Unlawful

Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11

Nash

I made it home just in time to put on my work clothes, I had to work or else they'd come drag me to do it. There was no sign of Charlie last night, nothing. I made myself sick wondering different scenarios of what could've happened. I also remembered the knock at my door and hearing my name, I pray to God that wasn't her trying to get me for help, I try and put that out of my mind. I've heard here and there of people going missing around here, I just assumed they were always found dead, but seeing how Gen is and hearing that Charlie was questioning things makes me wonder what's really going on here.

I start walking to work and the adrenaline from last night is wearing off, I am exhausted. How am I supposed to be left for twelve hours with nothing but my thoughts and the empty spot along the field where she's supposed to be?

I punch in and make my way to my section, I notice that Ace has a new partner and Akira's words play in my mind; I know her partner at work knew someone who went missing. Either this Ace guy is bad luck, or he knows something. I plan to approach him after work, surely he's also wondering where Charlie is right now.

I make it through the shift, spending most of it staring at Ace and having Charlie on my mind. I wait for him outside the gate. "Hey Ace wait up." I say.

"Hey man, where's Charlie today? They put me with some idiot temp who could only carry one damn piece of coal at a time." He says.

"Charlie never came home last night." Is all I say. I can see confusion wash over Ace's fast, then genuine concern.

"What do you mean she never came home?" He asks.

"I mean we had plans, she was late, then wasn't at home, neither were her dirty work clothes." I say.

"Have you looked for her?" He asks.

"All night, so you really have no idea what's going on?" I ask.

"Of course I don't, why would you ask that?"

"I just knew your other partner went missing and Charlie was asking you about it."

"I would never hurt Charlie. I can help you look tonight. We'll start at her place." He says.

"Okay, let's go now then." I say as we take off toward her house.

***

We start by searching the road from her place to mine, searching for any sort of clue or hint that would lead us to her. Nothing, utterly nothing out of place, my hope is draining by the minute, I feel antsy.

"Where next?" Ace asks.

"I don't know, I already looked everywhere last night. I don't know what else to do." I say.

"You mentioned someone banged on your door last night right? Have you taken a look around your place? Maybe it was her." Ace says

"I haven't no." I say, a twinge of guilt starting to form. We head to my place and stop outside my front door. "See? There's nothing."

"Now wait a minute, what's that?" Ace points to a bush beside my door. "There was definitely some sort of struggle here, also look." He holds up some sort of plastic cap, slender and long.

"Fuck, she was trying to get my help." The words leave my mouth in a trail of disbelief. "I should've been there, if only I had acted quicker." I feel my shoulders fall. Ace puts a hand on my shoulder.