WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ↠ Mazikeen [2]

21 | INNOCENT

SCORPIONS WAS PLAYING ON THE RADIO as Linda drove her car down the street, and Izzy was tapping her finger against her thigh along the beat of the song, seated on the passenger seat where she had been asking Linda about Elaine. She had originally stopped by Linda's house, but the blonde had seemed to be in a rush and had dragged Izzy by her hand to the car that she had swerved out of the driveway with haste. It didn't take a detective to figure out that there was something on her mind, but it was blatantly obvious in the vague answers she was giving Izzy even to the simplest of questions – clearly her head was elsewhere, and the more time passed, the less convinced Izzy was that the woman should be behind a wheel.

"So, are you and my aunt officially dating?" Izzy tried asking again, only for Linda to mutter something incoherent in response. Izzy lifted an eyebrow and, as Wind of Change came to its final note, she turned down the radio and adjusted herself on the seat so she was facing Linda properly. "I found a new therapist, by the way", she added, simply testing the woman and her attention span, which seemed to be all over the place.

Abruptly and without warning, Linda pressed harder on the gas and the car roared into motion, throwing Izzy back into the seat as she revved the engine. "Linda! What the Hell is up with you?" she exclaimed, turning her eyes onto the road ahead of them. When the car in front of them made a sharp right turn and Linda followed suit, she put the pieces together. "Are you following that car?" Izzy asked, unable to stop the accusatory tone from slipping in as she gave Linda a skeptical glance.

"Yes", Linda said with no reservations, her eyes laser-focused on the car ahead of theirs. "It's my daughter. I think she's in trouble", she informed with hardly as much information as Izzy was craving. She had heard about Adriana, the daughter that Linda had given up for adoption and never kept in touch with until Mazikeen had found her – she just didn't expect to be chasing her car down on a random Wednesday.

As Linda kept on speeding, Izzy placed a hand on the glovebox for support. "Hey, I'm a cop, remember? I can't be a part of this", she reminded, and finally turning to face her, the determination on Linda's features softened.

"I can let you out", the therapist offered, and for a beat, Izzy considered her options before deciding against leaving.

"No, never mind. I'm not leaving you", she promised, and with an appreciative nod, Linda turned back to the road.

If only Izzy knew what she was getting herself into.

///

IZZY HAD BEEN TO PLENTY OF CRIME SCENES BY NOW, but this was the first time she was at one as a suspect. One Arthur Sterling had been shot in the chest, and as his lifeless body lay on the floor, Izzy and Linda were sitting on the couch of his living room, surrounded by yellow tape and officers investigating the scene. Ella had already arrived and was taking pictures of the victim, and Izzy wished nothing more than to be on the other side of the situation, to interrogate the suspect, but right now, she was in that very role with Linda by her side.