Love & War

A War Has Been Started

Keith didn't know whether he wanted to jump or scream. He was just excited. The captain had given him another chance. He had been sitting around the house for days, depressed, unshaven, and barely showering. He had to find a way to get his job back.

Nothing else really mattered to Keith. He just needed one big break—one case that would put his name on the map so he wouldn't just be another rookie.

His father-in-law was still missing, and instead of going out searching for him, Keith had already chalked it up as a lost cause. In his mind, the man was probably dead by now. But he didn't dare say those words out loud to his wife. He was already sleeping on the couch.

Keith burst into the house, ran past his son, and rushed upstairs to his office. He pulled out all the files he had on Zac and Fatima and started mapping everything out on the board.

His wife, Michelle, came upstairs and walked into the room without knocking, even though his door was closed.

"This is the first time I've seen you excited in months. You got some good news?"

"Yeah," Keith said. "The captain gave me my job back. I can't mess this up. I only have one more chance to crack this case."

Michelle folded her arms.

"Why are you so obsessed with this case, but you weren't obsessed with helping me find my father?"

Keith sighed.

"Look, Michelle. The police did everything they could. They hit a dead end. No trace of your father has been found. I hate to say it, but... he may be dead."

"Well didn't you say a drug dealer owns that store? What if he got mixed up in something? What if he saw something?"

Keith rubbed his face.

"I had it all wrong. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry... but he's gone."

Hearing those words felt like a lump forming in Michelle's throat. She couldn't speak. She couldn't even process the reality that her father might really be gone.

But even if he was dead, she still wanted answers.

And she wanted someone to pay.

If Keith was too busy chasing drug dealers, then she would figure it out herself.

Pregnant or not.

Keith turned back to his board and got to work.

Monet

Monet sat in the holding cell, hoping Zac would come through with the lawyer like he promised.

He knew he had messed up. Lying about his alibi and trying to run had only made things worse.

He decided the smartest thing to do was keep his mouth shut until a lawyer showed up.

Even though Monet ran the streets, he had never actually been arrested before. He had never had to sit in jail for any of the things he'd done. That was part of the thrill.

But now that he was crammed into a dirty cell with ten or fifteen other men, the thrill was gone.

Anxiety started creeping in.

He tried to think of a better alibi. Someone who could vouch for him.

"Monet Shaw!"

He jumped to his feet.

"Did someone post bail?" he asked.

The officer laughed.

"Bail? Why would you have bail?"