Prime Suspect

Chapter 3 - Captain Jake Carter

A/N: This one will be short, just saying.

4:22 PM
APD Headquarters
Downtown Atlanta

A heavy downpour of rain beat the windows of Jake's office as he worked through the mound of paperwork that always appeared with each murder, but Jake paused at the knock on his office door and looked up.

"It's open." He said, looking back to the paperwork as someone entered.

"Captain Carter?" Jake looked back up, standing suddenly when Cassidy Howard's husband extended a hand towards the short police captain. Jake took the hand firmly and shook it, before pushing his glasses back up on his nose and waving a hand at one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"Please, call me Jake. How's your daughter holding up?" Jake said softly. Kevin Howard nodded and looked at the ground for a moment.

"She's holding up, all things considered." A heavy, awkward silence fell between them, and Jake flinched slightly when thunder clapped suddenly and unexpectedly outside. "Cap--Jake, do you have any leads on who killed my wife?" Kevin asked, looking at Jake. Jake frowned and shook his head slowly.

"No, I'm sorry. The killer left no traces, although Cassidy did get a shot off, so he might be wounded." Jake said softly. Kevin's face tightened, and he shoved himself up out of his chair and started to pace Jake's office.

"I always knew there would be some risk in marrying a cop, but I never realised she could be gunned down in cold blood in our own home." The suddenly widowed man said. Jake made a small noise of agreement. "Do you have kids, Captain?" He asked suddenly, turning back to Jake.

"One. A son. He turns 18 in 3 weeks." Jake whispered softly.

"Cherish all the time you have with him, Captain." The widow said, before silently leaving, shutting Jake's door as he went. Jake stared at the door, and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

-'Tip-off still at six? -Capt. J.H. Carter'

-'Yeah. If you come, will you bring me food? -ZC'

-'Ask the whole team what they want from Sonic. Be there at 5 ish. -Capt. J.H. Carter' Jake slipped his phone in his pocket and stood up, grabbing his gun, keys and jacket as he headed for the door.

"Salena, I'm going out. I don't think I'll be back before five, so lock everything up in the cabinet." Jake said, slipping his jacket on as he stood next to the black haired woman's desk.

"Got it, Boss."

5:38 PM
Centennial High School
9310 Scott Road
Roswell, GA

A few people gave Jake wary looks when he walked into the Gym lobby, cautiously steering their children or spouses out of the way as they eyed the holstered Smith & Wesson Model 36 .38 revolver on Jake's right hip. The short blond paid them no mind and shuffled quickly towards the nearest flat surface, setting down two brown Sonic Drive-In bags before they fell out of his grip.

Half a dozen teenaged boys rushed towards Jake, pushing each other out of the way as they tried to get their food first. Each of them mumbled a "thank you" as they filed past, and the last in line was Zack.

"Thank you, Daddy." The taller Carter whispered, leaning down to hug his father before getting his food. "Love you."

"Love you too, Zack. Now go eat so you can win a game for me." Jake pushed his son towards the gym door.

"Okay, Dad."

7:58 PM
Centennial High School
Roswell, GA

Jake hadn't noticed, because why should he be looking out for something like this, but a white '08 Chrysler Sebring had followed him all the way from the Public Safety Annex to Sonic, and from the drive-in restaurant to the high school. However, something had raised the detective's hackles as he walked out of the school with his son.

"I didn't think we could come back after that 4th 3 pointer, but...Dad? What's up?" Zack stopped a few feet in front of his father and looked back, watching his father squint in the streetlight illuminated parking lot.

"I don't know. Something just feels...off." Zack watched his father brace a hand on his gun as he pulled his car keys out of his pocket. The two of them were about 15 feet from Jake's Charger, and Zack watched curiously as his father pointed the key at his car and hit the remote start button. What happened next was a slight blur, one moment, the 6'2 basketball player was standing next to his father looking at a maroon Dodge Charger, the next, he was flat on his back, looking up at the night sky as flaming debris fell around them.

"Roswell 911, what's the emergency?"

"Th' car just blew up! It just blew up!"

"Ma'am, take a deep breath for me and explain, please?"

"Okay...okay. I'm at Centennial High School, we was at a basketball game, and one of th' players, his daddy's a cop. Well, his daddy's car just blew everywhere!"

"Ma'am, could you be a bit more specific?"

"HIS CAR EXPLODED LADY!" A male voice cut in, hysterical. There was a sound of skin making contact with skin, and then the female caller came back on the line.

"Tyrone! Sit down an' shut th' hell up!"

"Ma'am, are you saying a police car has blown up at your location?"

"About time you caught on, lady!"