Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

2. JT

"JT Forbes, medical researcher," Tess reads the information to Catherine as they pull into the lot of an abandoned looking warehouse. They'd gone back to the precinct for some digging and now they were here.

"This is where he lives? Chemical plant?" Catherine asks, parking the car.

"Researcher," Tess says while they get out, like that is supposed to explain the weirdness. They look up at the building before moving.

"Maybe he works from home?"

"Yeah," Tess shrugs. "Or it's a meth lab."

Catherine smiles at her. "Just my type."

Tess playfully raises her brows. "Oh, a little Zeke rebound?" They pass a beat up light blue car and Tess points teasingly, "you can make out in that."

Catherine grins as they enter the building. It's dark, so they have their flashlights on to see where they're going. Knowing how fast things progress, Catherine makes quips how the building will be turned into condos in two years, and Tess agrees, noting that JT needs a new decorator.

They walk through the first floor and down the hallway of the second, making sure to look out for anything suspicious. They reach a double steel door at the end of the hallway that says OFFICE in white letters.

"JT Forbes?!" Catherine calls, knocking twice on the door. "NYPD." Nothing happens. "Mister Forbes, open up."

A moment later, a tall, slightly overweight balding man with blonde curly hair and glasses pushes the doors open from the inside. Catherine takes a look at his clothing too - a pair of blue jeans, a black character T shirt and a washed out red, black and white checkered shirt. Behind him a flat screen TV is on and speakers are blaring.

"JT Forbes?" Catherine asks. He nods, his hands going to his pockets. "I'm Detective Chandler," she looks at Tess. "This is Detective Vargas." She holds up her badge.

"Uhm, this isn't about that speeding ticket is it?" Forbes asks, looking between them worriedly. "Cause I'm gonna pay."

"No, we're here to talk to you about a former roommate? Vincent Keller."

"Vincent Keller?" He turns around, his back to them, walking into the room. He repeats Vincent's name like he is trying to jog his memory. "Sucks you know," he faces them again when they enter, seemingly remembering. "What happened. So young."

Catherine keeps her eyes on the man. He looked nervous. "So I'm assuming you haven't heard from him recently."

"Like voices or - ?" Forbes frowns, his fidgeting with some books stopping.

"No," Catherine says, continuing her entry and looking around, talking as she goes. "Like him. His fingerprints just showed up at a crime scene."
Catherine spots two beer bottles, two plates and some physics and other books. JT Forbes was either really messy or he was hiding something.

Forbes shivers and chuckles. "Oohh, sounds like you need new fingerprint guys." He continues to put books into a bag, avoiding eye contact. Catherine keeps looking around, listening to Tess ask questions.

"Is there any reason Mister Keller might want people to think he's dead? Maybe he was in trouble?"

"He was in Afghanistan, of course he was in trouble."

Unbeknownst to the two women, they were not the only ones listening to the answers or questions. At the top of the staircase, Vincent Keller sat and watched them. He was mostly following Catherine as she moved around. Catherine felt eyes on her but she couldn't see anything. Her gaze did go up to where Vincent was hiding, but he was certain she couldn't see him.