A Heart for Two?

The Beginning

30th May 2012

You wondered what brought you here.
 
On the cold metal chair.
In the bricked up room.
With the double sided mirror.
 
The status of police officer and the word interrogation did not mix well in the slightest. Especially when the room belonged to the Special Victims Unit. So to say that you were a nervous wreck was a bit of a downplay of your actual state of mind.
 
You were glad your years of training at the academy managed to keep your raging pulse under wraps. You berated yourself for being so nervous internally because you must be giving off the wrong signal. Only, you'd swear on your mother country that you hadn't done anything wrong.
 
Right?
 
The door swung open and despite your efforts to conceal your anxiety, your eyes darted to the intruder in a split second as your shoulders tensed up visibly.
 
The intruder in question presented itself to be a woman of lofty stature, her figure was well-built even though she carried a softness to her, just like her features; it was her skin that quelled the sharpness in her jaw and steely eyes. But your gaze gravitated towards her hair for it curled so gently without so much as a rough frizz. She must be the woman of every hour with those perfect waves sitting effortlessly atop her shoulders especially since you had her in the rain just a few hours ago.
 
The door slammed shut and you couldn't help jerking out of your reverie. Your eyes immediately darting to the gun holster by her hips or the supposed weapon in her hands. No gun, no weapon, only a file—your muscles slacked sorely from all the pent-up tension.
 
"Those detective instincts are a real thing, huh?" She started, chuckling at your reaction as she approached the table in a relaxed gait which was everything you weren't at this moment.
 
"Yeah? Then why am I here?! Like you said, I'm a goddamn detective just like you. Hell, we could've done this anywhere else." You scoffed and immediately wanted to retract it. Your penchant for anger was runner-up to your so-called 'instincts' when faced with agitation.
 
Her smile turned more polite than friendly. "You're the only lead we have so far. So we'll appreciate it if you could give us your cooperation."
 
The metal chair opposite you scraped as she pulled it out for a seat, dropping the beige case file onto the table with a splat. You let out a breath, sagging against the chair, not bothering to introduce yourself because hey, you were already in interrogation via their due diligence.
 
"Look, I apologise for pitching a fit. It's just, to quote you, one of my detective instincts and a rather inconvenient one at that. I mean like- " You closed your eyes momentarily to keep your voice from wavering. "Seeing strangers assaulted is one thing but when it's someone you know? Fuck, I don't even know how to react." You sniffed before looking up at her from your bowed position when you talked, seeing that her lips were beginning to part, sympathy brewing in her eyes.
 
You beat her to it.
 
"And don't play the violin with me. I've been using those clichés for years."
 
Her lips snapped shut as a shallow frown made its way in between her brows at your refusal. "Then I'll get straight to it." She pushed her file from her territory to yours, flipping it open simultaneously, unravelling grotesque and bloody pictures of both your friends. There were so many of them albeit countable, one by one lined up across the table at varying angles and distances.
 
The only thing constant in those photos was how your friends were all strung out like discarded dolls on the bloodied floor. The perp didn't even make a half-assed attempt to cover them up. It was all so undignifying.
 
You averted your eyes for a breather, feeling dizzy at the scenes when it'd normally be routine. The chair opposite you screeched closer. "Here's a question, where did you live before you hightailed to Manhattan?"
 
"Why don't you humour me and take a guess." You deadpanned, catching her gaze for a second.
 
"Suit yourself." But her head quirked to the side, still giving you a chance to answer. Despite that, you kept the silence, forcing her move.
 
So she leaned in towards you. "What were they doing in your house back in Atlanta?"
 
You felt your heart plummet as you realised your part in the investigation wasn't what it seemed to be.