Aria (a psych fanfiction)

Chapter 22

Henry added a clod of damp soil to the growing pile before pushing the shovel back into the hole. "Shawn, we did all we could for the kid."

"No, Dad, we didn't, because she's still alive."

"I know I'm probably not the first person to tell you this, Shawn, and I'm sure as hell not going to be the last - "

"Wait." He held up a hand. Henry watched with raised brows, waiting for him to continue. "Before you go any further. You always told me to trust what I saw."

"I also taught you to trust the evidence. Right now, all the evidence is pointing to the opposite of what you're telling me."

"That's because you weren't there, Dad! I saw her. Not a hallucination, not some other kid on the sidewalk. Aria. Remember her? The kid you helped me adopt?"

"Shawn - "

"No. Dad, please. Lassie and Jules don't believe me, the Chief is refusing to reopen the case. Even Gus told me it's over. You're the only person left."

Henry sighed. "If I can prove to you that this is going to lead absolutely nowhere, will you stop?"

"Yes. But first, you are going to help me." Not for the first time, Shawn gave the hole a strange look. "What are you doing?"

"Found a dead bird on my front stoop," Henry replied, nodding to the plastic shopping back that had been tied up and placed besides the tiny grave. "Third time it's happened this week. I haven't found a nest anywhere near the house yet, but - "

"Third time this week?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Was it a baby bird?"

"Yes." Henry looked up, confused. "How did you know that?"

Shawn's gaze flickered from the bag to the hole to the house, his thoughts flying. "Gus keeps complaining about finding dead birds in front of his apartment, and they keep showing up in front of Psych, too. I blamed it on the cat - "

"You don't have a cat, Shawn."

"Precisely. What if it's a clue, Dad?"

"What? That's ridiculous."

Shawn bit his lip, spreading his hands. "C'mon, Dad, work with me! What kind of bird is it?"

"It's a baby, Shawn. How am I supposed to know?"

Shawn glanced back at the bag, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Okay, we're going to need a Tupperware container, gloves, and a bunch of paper towels."

"Jules, I need you to do me a favor."

"Yeah?"

"Find out what kind of birds these are."

Shawn held out the clear container, with the two birds - one from his dad's house, the other from the Psych office - inside. Juliet recoiled at the sight. "Oh, God. Where did you find them?"

"Ever since Frederick got away, they've been popping up all over the place. In front of the Psych office, in front of my dad's house, near Gus's apartment building."

She nodded, looking unsure. "All right. That's awful, but why do you need to know what - "

"Jules." He leaned in closer. "if I'm right, these dead birds might be able to help me prove that Frederick's here. In Santa Barbara."

"Shawn - "

"Jules. Please." He looked at her pleadingly.

Jules finally gave in. "Okay, okay. I promise." Gingerly, she gripped the edge of the container, holding it at a distance. "Give me a few days."

"They're starlings. European starlings." Shawn and Gus stood across from the two detectives and Vick, watching Woody try and explain the origins of the two little corpses.

Shawn shook his head. "Of course they are." He looked at each of the others in turn. "Don't you guys see it? He wants us to know he's here! He's like Hans and Gretel, making a little trail. Except with birds instead of breadcrumbs."

"It's Hansel, Shawn. Not Hans."

"I've heard it both ways."

Lassie sighed. "Spencer, he's probably just taunting us. We have no way of tracing a bunch of dead birds back to him. And they're dead. Wouldn't he send a living bird if - "

"Carlton, that's enough," Juliet interrupted, before turning back to Shawn. "He's right, though, Shawn. It's a bit of a stretch."

"I know." Shawn squeezed his eyes shut, running a hand through his hair. "I know."

YAY A CLUE! I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this, but it's a start. Right?

TSLP: Lol, I just meant she was his daughter in the adopted sense. And yep, she's alive. :) I may be mean, but I just couldn't bring myself to kill her off (yet). ;)