Clandestine [C.H]

40

THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE!
Please be sure to read chapter 41 after this!!
—

Charlotte Evans

I use my elbow to push down the door handle and quickly turn around to push backwards through the door. I forgot how difficult it is to get into this place; security is hectic, there are so many doors I had to go through, and all while carrying coffees and food, it's not an easy job. But now that I'm in, life is easier and I can walk straight to the front desk.

"Charlotte?" Miss. Williams, the receptionist lady, says my name with a wide smile as she sees me walking towards her.

"Miss. Williams!"

She quickly runs around the desk and meets me halfway, taking the coffees out of my hands and the grocery bag off of my shoulder. She steps back and looks me down. "You're so grown up! How did this happen in only two years?" She says with a smile as we both start to walk towards the main bullpen.

I laugh. "University ages you, I've never been so tired."

"Hey, Char," Ian says with a smile as he comes walking to us, taking the grocery bag from Miss. Williams. "Thanks for the rain check, we're absolutely swamped. But you'll see everything in a couple of minutes, we miss your help." He jokes, nudging me in the side.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world. Don't tell Bailey, but this is my favorite place."

"Charlotte! Hi, oh my god! You're here!" Ava launches up from a desk and comes running to me, grabbing me in a hug. Ava is the youngest detective in the precinct, only a few years older than me and she was quite new to the job when I first started coming here. It's safe to say that we connected fairly quickly. "Chief mentioned that you were coming, but now I can't believe that you're really here!" She touches my face and then my arms. "You're real."

I laugh. "I am real! At least I hope I am, being a ghost without knowing it wouldn't be great."

"Ian, I'm stealing her. I want her first," she says excitedly and takes a coffee from the cup holder. "Come look, I got my own office," she smiles and wraps her arm around mine.

"Sorry, Ava, you can steal her later," chief says as he walks into the bullpen. "Right now, meeting in the briefing room."

Ava faces me and rolls her eyes. "Alright."

"Let's start off with the biggest case: Ian, Ava, any more updates?" Chief asks as he stands at the front of the room.

"The ME has finally gotten back to us with more info on the victims from the casino night investigation," Ian says as we all settle into the briefing room. "Andrew was stabbed from behind, shot twice in the torso, and asphyxiated, we don't know which one was first, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that he's dead, and so are 14 of his men."

Fuck. The fact that I wasn't expecting this much from them is quite honestly amusing. How naïve can I be?

"None of this matters with no leads, though," Ian closes the fine on the table in front of him and leans back in his seat. "We've checked all security footage, we've spoken to all witnesses, and IDed all of the cars that were taken by the valet. We've come up dry. Every time. With nothing other than two kids running through the lobby. And to be honest, there is nothing absolutely suspicious about it. With lipstick on his neck and hers smudged, they were probably caught hooking up."

Chief sighs. "So, what are you suggesting? We drop the case?"

"We don't drop the case, we just set it aside until something else comes up. With all due respect Chief, there are more operations with a lot more evidence that need sorting out. Organized crime has shoved us down this rabbit hole before. We can't get lost in this again."