C1
Do you know what a walk of shame is? It's something you will never see me do, because I always keep extra clothes in my car. Not because I love one night stands, but at my job you can get dirty. So I always have a bag of clothes waiting, but they also come in handy when you sleep over at someone else's place.
I have finished putting my jeans and bra on when Mr. Tall, dark & handsome wakes up. I know he's awake, because his breathing has changed.
"You have a beautiful back," he gets up and stands behind me, watching me in the mirror.
"Is that all you like?" I arch an eyebrow. He walks closer and pulls me into him roughly, he pushes my hair to one side and leaves hot kisses on my exposed neck leaving me breathless.
"I can show you what else I like, but you'll have to get naked again," I smile and walk out of his arms to put my grey tank top on and push it into my jeans before I put my belt on.
"I'd love that, but I have to get to work," I put on my combat boots and leather jacket. He just stands against his dresser watching me, I send him a smirk and put my brown hair into a ponytail.
"How about coffee at least?" He asks.
"I'll get one on the way," he looks at me like he is trying to figure me out.
"Will I see you again?" Damnit, I wasn't even supposed to have sex with him, let alone sleep over. Now he wants to see me again.
"I doubt it," I tell him and gather the rest of my shit. Releasing a sigh he walks into his bathroom and I take my leave. I like him, he was incredible last night but I can't do that again.
I greet Supervisory Special Agent Samuel Pérez and my partner Agent Hugo James when I reach the crime scene. Liz the forensic examiner walks over to us looking very disturbed.
"Morning Amica," she greets me.
"Morning Liz, what have we got today?"
She looks at me grimly "a decapitation" she answers quickly, avoiding my eyes.
I stare at her wide eyed, because this is the fifth crime scene with a severed head. The icing on this gruesome cake is; all the victims are from my old school. Everybody is worried I am going to be next, after the third (because the third time is a charm) I got worried too. I knew everyone at some point, and that's why this case is so important to me.
"Just like all the others he was tortured, killed then decapitated. They took time with him though, he has more wounds." I walk closer to the body, as usual the head has been placed at an angle away from the body. I think it's supposed to sit there and watch. I stop dead in my tracks, it can't be "what is it?" Hugo places a hand on my shoulder, I turn around into his arms and start crying "Hey, shhh. We will find whoever is doing this." I wish his words could comfort me, but I'm upset and shit scared. "Come on, let's get to the office."
"Our latest victim is male, 36 and...."
"His name's Grayson Nash," I interrupt Sam and avoid Hugo's eyes, I know he's figured it out.
"Amica you gotta try and see a connection here, who'd want to hurt your former friends?"
"They were not all my friends," I roll my eyes.
"Well they have something in common, figure it out. Go back to the school if you have to." He says with finality. I walk out of the room needing some air.
I knew all the victims;
- Layla sat behind me in all my classes, she used to tell me about random shit I didn't know.
- Marc and I used to get high together after school.
- Sheila was Marc's girlfriend, so she'd join us sometimes.
- Riley was the go to guy for homework and stolen test answers.
- Grayson was my everything, my whole life revolved around him till my second year at college. I never really stopped loving him, he was my first everything.
"I'm sorry about Grayson," Hugo takes a seat next to me on the cold step "I know how crazy you were about him," he continues with a small smile.
"What am I gonna tell her Hugo?" Grayson and I have a daughter. Only Hugo has met her and Sam knows I have a child, but he doesn't know the father.
"The truth, she will find out anyway. It's better if it comes from you." I stare out in front of me, the tears keep falling and I can't help remembering how happy he was when I told him I was pregnant.
"Will you come with me to tell her, I don't think I will be able to do it by myself." He pulls me into an embrace and kisses the top of my head.
"Of course, you know I got you."
Hugo and I drive into my old school's parking lot "God, I hated this place." I remark as we start walking into the school.
"Blasphemy," He fake coughs into his hand, eliciting a laugh from me.
"Ms. Carter, to what do we owe the pleasure today?" Headmaster Thompson asks me when we sit down in his office.
I let Hugo take the lead "We have a new victim, we found him this morning. Same as everyone." He cuts right to the chase, the headmaster looks at me expectantly.
"It's Grayson Nash," I tell him, the pity is immediately evident in his eyes.
"I am sorry Amica, I will call Iris to the office to come see you." He tells his secretary to to call my baby.
"Agent James you can talk to Maya our local journalist and Miss Richards to help you access our archive room."
We are sat in the waiting room when Iris walks in "Hey uncle Hugo," she gives him a hug. "You didn't come home last night," she says to me in an accusatory tone "I made dinner," I give her a long hug.
"I'm sorry baby, I should've called. I didn't mean to cause you to worry." She sits down in the chair in front of us. "What's up?" She asks us.
I clear my throat and Hugo takes my hand and squeezes it "we found a fifth victim this morning," I look to Hugo for more support like telling her who our victim is, but he just tells me it'll be okay. I close my eyes and brace myself "It's your dad," she looks at me like I said something confusing, but when I don't say anything further a tear falls down her cheek.
"No, no, no. He was fine when I spoke to him last night. He was gonna call you cause he missed you." More tears fall from the blue eyes she got from Grayson.
"Did you see him or did he call?" Hugo asks, because I am too much of a sobbing teary mess to say anything.
"He came by the house, he wanted to see us. Said we'd go bowling tonight even!" She cries out.
"Did he look worried or anything?"
"No, he was just happy to be back. He spent over an hour at our house, then I watched him get into his car and drive off." She answers a little calmly this time.
"What time did he come and leave?"
"Uhmm, he came just after seven so we had dinner and he left before nine after helping us clean up."
"Thank you babygirl and I am really sorry about your dad," he gives her another hug and leaves us.
"Mom, I am really sorry." My baby, always so empathetic. "I know you still loved him, he loved you too." We hold each other and cry until it's just sobbing.
We say our goodbyes and I promise to be home tonight.
Right now my partner and I are in the archive room going through old records.
"Could you think of a time the victims would've been together? Maybe a field trip or..." I have a light bulb moment.
"Detention! I am so screwed Hugo. We had detention together," I interrupt him.
"And you're only remembering now!?" He looks at me astonished and I throw him an annoyed look.
"We only had detention together once." Is my argument.
"So except you, who else is still alive?" I need to think, it was years ago. I was so consumed by Grayson, that I never paid much attention to anyone else.
"Uhmm, there were two more. I'll know them when I see them," Hugo slides me a year book and I flip through it. "There! Melissa Thomas and Ryan Anderson," he takes the book to look at the photos of the two.
