fire and rain // forheadedrose

33. Guess who's back, back again

M A R T I N

"Hi everyone. Charlie." Deja's best friend laughed lightly as I watched the home video of our wedding reception.

"Uh, I hate giving speeches. But, there is one story I'd like to tell." She smiled widely.

The coroner told me the results wouldn't be in for a few days because all the tests and stuff were sent across country to the best forensics lab.

So I was sitting in my trailer watching our wedding all over again.

"Deja and I lived together for awhile and one night she came home from work with the goofiest grin on her face. I asked her what happened and she looked at me with her big, brown eyes that everyone falls for, "He told me he loves me." Was all she said and I knew then, that I lost her forever." She said before sniffling, she smiled over at Deja and the camera panned out to show them both.

"Uh, Martin, I don't know what you did or how you did it, but Deja is the happiest that I have ever seen her." Charlie said looking over at me as I sat next to Deja.

I smiled at my wife as she looked at me, the video was interrupted by a few men singing off-tune to Hungry like a wolf.

I groaned as I paused it.

I left my trailer to see those Dutch doofuses sitting outside of their trailer again, playing loudly.

They stopped as I reached them, "Hey, lamzak. Check it out- no power, no problem." One of them said looking up at me before snickering with his friends as their dog whined.

I slightly tilted my head as I gave them a weird look, "Do you guys know any, um.. Bluto Blutarskiy?" I made up a name on the spot.

They all gave me dumbfounded looks because they thought they didn't know one of the great American singers.

"Who?" "Are you serious? You guys don't know.. Uh, he's amazing, really amazing, yeah. May I?" I asked to play them something on their acoustic guitar.

"Play it, man." He said handing me the guitar and I thanked him.

I acted as if I was tuning it before I smashed it on their grill, damaging both things.

"Dutch, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, boys." I sighed as I handed them the neck of the guitar back to them.

"Enjoy the rest of your day." I smirked as I left them alone.

--

"Hey, Charlie." "Martin, please, come in." She invited me in to her apartment, which was Deja's at one point.

"I saw you with Julian, the other day." I spoke because I've been watching him once he was released out of police custody.

"Yeah, uh, he's an old friend." "So he invited you to that party?" I asked not giving her an inch of space- metaphorically speaking.

"Yes, and he told me how sorry he was for my loss." She sighed before I looked around at the apartment and saw the picture of Deja, Charlie and I on our wedding day, all three of us laughing.

She looked to where I was looking, "How are you, Martin?" She said folding her arms over her chest.

"Oh, I'm hanging in there. Good." I said looking at the ground for a minute.

"I assumed you'd be back in Texas." She smiled.

"No, I couldn't stay there. So I've got a little place down at the beach." I shrugged.

"Near the cove?" She asked but she already knew the answer.

"So, look, uh, Julian could very well be involved in Deja's death, so please stay away from him." I said clearing my throat.

--

"Julian, old pal, old friend." I said as I walked into the interrogation room.

"I told you you'd never want to see me again." I smiled as I closed the heavy door.

"What do you want, detective?" "You know what I want, Julian." I spoke sternly as I sat across from him.

"Who took Deja?" I asked and he humphed, "I can't tell you that." He said and I scoffed.

"So, you were involved." I said with my arms folded over my chest.

"Do you think I wanted Deja to be hurt? I was the one who let her call your damn phone!" He shouted in frustration.

"I went against them taking Deja, because I do have a heart. And she takes up about half of the room." He sighed after confessing.

"You love her.." I said because I've seen the way he looks at her.

"I've been in love with her for a long time, she's just never taken notice. I can't help you, detective."