"Detective Rodriguez. We've found a lead on the Odell case." An officer states to my partner.
"Odell? Ashton Odell?" I question, looking up from the files scattered on my desk.
"Yes Detective Fane." He answers, "The boy that went missing 10 years ago."
"Then why is something coming up now?" Rodriguez stands up standing opposite the officer.
"We aren't sure why now but his father brought something in that's of use." He finishes before walking back down to his station. Ashton Odell was Valerie Rodriguez's first case when she was 22 and straight out of university. How is a decade old, missing person case have evidence being brought into the light only now?
"Simone Allen was the lawyer on the case 10 years ago Garrison. We need her back." Val snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Alright, contact her."
"She retired 4 months ago." oh. "Her niece is a lawyer though, maybe we could get her to help?"
"Yeah sure. What's her name? I can find her number through the system." I ask sliding my chair over to my messy desk.
"Hadley Bardot." Why does that name sound so familiar? "She's Ashton's ex-girlfriend though, I'm not sure if she'll be fine to deal with the case even if it has been several years."
Odell's girlfriend? Yeah she probably doesn't want to talk about her dead, manipulative ex-boyfriend.
"Yeah she probably won't want to." I cough out.
"Never say never Garrison, first rule of the job."
"Seriously Val? I've been here 3 years, thanks for the tip though." She chuckles.
"If you don't message Bardot, I will." She comments before walking away.
"How would you even find her number?" I call out.
"Well I'll contact her sister, Taylor Bardot. My husband's sister is her best friend after all." Well I didn't see that coming.
I messaged Hadley three hours ago and she still hasn't responded, she's read it, but she's just left me on read. Well that's convenient. I let out a sigh as I sit in my apartment at the kitchen island sipping on a coke with my MacBook opened to the texts. She still hasn't changed her number since the last time we spoke 6 years ago when I asked her if she was doing better than she was when I first met her, she left me on read even then. We never once spoke after that. I won't lie, I did think about her and about texting her but there would be no point, she'd just ignore my messages and eventually end up blocking me. I jump off the bar stools and throw the bottle of empty liquid into the trash can when I hear a buzz on my phone as well as a message slide up at the top right of the laptop corner. I walk back over to the seat and notice a response, "And you are?" Well if I'm being honest, that hurt.
