Hellish

12. the cop, the bitch & the wardrobe.

T H I R D
P E R S O N

Rockport, Maine
Present time

Dedrick paced around his hoarder of an apartment while his German Shepherd, Kairo watched...constantly stepping over balled up paper and food bags. His tables were covered with half full waters bottles, empty liquor bottles and pizza boxes. His voicemail on his cell and house phone filled with condolences and suggestions on getting him out of the house, even therapy. Of course that would be expected after experiencing the loss of his only daughter. Of his only child.

He pondered all of the ways her house could've gone up in flames; all of the ways someone could've made it look like it was an accident, but came up missing every time...why? Because he hadn't known his daughter all that well. Because while he was working around the clock, obsessed with his job, his ex-wife was involved in his daughter's life. Neither one of them wanted much of anything to do with him because of his absence, which was the reason for the divorce and weekend custody. 

"FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, throwing one of the glass beer bottles across the living room. He watched absently as it shattered against the wall.

Kairo rubbed his head against Dedrick's leg and sat in his lap as he dropped to the floor in full blown hysterics...courtesy of having a service animal. "Sorry buddy. I'm sorry," he sniffled, rubbing Kairo's head.

"I just don't know what to do. My baby is gone, I have no leads, and no one on the force wants me on this case. I'm a mess. A disappointment of a father," Kairo began to lick his tears away.

His phone started to ring and no matter how much he wanted to ignore it, it was the chief and he needed to take it.

"Simmons," he sniffled and wiped his nose. "What's up chief?"

"Simmons, how are you holding up?" The chief asked.

"I'm fine. Did you need something?"

"We may have found something pertaining to your daughter's case. I kno-"

And with that Dedrick hung up and sprung to his feet. He put on Kairo's vest and harness, grabbed his keys and they headed out the door and to the precinct.

Dedrick busted the front door open with Kairo on his heels. Ignoring all of the stunned expressions, whispers and nervous hellos, he made his way to the chief's office. "Good afternoon chief."

"Shut the door behind you," the chief didn't look up from his papers.

Dedrick shut the door and sat down with Kairo at his feet. "Chief."

"Quit it with the formalities Rick. You're making me feel old as shit."

"You are old as shit," they both laughed.

"How have you been Rick?"

"You already asked me, Vince," he replied.

"And you gave me a bullshit answer."

"If you knew it was a bullshit answer, why do you keep asking?" Dedrick asked, slightly annoyed.

"Because you need to tell someone the truth," Vince replied. "I've known you since you were yay high and for as long as I've known you you've never been one to face your problems head on. I know you didn't attend therapy, I know Reina doesn't answer your phone calls or texts. I know that your PurifYou is filled with vodka every morning you come in and not water. You come in with dark circles around your eyes every day and you went from rocking a five o'clock shadow to a full grown biker beard."