Finding Crimsoned

Chapter 7

Once again, his existence felt futile to Archer, why would he agree to team up with Gabe? To hear him boss around, he's just a year older and keeps giving orders, kicking the door shut Archer looked around.
"Where is Audrey?" he asked to Officer Holden who was on his chair.
"The girl had a phone call, went out." he said and Archer exhaled wincing towards the exit and saw her standing by the closed shop since; 2 years, noticing her handkerchief slip on the ground he bended taking it in his hand and approached his steps towards her.
"No, we're not killing him." His breath hitched and he slowly hid in the corner.
"I want him alive." she said, her tone totally indifferent the soft edge to her voice. Gone. She wrapped one arm around her waist and turned back, Archer hid his head. The deepness in her soft voice filled Archer with suspicion. He had suspected her confidence back then and it was a surprise to see her get exposed.
"Keep him alive with you, make him a pet."
"You know how much I love animals; we can't eat chicken. I never helped dad as well. The gravy was made individually." Archer shrugged his shoulders feeling a punch in his gut. He scoffed walking out of the corner as Audrey's eyes widened.
"Mr. Brooks?" she asked hanging up the phone and he waved awkwardly.
"Is Miss. Georgia's investigation done?" she tiptoed looking over his shoulders and he sucked his tongue and shook his head.
"Okay." she said and stood still, her white sand powdered face shone in the sunlight and Archer let his intuition guide him.
"Till then, how about we talk about William Gray and his family?"
She paused observing him "Sure!" pointing at his hand she said "Isn't that mine?"
"Oh yeah..." he said handing her the soft handkerchief as she smiled.
"What do you want to know?"
"About you and William, how did you guys meet?" she pursed her lips, inhaling a deep breath and Archer realized how Audrey hid her sadness while he judged her and now her face was turned dim when she said,
"Through one of his friends." she crumpled her handkerchief smiling sadly to herself "Harold or Harry that's what he called him. The boy was our regular customer and that's how he took William and his friend Dexter to our shop."
"You must know Aurora Denham then." She raised her muddled brows.
"No, who is she?"
"Never mind, is Harold the guy with trembling hands?" she crinkled her eyes chuckling nervously.
"So, what happened to your shop?" Her smile dropped from her face and she adjusted the bag on her shoulder, taking a moment.
"My father died, 5 months ago,"
"I am sorry."
"He had a heart attack, that's why Mr. William Gray hired me to work at his mansion."
"I am sorry for a personal question but Miss. Audrey Bell, did you have any clue about Mr. William Gray cheating on Miss. Georgia Evans?"
She narrowed her eyes, lips in a pout as she gasped and nodded enthusiastically.
"I've heard this from Mr. Dexter Philip's mouth, but Mr.William loved Miss. Georgia a lot to cheat."
"He never cheated?"
"He tried to but he said it didn't work." she said and her breath hitched, she looked away.
"He said? He told you about this?"
"To Mr. Dexter."
"Mr. Brooks." Archer heard a silvery voice and saw Harold run towards him. Harold stood in front and panted standing beside Audrey who whirled her head at him.
"Were you called by Gabe?" Archer asked bitterly recalling how Gabe had treated him this whole time and there was a whole complex case which they both had to cooperate together. He promised to himself, one more stupid order and he would resign his job as an officer and say goodbye to his dream of becoming a Detective.
"No...I have a news." he said still breathing heavily and Audrey opened her bear bag drawing out a big bear bottle extending her slim hand towards Harold, it reached his stomach. He paused and hesitated looking at the bottle but she nudged him with it.
"Take it already." she whined and he took it carefully opening the bottle and drank 2-3 gulps and sighed sedated and handed the bottle back.
"Thanks Audrey."
"Don't mention it, Harry." Archer made a note in his head 'addresses everyone as Mister except Harold, the same age as Georgia, Dexter and William.'
"What's it?"
"The flower song, I remember the lyrics." he said and Archer's lips parted and nodded drawing out his phone, opening the notepad.
"Very good, go on."
"Solemn face, serenity in his eyes, they said 'I want you to myself'. But who's going to tell them? My heart... and a piano music" he said "Belongs to a traitor, a person who exists without existing, all was good until you chimed in and he the evil chimed in," Archer kept the pace with Harold's recalling tone.
"Zealot, I call you approached her and caged her, done the unforgivable. The world is cruel..." he said and gulped to catch his breath.
"So, So, I will be the flower. You see Daisy, Lily or Sunflower but I see a thorn piercing your veins, the very heart of yours as you think you take out my life by capturing me, squeezing me in the palm of your hand but honey, you are draining your blood. I was not weak never weak. Stupid I call you for holding me anyway. Forgot? I was a Rose."
Archer looked up and Harold rested his hands on his waist, Audrey looked at him then at Harold.
"It sounds like a female." Archer said and Audrey nodded, her face pale hearing the lyrics.
"Or a male misleading us to be a female?" Gabe's serious voice emerged from behind as he came in the view, Georgia quiet as her eyes scanned Harold.
"You said it was a female and I hate to admit," Archer clenched his fingers "This does sounds like a female."
"We can't be so sure." Gabe said
"Thank you for your statement Harold." Gabe said and he bowed politely and glanced off at Georgia, a flicker in his brown eyes.
"Come on, we need to find Dexter." Gabe said pulling Archer as he walked and stopped him in the middle to glance back at Audrey, Harold and Georgia.
"Miss. Audrey Bell, she's too pretty isn't she?" he asked, not yet used to his soft love sick voice Archer ignored him.
"We both got useful statements today," he added
"What did you get?" Archer asked watching Georgia enter into a medic shop as Harold approached towards her.
"Harold Jones is the guy she cheated on William with." Archer gasped and whirled his head to Gabe.
"I know what you're thinking, but no he didn't know the guy was Harold." Gabe's eyes narrowed.
"But what the hell Miss. Audrey doing?"
"Stop bothering her," Archer said turning his head to watch Audrey's hand clasped around Harold's who looked at her grip then at her.
"What in the YA fiction?"
Harold said something, Georgia came out as she left his hand and smiled all eyes to clueless Georgia who smiled back not as enthusiastic as her.
"We're keeping an eye on that boy." Gabe's tone raged
"Or Miss. Audrey Bell?" Archer said smiling all eyes to Gabe's grimaced expression.
"I hate you!" he said leaving him and walking towards the car,
"I hear your heart shattering clearly."
"I said I hate you Archer!" he yelled closing the car door as Archer sat through the other way. Smiling to his note becoming useful.
"Addresses everyone as Mister except Harold." he said as Gabe stayed quiet.
"You keep an eye on her and I will keep an eye on the eye-candy."
"Watch your tone Mister! We're officers and you are falling in love."
"Don't call me that!" Archer chuckled and saw the map Gabe set before,
"What is this place?"
"William's hiding place, the one he used to hang out with Harold and Dexter."
"Georgia?"
"Yes, I think we can get some clues there."
"Good idea."
"Or you just want to avoid Mr. Nelson?" he winced
"But investigating her was not a bad idea after all."
"Agreed." Archer smiled looking out the car window, what a beautiful day. The sky had the warmest breezes of summer, the sky had tiny clouds and he inhaled the fresh air.
"Glad you did." Gabe muttered and Archer saw her lips curled up into a smile."

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