Aaron

"Zya." I called from across the precinct, the tall man turned to glare at me and returned to his conversation with Bella. I walked over to him, a file in my hand of utmost importance. I could only trust Zya with something this significant.

"Morning Bella." I said as she clutched her coffee tighter.

I swear if he tries taking my coffee again, I'll punch him. Bella thought as I eyed her coffee with a small smirk on my face.

"Aaron." She said as Zya refused to look at me. He knew that I knew of his affair, if his poker-face was any indication of our previous conversation.

"How's the case going?" I asked, trying to make conversation and lead Bella back to her desk. She looked annoyed at my interruption.

"No new leads. Ophelia's body was found by a river this morning. And still nothing on Caroline Vesper." Bella responded blandly. I nodded.

"How about LP? Luke Parker or something like that; the keychain that was found at the crime scene." I said.

"He said he was Caroline's lover. It makes sense why she would have his keychain. He isn't a suspect."Bella said, turning toward Zya now, her hand on his forearm, "we can talk later."

"Yep." Zya responded blandly, his deep voice with every inkling of disinterest. But I knew he was eager to schedule another scandalous session with Bella. I almost felt bad for his wife, but it wasn't my business to butt into.

Bella walked away, her thoughts mustering things I wish I hadn't seen as Zya turned to me.

"What do you want, Knight." He glared at me, also annoyed that I had interrupted his conversation.

"Let's go talk somewhere private." I said as Zya crossed his arms.

"I'm not into you like that, Detective Knight." He said, as if this were some joke. I crossed my arms in response, walking toward the room we typically questioned people in.

"Damn." I responded, walking in front of him as I held the door open. I shut the blinds to ensure nobody could hear our conversation.

"How did your date go with the doctor?" Zya asked, still maintaining a poker face.

"How did your date go with my co-worker?" I responded.

Touché. Zya thought.

"Aaron, look kid, as much as I would love to stand here and gossip about our relationships, I have serious work to do. Why do you want to speak with me?" Zya said, the only indication of any emotion was his brow twitching in frustrating.

"I need your help with a more... personal case." I said as he raised his brow.

"Does it have to do with the engaged doctor you're seeing?" He said, attempting to rile my feathers.

"Her father is back in town; I think he might have something to do with the missing women on mine and Bella's case. I also think he's out to get me and would do it at all costs, even the cost of his own daughter's life. I'm trying to see if there's a way I can protect her— she lives in Barrier. And last time—," I said, but was immediately cut off.

"What makes you think this man is after you?" Zya questioned.

"I..." I wasn't sure what to say or how to describe that he was a psychopath. I didn't know how to tell Zya that I had something very dear to Dooley's heart in my DNA. I didn't know how to explain the ridiculousness of the situation to him.

"Right, so it's speculation then." Zya concluded, "in that case— no, I can't help you."

"Why not!?" I exclaimed, "he tried to kill her before—," I said, but Zya crossed his arms.

"We don't have the resources to go out chasing someone who has already served their sentence. And even so, he can't be put on trial twice for the same thing. I don't have time or the resources to help you." Zya said. I shook my head, dreading all possible scenarios.

"What about Bella..." I said.

"You've used that one before. It's not going to work. Besides, I'm thinking of breaking things off anyway." Zya said. "Is that all?" He asked. I groaned, I felt like we had gotten nowhere and all I could think of was my concern for Violet.

"Take me off the case. The Ophelia and Caroline cases. We don't know if their murders are linked. I want to privately investigate Robert Dooley."

"Aaron, you don't make the calls here. You're staying on that case until we solve it. And if you have any actual leads against this Robert Dooley, only then will I allow your speculation to go any further. This isn't a game or a mystery novel. This is real life, do you understand?" Zya frowned.

"Then why are there two dead bodies found the week that he gets released from prison?" I shouted, my blood boiling from the frustration. "He's the—,"

"Coincidence maybe." Zya said, "unless you have real information, I'm afraid you're just wasting my time, detective Knight." Zya reached for the door handle, walking outside and leaving me standing there, utterly speechless.

I shook my head, overwhelmed and frustrated and afraid that Dooley would hurt Violet again. I took a deep breath.

We had a lead and they couldn't get anything out of him. Bella had said that Luke told her he was Caroline's lover, but he had told me he barely knew her. That seemed oddly suspicious. I wondered if somehow Dooley was involved— but it seemed like a bit of a stretch to assume anything at this point in time. I felt helpless. I wanted to protect Violet, I just didn't know how.

I would need to talk to that kid again, on my terms and in private.

Let's see what Luke really knows.

***
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