The Suspect

Chapter 7

"I can help you with Brandon's case."

Did I hear him correctly?

"What?" I say loudly, my back still facing him.

The sound of his footsteps hitting the hard concrete ground become louder as he walks up to me.

"I said, I can help you with your brother's case," he repeats and I slowly turn around to see a serious look plastered across his face.

"Yeah, genius I got that," I point out and roll my eyes, "Look, I'm going to say this again and for the last time. Why should I believe you?" I step back a little, noticing how close we were.

"I have information that can lead to a breakthrough. Vital information," he specifies.

"And what information would that be?" I ponder, hardly believing he's being serious right now.

"Ah, you see it's an eye for an eye. You accept my proposition, and I'll help you," he remarks.

I stare at him for a few seconds. Dismissed by his vagueness, making it very hard to trust him. I feel my body starting to shut down; tired with the amount of work and information that dumped itself on me. I need sleep. And food. And coffee. Anything but him right now.

I wave him off, "You know what? Shove the proposition up your ass, I'm leaving," I turn around but I'm halted once again; by his hand on my wrist this time.

"Penguins."

I laugh and turn around to face him again, "What?"

"Brandon's favorite animal was a penguin. An emperor penguin if we're being specific," the words eloquently flow out of his mouth, with no pauses as if this information is always at the tip of his tongue. My jaw slightly drops at his knowledge and I stay silent as he continues.

"Has always been fascinated by biology and life on earth. Apart from that, he spent his time being the lead guitarist of his little band," he pauses as his gaze lowers to me, "One that my brother was also the lead drummer of. His favorite color was black; that also being quite a sensitive topic for him since black is apparently a shade and not a color." he chuckles and rubs his stubble as if he was taking a trip down memory lane.

I try to speak but I'm pretty sure no words come out of my mouth. He has rendered me speechless. Apart from dad and I, Brandon only had Tyler. He didn't have any other friends—or at least to my knowledge. My head is reluctant to believe him but this was..oddly very specific information.

I shake my head and take a step back, "H-how do you know this?"

He chuckles again, "I told you darling. We live in a world where it's an eye for an eye," he simply states.

"I don't know what to say," I admit.

I really don't. While he may seem like an antagonistic asshole; he somehow knew things about Brandon no one else apart from close family did. If he really means what he's saying; then it could finally be the thing I've been looking for all these months. However, if it doesn't, I would risk everything. My job most importantly in fact. I would have to lie about many things; breaking bonds of trust and loyalty.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and look up at him, "Look if I give in to this, I'm putting my ass on the line. If you turn out to be a fraudulent, lying son of a bit—"

"Am I already not that?" he jokes, "Oh wait, except we have an addition to the list of things I am. Fraudulent."

I shoot him a glare and clear my throat, "If you turn out to be even more of a fraudulent, lying son of a bitch; you'll be expecting me to take down your door a lot sooner than you think. I mean it, I will choke you with my bare hands if I have to."