Veiled Horizons

Chapter Twenty-One: Asher

Ash walked through the group of workers around him, sitting on their chair with a bench before them, filled with papers, pens, and pencils. Ash walked past it and into the office of Antonio, his close friend and a higher ranked police officer of SeaVille Police Department, aka, The SVPD. He was the only one Ash could trust with anything. He opened the door wide, entering inside.

“Jackson's doing some wrong business”  Ash nearly yelled, slapping his palm onto Antonio’s desk, making the man jump to his feet in startled terror.

But Antonio's eyes shifted to the lower ranked officers working outside his office, who were all staring at them, pausing their work. Ash hardly cared, but as a higher ranking officer Antonio clearly did. Ash watched as the dark-skinned man stood up and walked to the door. He forced a smile, scratching the back of his head, embarassement flickering across his features as he quietly closed the office door.

“Everything's alright, don't worry. Just, get back to your work” he said to them as he shut the door. Then coming back to Ash, he shook his head dismissively.

“Keep it down, Cole. You can't come barging in here whenever you want. I have an image to keep here” Antonio stood with his arms crossed, looking at Ash.

“I've told you not to call me that”

“Well it is in your name, so-”

“You know I don't like being called by my old man's name” Ash's voice dropped, laced with a hard edge.

“Why?” Antonio raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence.

“You know why”

“I do” Antonio's teasing tone drew a tight line across Ash's jaw, his dead stare cutting through Antonio's chuckle.

“Anyways” Ash said, steering the conversation back to the issue at hand, “How well do you know Jackson?”

“Jackson who?” Antonio asked, a confused look crossing his face as he stroked his dark, trimmed hair.

“Jackson Hastings? My current partner? The one you sent?” Ash raised both eyebrows, his eyes wide with urgency.

After a moment of searching, Antonio’s expression shifted. “Oh, yeah, I remember!” He smiled as if he’d just won an award. “He’s a friend of one of my colleagues. I saw some potential in him. He could be a great detective one day.” Antonio perched himself casually on the edge of his desk, leaning back with a playful smirk. “Maybe even greater than you.” He relished in teasing Ash.

“Yeah, well, your 'great detective' is doing some dirty work,” Ash retorted, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

“What do you mean?” Antonio asked, suddenly intrigued.

“I caught him talking to someone on his phone, acting like a tour guide,” Ash replied, stepping closer. “And that’s not all. I saw him receive cash from a ship’s captain.”

To Ash’s surprise, Antonio smiled, a hint of laughter in his eyes. “He was in need for some money, so he worked as a tour guide. Big deal.” Antonio dismissed Ash’s concern with a wave of his hand, his nonchalance only adding to Ash’s mounting frustration.

'That's not it' Ash mumbled to himself, tapping his foot.

“Ash?” Antonio called, “I know that look. Don't” He warned, as he sat down on his chair.

Ash shook his head with an assuring smile and walked out. Though he had other plans. He wasn't one to give up easily. He trusted his instincts very much.

Slowly everything went dark, his thoughts fading away. He realized he was sleeping. And what he saw was just a dream—No, a memory, often coming back to his mind when he slept.