that august night - c.l.

39. That's right, we lost the count

Once Elena had her eyes wide open while, she looked at Charles who was peacefully sleeping next to her. His arm wrapped around her in warm embrace. Elena didn't want to leave, but she had to. So she slowly pulled herself away from his arms and got ready for the work.

She noticed, once he came back last night, she smelled a scent of alcohol over his shirt and body. He obviously had few drinks and she wasn't sure where did he get those drinks or where he was. But didn't want to make it a big deal.

...


"How are you, you look like you hadn't slept in days." - She was greeted by Ashley in front of her office doors. "Yeah, thank you very much. You look beautiful as well." - Elena smiled. She didn't really care about how she was looking as she knew she would spend the whole day in office looking through papers they found recent weekend.

She immediately started her work, focusing on ending it at the time she was supposed to, but doing as much as she can at the same time.

She didn't find anything about so called Daniel Nova, but they did find that he had other bank accounts that he transferred money to. The account name was under Emiliano Allison.

Elena stared at the screen trying to understand what she had found out in the recent days. Anya told her that her boss, in few recent months, was receiving a visit from none other than Emiliano. Earlier this morning she found out that the gun from which Jessica shot Gustavo from, and the gun that was used to kill Jose in the club, had connections.

They both had Jose's initials on it and referred to the fact that the guns were from his illegal weapon sale. Through the papers she found the paper that confirmed the sale between Emiliano and Jose. But what if it was just a coincidence? What if he just bought a gun to protect his family and this all just seemed like Emiliano bought a gun and hired a man to murder his children?

But that sounds like something that would happen in a movie. Why would he want to kill his own children? Elena figured there was one way to find that out and that was to go to Allison's house and question them about the recent people they found connections with.

Then she heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in." - She replied before door opened and Charles stood on the doorframe. "Oh hey, I didn't expect to see you." - Elena stood up, not getting close to him as usually. He was drunk, so he might not have the clearest thoughts about last night.

"Yeah, I came to give you a coffee. It has been some kind of a tradition to make one for you and I couldn't make an exception this morning." - He closed the door, walking closer to her table. She stood behind it as he left the coffee on table and closed the space between them.

His arms trapped her body in between his and the table that she was leaned on. She didn't move, afraid of scaring him away but it seemed like he wasn't down to step away. So her hands wrapped around his neck, bringing him closer to her face, almost like muscle memory that hasn't been used in few days.

"You are fucking irresistible." - He whispered before one of his hands tucked strand of hair behind her ear, tracing it down her jawline then stopping on her chin, raising her head. She felt like a teenager for the first time in love, her cheeks were probably as red as they could get. And he noticed it once he put a smile on his face.

Their lips connected with one another, after what felt like an eternity. They moved in sync as his hands left the table and locked themselves on her hips, gripping the skin on side of her body.

They missed each other's touch. It went both ways and they didn't know. Their bodies talked but not their souls. And even words of affirmation wasn't enough sometimes. But they liked to believe it was that way. Even if it meant it could turn out as a lie later.

"Elena, you wanted me to-" - Ashley's voice broke off their kiss. And it was for the better, it would've went too far. Ashley stopped as Elena turned around to face her as Charles stood behind her back. "Sorry, yes I wanted that." - Elena stepped away, walking towards Ashley.

"You are lucky our boss wasn't on my place." - Ashley stated as Elena smiled taking papers from her hands. "Who? Jorge? He wouldn't mind us doing anything as long as he got to meet Charles." - Elena talked turning to Charles, placing her papers back on table.

"Well, ever since you two practically got exposed for dating whole building is asking for more time with you. Especially, Jorge." - Ashley argued as Elena playfully rolled her eyes. "How many times has he called you to his office in past week exactly? That's right, we lost the count." - Ashley added quietly but Charles heard it.

He fought the urge to ask, not to seem like he didn't trust her. But the truth was, he didn't trust anyone around her.

"Whatever is the reason, hope he knows that you are mine." - Charles added with a smile on his face as Elena returned. "Don't worry, everybody knows."


...


"Mr. Allison, do you know who this man is?" - Elena showed the picture and information they had about dead man's boss. "I am afraid I don't." - He responded, sitting next to his wife who looked like she spent sleepless nights, across from Elena and Ashley.

"Are you sure?" - Elena repeated. She saw that his eyes stayed a little longer on the picture once she asked for the first time. They knew he lied. "And you Mrs. Allison?" - Elena turned to her. "No, I don't." - She almost whispered out, barley keeping her eyes open.

"He was connected to the man who broke in your house, he has been his employee for the past few months. We found many money transactions between them. He has been doing the dirty work for him all this time, right up to the moment he died." - Elena informed.

"We also found few transactions with big amount of money, to the bank account under name of Daniel Nova. Familiar?" - Elena precisely looked at Emiliano, whose head kept looking all around, avoiding the eye contact. He shook his head. Lie.

"And you were busy as well, Mr. Allison." - She turned to him, with his eyes now avoiding her. "You don't think we don't know that you were seen with the boss few times. And you are seriously dumb if you think we don't know that you bought a gun from him, after talking to him in private." - Elena leaned on the table in front of her.

Both Elena and Ashley tried so carefully to study his body language, and his wife didn't take it too easily. "You are lying? You know him? You know the man who practically organized the murder of our children?" - She stood up, screaming at him.

"I've met him. But I don't know anything about him. I only know his name and that he died few days ago." - He defended, but it still proved that he lied. "Mr. Allison. I will ask you this one time, do you have any connections with the murdered man or the man named Daniel Nova." - Elena went straight to the point.

"No! I only know their names but I know nothing of them." - He yelled out. "Then you say you didn't meet with Mr. Perez more times to buy more weapons." - Elena continued. "I didn't! Only one time, to buy a gun my wife used and that's it."

"You are lying, again. We have proof its otherwise. You've bought three more guns, all from Jose himself and we have proof you were seen with him more than you claim." - Elena fired back as his look didn't change. Like he wasn't worried. He stayed silent which proved that he didn't have anything else to say in his defense.

"If you are so sure you are not guilty, you will let us search the house, properly this time. We got search warrant and we-" - Elena was stopped in mid-sentence, feeling sharp pain in her right shoulder.

Everyone realized what was happening and that Emiliano had gun in his hand, pointing it at everyone around. First Elena, shooting her in the shoulder after which she fell on the floor from the chair. Then Ashley who was shot in lower abdomen and then his wife in chest.

Elena lost her consciousness, hitting the floor as her vision went black and she couldn't hear anything else.

---------------

"stop, you're losing me,

i can't find a pulse,

my heart won't start anymore, 

for you, 

'cause you're losing me"

I just love Taylor Swift sometimes.