Chasing Innocence | ✓

4 | violent behaviours

Utterly exhausted, I wipe down the bar in small circles. My eyes fix ahead of me as I blank out, only brought back by the sudden clatter of cutlery behind me.

"You're spacing," Cash tuts.

"Sorry," I mumble, "long day."

"Working at that firm again?"

"Yeah," I breathe. "It's great and all, but hard work. Which I expected, but—"

"But now it's real," Cash fills in, nodding his head. "I know all about that. It's how I felt when I first opened here. Long nights, lots of effort. The dream almost died, but then I woke up and said fuck it. I wouldn't let the pressure overcome me. Knowing you, you won't either."

I smile softly, grabbing several empty glasses from the bar and tipping them into the sink. "If I wasn't so tired, I'd give you a massive speech about how much of a sap you're becoming."

"Blame it on fatherhood," he grunts. "Shit changes when you realise you're not the most important person in your own damn life anymore."

I feel my chest tighten as I look away, my eyes scanning the tables for anyone waiting to be served. Only two men sit in the corner, chatting animatedly as they share a bowl of fries.

"If it stays this quiet, leave early," Cash says. "Make sure to lock up, yeah?"

"You've got it," I smile.

Cash pats my shoulder before grabbing his leather jacket and saluting me goodbye as he exits through the doors, out into the carpark.

My face falls slowly as I watch his retreating form. I lean my weight into my arms as I close my eyes, sighing.

I'd barely slept the past two days, trying to unravel the complexity of Braxton's case. Maia had taken one look at me this morning and I could already see herself biting her tongue. She was clearly worried. Worried that I was getting too invested.

I flex my hands, pulling away from the bar as I clean the dirty dishes. The hot soapy water soothes my skin for an instant, before my mind spins again.

All day I worked with Davina on Braxton's case, trying to untangle his lies. She'd worked out the facts first; what time he arrived, how long he stayed, what time the cameras cut. She'd been able to get the CCTV footage enhanced, trying to read the conversation that Braxton had been having with Dylan.

"I've got a professional lip reader who should be back with results in about twenty-four hours. She'll be able to help us understand why their conversation was despite Braxton stating that they were strangers to each other."

"You think they knew each other?"

"I'm almost sure of it," Davina said.

I hated unsolved mysteries. When I was twelve, I'd stayed up every night for an entire week trying to understand what had happened to a local girl who'd gone missing. It was like an itch I couldn't scratch. I needed to fix it desperately, like it was my burden to uncover. My brother had told my parents, and they'd sent me to sleep school. Like that fixed anything.

The door jingles and I jerk my head up, cleaning the last of the glasses. Placing them on the bench to dry, I wipe my hands clean, grabbing a menu for the incoming customer.

"Welcome to Cash's Bar and Grill, how can I—"

I stop short when I lock eyes with Braxton Patridge walking towards me. Dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie, his hands are stuffed into the pockets. He moves a stool back, sitting directly in front of me.