fuller reassured her. “Who is your aunt?”
“Olivia Benson.”
Captain Olivia Benson, sat at her desk, working through a few cold cases when her phone rang.
Olivia looked at the number confused, it was 2 in the morning, the rest of her officers were at home. It was only her and the night crew. Olivia answered with a brisk, “Benson.”
“Olivia Benson?”
“Yes this is she.” Olivia leaned back in her chair, glancing at the time. 2:20 AM.
“This is Detective Michael Fuller from 61. I’m calling about your brother Simon Marsden and niece Olivia Marsden.”Olivia sat up straighter. Simon. She hasn’t heard from him since she helped him with that drug charge almost three years ago. And her niece? She hasn’t seen little Olivia since the girl was a toddler.
“Captain Benson?”
“Yes, I’m here.” Olivia shook her head, “Is everything alright? Did something happen to them?”
“I am sorry to inform you but your brother Simon Marsden, was found dead at 11 PM. Your niece is currently here.”
Olivia looked shocked, “I’m on my way.” Olivia hung up, grabbing her coat. Olivia rushed out of the office, heading straight for the elevator.
“Alright,” Detective Fuller walked back in the room, handing Via another cup of coffee “We contacted your aunt, she should be here soon.”
Via raised a brow, “She’s real?”
“Yes, she’s very real.”
Via hummed, sipping her coffee. So, she actually had an aunt that she was named after. Via thought Simon was just ranting and making up a story about having a sister. Turns out he was right, for once in his life.
“And what does she do?” Via asked, leaning back on the sofa, “Because if she’s another druggie, then I’d rather be sent to foster care.” Via would not spend the last year of high school with another person who is high all the time.
Detective Fuller smiled and shook his head, “No. Olivia Benson is a Police Captain.”
Via blinked. She did not expect that. Via doesn’t know a whole lot about her family, on either side, but she knows that Simon’s father was a rapist. Problems runned in the family and Via didn’t believe anyone could escape fully.
I mean, look at her. Via knew she had problems. Anxiety and depression being a few of them. She used to cut herself for months after her mother left and only stopped after her best friends Sarah and Natalie found out and got her the help she needed.
Therapy, now once every two weeks. Sunday, 10AM to 11AM. It used to be everyday after school, then twice a week, now just once, every two weeks.
“So,” Via cleared her throat, “What happens now?”
“Now,” Detective Allen shifted a little, “You will go with your aunt. DCF will be by in a few days to talk to both of you, we’re going to investigate the death of your father so we may call you or your aunt.”
Via nodded, running a hand over her face. “Can I go back home and get my things?”
“Of course.” Detective Fuller reassured her.
Via took her coffee and drank more knowing she wasn’t getting any sleep today.
A knock on the door made her look up. An officer popped their head in, “Detectives, Captain Benson is here.”
“Let her in.”
Fuller and Allen stood up as the officer stepped aside, leading an olive skinned, dark hair, brown eye woman in the room. Via eyed her supposed aunt up and down, realizing she shared the same eye color that Via and Simon have.
Olivia looked at her niece and was shocked to see how big she had gotten. She was beautiful, with her light brown skin, big dark curls Olivia could see hanging out of her messy bun, and her brown eyes that Olivia realized came from Simon and herself.“Hi,” Via pressed her lips, “So you’re my aunt huh?”
