-You can't tell anyone promise?-

~Chapter 3~

Warnings: Very mild swearing, description of a corpse

"So where are you driving me to ?" I ask
"A park  near my place there's a boy whose body has just been found there" He replied
"Oh God that's awful" I mewled
"Yeah"
"I'm Andy by the way... Andy Barber" He said trying to change the depressing topic
"I'm Isabelle Walker it's good to meet you" I announced
"It's good to meet you too" He agreed
Silence surrounds us only for a short moment.

"So Isabelle you new in town ?" He continues
God, I loved the way my name rolled off of his tongue so perfectly.
"Uhh no actually I was born and raised here but then after my parents died I started to work away a lot more I just came back from Atlanta actually" I explained
"Oh" was all he could manage to say
"Sorry I didn't mean to make the conversation dark I always seem to do that" I apologise
"No don't apologise I just didn't know that's all"
"How would I expect you to know we just met"
"Work told me about you they had some very impressive things to say, they explained that you're the best District Attorney in the country, 4.0 GPA, multilingual and very good with people"
"Well the 4.0 GPA and the ability to speak multiple languages are both very true, I wouldn't say I'm good with people I'm just patient when it comes to those who piss me off and the best DA in the country is a definite exaggeration" I laughed

"It can't be that much of an exaggeration you were the one who caught Inez twins the biggest drug lords the world has ever seen, we should go to dinner after this and you can tell me exactly how you did it" He said
"Dinner? Uhh sure"
"We're here" He points towards the cop cars with the flashing lights on in front of us
We head towards the group of officers that appear to be just standing around we go to walk through the police tape at first our request was denied until Andy showed the man his badge and we were granted access to the premises.

The two of us walk for a little while until we see around ten or twelve men in white what looked like trash bags taking pictures of the ground and when I look down I realise what exactly they're taking pictures of. There on the leafy grass lying flat on his back, a boy who only looked like he was in his teenage years with his neck sliced open and a stab wound to the chest his T-shirt and hoodie smeared in what I assume is his blood, his clothes ruffled up and his eyes rolled almost to the back of his head.

-FLASHBACK-
I was walking home from school taking my usual route to my childhood home smiling at people as they walked by, approaching some of them that had dogs and taking a moment to pet and admire them enjoying every minute as the sun rays beamed down on me as they did every day since the summer began.
I skipped happily up to my driveway and reached in the back pocket of my shorts for the house keep only to realise the front door is already open panic begins to wash over me as I open the door even wider and step inside

"Mom? Dad?" I yelled
There is no reply which heightens my worries.
I place my bag down next to the front door as I did every day after school and made my way through to the living room I look down and my nightmares had come true my parents were both on the living room floor their eyes rolled almost to the back of their heads, their necks sliced open, a stab wound to their chest and their clothes drowning in their blood.
I crouched down next to my mom and closed her eyes out of respect
"Mom ?" I bawled

I crouched down next to the boy and closed his eyes out of respect for him despite not knowing who he was I stayed for a moment inspecting the boy's features and wounds trying to get even the slightest idea of what happened to him. I felt someone grab my shoulder and I look to my left to Andy crouched down next to me
"You okay ?" He asks
"Yeah I'm fine" I reply
"Sure ?" He queried
"Yes I'm fine" I lied
I saw a woman in a suit jacket and expensive-looking dress pants approaching us so I stand up she offers her hand out to me and I shook it as she introduced herself "Paula Duffy I was supposed to meet you to show you around this morning wasn't I ?" She asks
"It's nice to meet you and yes, yes you were"
"I'm sorry that I wasn't there I didn't even make it to work before they called me in to come to check this out" She apologises
"No, I understand this is more important than showing me around I'm sure I can-"
"I'll show her round" Andy interrupts
"Oh that's kind of you" Paula praises him

"Who is he ?" I ask changing the topic
"Ben Rifkin, fourteen, attends Archer Middle School, well known by the locals" Paula explained
"Who would wanna kill a kid ?" I wonder
Then our thought bubbles were burst by the sound of Andy's phone ringing he checks to see who's calling him and excuses himself from the group to answer the call.
"You two seem to get on well" Paula began
"Hm ?"
"You and Andy seem to get on well he usually likes to work alone" She continues
"Oh we're not working together and I prefer to work alone"
"Well keep up the good chemistry and you might get given the case to work on together" She praises
"There's no chemistry there" I shut her down
Andy then makes his way back over to us putting his phone back in his coat pocket
"Who called ?" I enquired
"It was just my- it was no one"
"It's getting dark out now so you guys can be heading off we'll get Mr Rifkin down to the lab for an autopsy and we should get some results by the morning" She informed us
"Okay thanks, Paula see ya tomorrow" Andy says
We go our separate ways and walk back to his car.

"So how about dinner ?" He asks
When we arrive we are immediately given a table and menu's and we both eagerly take a seat both starving and desperate for something to eat.
"Sorry we never got to meet properly you probably thought I was some creep just inviting you into my car without you even knowing my name" He chuckled
"No honestly it's fine don't worry we had to get to the scene it was important"
"Yeah it was" He agreed
"It's awful what happened I don't wanna be that person but I'm about to be but don't you think that things like that are so much worse when it happens to kids ?"
"Yeah I get that feeling"
"Are you sure you were okay back there something looked like it touched a nerve ?" Andy queried
"Nothing touched a nerve I told you then and I'm telling you now I'm fine" I hissed
"You're lying" He argued
"Is that what the rest of our friendship is gonna consist of? You pretending you know me better than I do ?"
"So there's a friendship here ?" He teased
"Don't change the subject"
"So tell me what was wrong and I won't" He demanded
"I don't know I just- when I saw the kid I just had flashbacks to when my parents died I found them and I-" I stuttered
"Oh my God I didn't realise you don't have to"
"Just let me finish" I interrupted

"When I found them they both had their throats sliced and a stab to the chest just like Ben" I continued
"You think there's a connection? Have you thought maybe it's just a coincidence ?" Andy asks
"I know I might be reaching for the stars on this one just at least look into it or even consider it and if I'm right and we catch this guy we'd be getting a two for one"
"That's honestly ridiculous you can't b-" He's then interrupted by the waiter coming to our table asking what we'd like to order
"I'll have a steak and chips please" I order
"I'll have a burger and chips, plain thanks" Andy orders
"Plain? That's boring at least have some cheese on it" I suggest
"I'm eating it not you, I'll  just have it plain please"
"And for dessert ?" The waiter asks
"Oh no, we're not staying for dess-"
"Two ice creams please" Andy interrupts
I look over at him and furrow my brow, he looks back and just smiles.
"What flavour ?" The waiter asks getting impatient over our bickering
"Strawberry" Andy requests
"Chocolate please" I say
The waiter then walks away. "Strawberry? That's disgusting" I criticised
"Have you ever tried it ?"
I say nothing because I knew I hadn't
"Exactly, don't beat it till you try it anyway why are you judging me what kind of an asshole picks chocolate that's so boring" We both hysterically laugh

"Chocolate is not boring, vanilla is boring and chocolate is the best flavour so shush" I giggle
"That waiter was checking you out by the way" He says trying to diffuse the jokey bickering
"No, he wasn't" I defended the stranger
"Was"
"So what if he was? Would that make you jealous" I tease
"Maybe" He admitted
After some more banter and bickering our food came, we quickly cleared our plates and our dessert was handed over and after enjoying our food and me giving some filthy looks at Andy's choice in ice cream flavour we finished up and swiftly made our way outside and into his car.

We sat in the car for a moment he looked over at me and I looked over at him, he leans over and presses his lips to mine at first I didn't pull away I quite liked it for some reason and I was basking in this moment. In sync, we both pull away and place our foreheads against one another's "I'm sorry I can't do this" I confessed
"Why not ?" He asks
"It's not right I'm calling an Uber back to work so I can get my car" I say and get out of the car that's when Andy rolls the window down and yells "I know you felt it too !"
I walk back to him and lean in the window "Felt what ?"
"Why don't we do dinner at your place tomorrow and I'll show you" He flirts
"My place isn't a good idea do your place"
"Nah I'd rather not" He insists
"I'll see you at your place here's my number text me your address" I hand him a card with my number on it and immediately call an Uber as I watch him drive in his cute little grey Audi.