They say death comes for us all, whether we are ready for it or not. To say Emma was shocked by the news she'd just received about Philo's death was an understatement.
The older man had always seemed to be in the best of spirits and fine health. The last time she saw Blake was at least a week ago; they had decided it was best to distance themselves since they were "broken up." She'd been moping around the house ever since. She had gone over to hang out with Kandy and Claire for a few hours to try to get her mind off everything, but it hadn't really worked.
Her parents had asked why she wasn't with Blake. At this point, they knew how close the two of them were; it was probably odd for them not seeing her and Blake together. But Emma would just brush it off, saying he was busy lately taking care of Alex, which was also probably true.
And now, here he was at her front door, his eyes red with tears "What did you just say?" she whispered, her voice barely a breath. She must have heard him wrong. Philo couldn't be dead. He licked his lips, and she stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. He walked inside and sat on the couch, burying his face in his hands.
She came over, sitting across from him.
"Philo is dead," he said, looking up from his hands, the raw sadness in his eyes a punch to her stomach.
She knew he must be feeling awful. Philo was like a second father to him. "I'm so sorry, Blake. Do you know what happened?" He sighed, leaning back and remembering how he found Philo. "I was supposed to go into work today. The doors were locked when I got there. I was confused, so I went to Philo's house. I knocked on the door, but no one came. When I looked through the window, I saw him lying on the floor, passed out. I tried opening the door, but it was locked. So I called the cops and sat on the steps and waited. When they arrived."
He paused, a flicker of something in his eyes. "This cop, Harry Carter, actually helped. He said he worked with Ms. O'Connor, so I could trust him. I asked if they were still looking into who drugged you that night."
A small, bitter smile touched his lips. "He looked confused when I brought it up. He said there was nothing in the record about that, but if anyone could solve it, it would be Ms. O'Connor. He gave me her number if I had any questions."
Blake shook his head, pushing the memory away. "Anyway, I went with Philo to the hospital. They labeled his death as a heart attack. They said they would look into finding his will and would get back in contact with me afterwards, because I was the closest thing to family he had."
A sad smile touched her lips. Even now, even when they weren't together, he was still looking out for her. She stood up from the couch and moved to sit beside him, pulling him into a hug "I'll miss him," he said in a shaky voice, holding her closer.
"I know, Lake. He was a good man. I'm sorry," she whispered, rubbing his back. She hoped he could find some comfort. She knew how hard it was to lose someone. "If you need me, I'll be here. As... your friend." Just saying the last part left a bitter taste in her mouth, but if he did need someone, she wanted to be that person for him, even if they weren't "together."
"Thank you, Emma. For everything." She smiled sadly and continued to rub his back, a silent comfort.
****
"Ms. O'Connor, what is all this about a drugged girl case? There's nothing in the record about it. And damn, what happened to your living room?" Harry looked past Mona into the chaotic space, filled with evidence—some she had already gone through, and some she hadn't gotten to yet.
She knew she shouldn't have opened the door, but the kid was persistent. He had stood outside for at least thirty minutes, knocking. The last thing she needed was her neighbors calling the cops on another cop.
She hushed him with a finger to her lips, looked past him to make sure the hallway was empty, and then quickly pulled him inside, locking the door behind them.
She glared at him for a moment. "Are you mad, talkin' like that out in the open? Do you want to get yourself killed?" He pressed his lips together before shaking his head.
Champ came into the living room, a toy in his mouth, ready to play with the stranger. "Ah, you don't need to get yourself involved in all this. It's better you don't know." She turned from him, sitting back down in her spot on the couch and picking up some papers.
He put his hands on his hips. "Do you think I'm a child, Mona? Just because I'm younger than you doesn't mean I'm dumb and can't face the truth." She looked up, surprised at him. This was the first time he'd used her real name since he became an officer.
Without asking, he walked closer, sitting beside her and picking up some of the papers. "So, tell me what's going on before I start looking into it myself."
She smiled slightly, proud that the kid had the guts to come into her house and talk to her this way. Maybe he could turn into a good cop after all.
"Right then. I'll tell ya everything I've learned in the past year: the corruption at the police station, the cover-up, and the murder of possibly five or six innocent young girls."
He dropped the papers on the table, wondering if he was going to regret getting involved. She shook her head at his expression. "Once I tell you, if anyone finds out, you'll have a target on your back. You could be killed for this. Are you ready for the truth, Harry, is it?"
He swallowed hard, thinking of all those young girls who had lost their lives.
Were they ready for their lives to just be taken away from them? No, but it came for them anyway. Sure, he wasn't ready to learn the truth, but it could save more lives. He could find the strength "Yes, I'm ready."
Mona smiled, passing him a few papers from her side. He took them, looking through them briefly. "Once I tell you, it's us against them, Harry." He nodded, fully understanding the responsibility on their shoulders. He didn't understand how she was able to get through all this paperwork by herself. He looked up at her. "Then let's catch these bastards."
She nodded with a grin before she started to fill him in on all the information, everything she had so far.
Mia note- Teamwork makes the dream work yall!
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It Started With Hello
Romance***** Emma Pear knew she wasn't the most popular girl in high school. Her nose was usually buried in a textbook, and her grades were as spotless as her reputation for always following the rules. "Nerd" was a label she'd long since embraced. Her pare...
