Leave No Trace

Chapter 35

A/N:

Hello to everyone reading "Leave No Trace", this is the final chapter. After this, an epilogue will be posted, and stay tuned for future sequels, prequels and in-between-quels. I will also be going through and editing my writing. Credit for the idea for this final chapter goes to my writing friend Bree... Thanks a lot. And thanks to everyone reading it. Okay, on to the good stuff! The story itself! Enjoy, and it's a bit of a long one 

Mira

She shouldn't have been listening in.

But Mike and Kate were sitting in the kitchen.  Tim had taken Ally and Derrick off to do something, but she had opted to stay here.

Dinner was supposedly being prepared by Mike and Kate in the kitchen, but instead they were... not arguing... but having an annoyed discussion. It wasn't a friendly topic, either.

"Look, Mike, it's not our fault the damn boat sank."

"But we may not have enough to convict! There's no fingerprints, the ballistic evidence is all but useless. That little bastard is going to get off the murder charges."

"Four, he'll be convicted for at least one!"

"Don't be too sure."

"What about... Ally's case?"

"You know. It got turned over to the other unit. It's officially not our case anymore, and the murders technically shouldn't be either. It's supposed to be covered by Bates' team. It's all out of our hands. The only part we can prove is the rape. But we don't have a boat to fingerprint because it's sitting at the bottom of the marina!"

"What do you want to do?"

"I'm going to go to the prison. I want to talk to him."

"But what will it accomplish? Interrogations there are strictly monitored!"

"You think I don't know that?" Mike snapped. "If there's anyone who can interrogate him it's me!"

"Mike this is not a cheerful subject. It's a few weeks before Christmas."

"I know it's not cheerful, but with the threat of the trial being thrown out of court hanging over my hand... I can't be happy. I can't grin about your engagement... it's just not how I do things. You know it!"

"Mike.... If you want to go, go. I know that it's rotten luck our evidence all sank... but there are still things we do have. The gun, the matching bullets. And Dean's interrogations. He did confess to non-consensual sex with Ally."

"But if the entire trail, with all the charges, gets thrown out, then Ally doesn't get justice!"

"Keep your voice down. They're supposed to be back soon. We should get back to work," she heard them sigh as they stood up, and bolted away from the door, throwing herself on the couch, pretending to be reading the Entertainment Weekly that sat on the coffee table. She was good at faking, but then Mike and Kate knew that....

The door opened, "Mira? Wanna come help up out with the food in here?"

"Sure, I'd love to!" she mustered the fake cheer, reminding herself that while Mike could read her face, he couldn't read her voice. And she had an excellent poker face.

She went in, helping them, and cheered up a little as Kate talked about wedding plans, her engagement ring flashing in the light of the kitchen.

But it was still nagging at her. An idea. One she shouldn't be having.