How To Catch a Killer

Wolf in sheep's clothing

Campbell's POV:

"Don't work too hard now or else you'll end up in an early grave," Higgs warned, peaking his head out from his cubicle.

"I'll take a break once this case is closed," I replied, flipping over some documents.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he spun his chair around and continued with his business.

I left the department to meet up with Matt at the coffee shop just across the street. We sat at one of the corner tables, he insisted.

"What do you want? I already gave you what you wanted. I thought we were done."

"Well think again El Chapo. I have more questions."

"Ah, screw this," he grunts, motioning to leave his seat.

"Five years," I reminded, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Five years of a toilet five feet away from you. Sharing a bathroom with rapist and murders. Having to eat food that dogs turn their nose away from. On your knees with your mouth wide-"

"Ok! Ok! I get it! Fuck man," he sat back down defeatedly.

"Who the bloody hell is Ashe Harris?"

"Some girl who used to hang with Oliver," he shrugged. "I don't know." 

"That's not good enough," I replied bluntly.

"Yeah well, it's all that I've got. Ok?"

Honestly is this what I'm resorting to? Shaking down a high school student. He's not out of my deck just yet. He'll come through in time.

"How disappointing," I gathered up my things and left.

Rowan's POV:

Lunch had just started, and I decided to eat something for once. If I'm ever going to get better, I have to at least try to put in some effort.

"Where's Naomi," I asked Bri sitting opposite to me.

"I asked her not to come sit with us," She looked conflicted on whether or not to provide an explanation. Finally, she spoke, " Rowan, we need to talk."

Great, nothing good ever comes after that.

"You're different... bad different. I'm worried about you. Can you just tell me what's going on and don't say you're fine because you're not fine! Is it your mom, is she okay?"

"Yes, she's okay," I reassured.

"Then what is it?!"

I remained silent, my eyes not daring to meet hers. Is she really doing this now, here? I was fighting the urge to just walk away and not deal with this, but the truth has to come out eventually.

"... What happened when you confronted Oliver?" She asked but I had a feeling she already knew the answer.

I finally gave into her questioning. I couldn't take the lying anymore. "Bri it was an accident I-I swear," her eyes widened like a deer in headlights. "I feel like I'm going insane," I confessed, tears threatening to escape.

"You... killed him?" She whispered in disbelief.

"He came at me so fast. I had no choice, you believe me right," I reached my hand towards hers for some comfort. She pulled away before any contact was made.

"Not here," she warned, looking around to see if anyway saw.

"Are you serious," I scoffed bitterly. "I can't do this," I raised my hand in defeat, getting up from my seat.