Jizzie | Hand on Heart

Chapter 36 | Helping Hand?

I slide into the booth, the hot drink warming my chilled hands.

Despite the hot California sun, I was for some reason, freezing.

Maybe it was just my nerves.

Sebastian and I spent hours last night scouring through Thea's instagram to locate someone who may be Katia.

We eventually found someone who fit the bill, not on Thea's instagram, but on one of her other friends, tagged in a picture from a while ago.

I got in contact with her, very briefly at that, and we agreed to meet her today, as she was still in the states luckily.

Carlisle's words still echo around my mind as I think back to this morning, where we called him to update on the situation.

"Are you alone right now?" He'd asked as soon as I'd called him.

"No Sebastian is here." I raise an eyebrow, what was up with him.

"I need to talk to you, in private."

"Not right now, I have a meeting with Katia."

"Katia?"

"The girl Thea mentioned, I explained this to you not five minutes ago."

"Lizzie I'm not kidding here It's important."

"So is this! I'll call you later, my phone is about to die and I really have to go."

"You don't know who this girl is." He'd warned me.

"She was Thea's friend, Jesus why are you so riled up about this." I scoff, packing a few things into my bag.

He pauses, as if holding back his real answer, "she isn't who you think."

"You don't even know her?! And how bad can she really be. I mean look at this WHOLE situation, it can't get much worse."

"Just be careful."

I rolled my eyes and hung up.

Why was he so freaked out? And what was he not telling me.

I brush it off, the guy was on edge anyway, this was no different.

Sebastian was sitting in the car, he said he didn't want to cause any issues so would just sit this one out.

The bell above the door dings to signal someone's arrival, and I turn around to see a girl walk in.

She looks around, making eye contact with me and smiling, "Lizzie?"

"Yes! Katia?"

"Yep!" She walks over, sitting opposite me, placing her bag besides her.

"I'm so glad you could make it, I know this situation is a bit weird."

She laughs, "you could say that again. And I'm happy to talk about it, anything to resolve this entire situation."

I'd given her the abridged version of my past over the phone last night.

"How's Thea? I haven't spoken to her since that night."

"She's doing a lot better, if you don't mind me asking, why did you loose contact,"

She takes a moment to think, "I heard she went into a coma, and I never got word when she woke up." Katia shrugs, "maybe I never asked us because subconsciously I was trying to forget the entire thing happened."

I frown, nodding slightly.

"It's a bit hard, since the memory likes to read its ugly head every so often."

"What do you remember from that night, if you don't mind me being so forward."

She takes a sip from her water, "from when we got to that building?"

I nod again.

"There were gunshots, I couldn't make out what happened after the door opened as I was too far away, but shortly after it died down the cops arrived.

I heard them shouting about money? That someone owed them something. But then they all ran off.

I saw Thea on the ground but I couldn't help, I couldn't even move.

A nice officer helped me up, and I saw Thea being helped by another man, except he wasn't a cop."

"How do you know?"

"He wasn't wearing the uniform, and he came out of the building before they arrived, waiting by Thea and talking to her until they arrived. She didn't respond much as she was pretty out of it as far as I could tell."

I chew on the rim of my cup, who was that man?

Something is telling me that it's important.

"Do you remember anything about him?"

She shakes her head, "I never spoke or got remotely near him as I was taken back to the station, whereas Thea was taken to the hospital. And it was far too dark to see. But I know he didn't have blonde hair as I would've been able to tell."

I nod, writing down what she said, "was he tall?"

"Yeah fairly."

Scribble scribble.

"Anything else?"

"I'm afraid not, I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

"What you've given me is more than I had before." I smile, standing up to shake her hand, "I never got your full name?"

"Asher, Katia Asher." She smiles back at me, her blue eyes wavering.

Katia picks up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, "let me know if anything else happens."

I dip my head, "I will."

I watch as she walks out, taking a second to collect my things before leaving the coffee shop.

Climbing into the car, Sebastian gives me a look, "anything useful?"

"There was a man." I tap my pen on the dashboard, "he wasn't a cop, he was seemingly one of the bad guys who ran out, but he was working with the cops."

"Who could it be?"

"I have a hunch, but I have one final bit of evidence I need to check up on."

"Did you find anything else out?"

"They were shouting about money."

"Who were?"

"The men." I wrack my brain, "the men who were trying to escape the building before the cops came. That someone owed them something."

"Interesting."

"It is indeed." I gnaw on my lip, "I need you to drive me somewhere."

"Sure, where?"

"If my hunch is right, then I may finally get an answer on this." I look over at him, a smile on my face, "I need you to take me to my old house."