The One Who Didn't Die

5. Sadness Takes the Stage

*Edited

A/N: What sorcery is this? Two chapters in one day? It's a little holiday gift from me to you! Enjoy lovers.

For two weeks I had been looking into my sister's overdose as a kidnapping and murder which was not easy to do on my own. I compiled everything I knew and had but I needed to enlist the help of a professional because I barely knew what I was doing, only why I was doing it.

Neither my parents, Jolyane nor Daryl knew. They would have called me crazy and if they did allowed me to continue, they would blame it on grief, not taking me seriously at all. If there's anything I do know it's that my instinct is right, she wouldn't want to leave me.

I found the numbers of a few private investigators but one stood out of a former and I was now walking along the street looking for the office that belonged to the chosen PI. I entered a building and went up the stairs and stopped at the door at the top. 

"I have an appointment with," I took out a piece of paper from my jean pocket, “Riley Ward." I said finally looking at the woman behind the front desk. She looked like she was in her late 40's, her dark hair tied in a low bun that would almost fool you to believe she was younger. I took note of her name on a piece of stationery, Bellamy.

"What are you here to find out about?" The woman asked casually.

"Pardon?" I said after I had taken a seat in a chair close to the reception desk.

"Are you here to find about a long lost family member, an ex?" She said clarifying.

"Oh, um, neither." I said looking down at my watch. The door opened to what I presumed to be Riley's office. She beckoned for me to approach and I obliged. I smiled at Bellamy one last time and closed the door behind me.

"So, what can I do you for?" She asked taking a seat behind the desk. I told her about Daphne and her passing, how I had travelled up to St Augustine and why I suspected she had been held captive and murdered.

"No one knows I'm doing this." I said finishing off.

"That's perfectly fine, it's your decision."  She said leaning back in her chair.

"I want to know that she didn't choose any of this." I said looking her dead in the eyes.

"What do you have for me to work with; I need some leads, anything would help." She says sitting up straight again. I pulled out her cell phone, the necklace that was in the box and an envelope containing pictures I had taken and printed of the police report and autopsy. The last thing in my bag was the name of the kidnapper on a piece of paper, I held onto it a few seconds longer before placing it on the table.

"Thank you, this is a great start." She said gathering everything up.

"Thank you." I said standing up to leave. On my way out I waved to Bellamy and headed back home.

∞

"What on earth is going on in here?" Daphne asked after having walked into my room. 

"I know it's weird, but I don't know how to set paper on fire." I answered when she gave me questionable looks. I was on the floor with a bunch of crumpled paper all over and a box of matches in my hand. "I first tried using the barbecue lighter and I just finished a box of matches but nothing is working." I said as she closed the door.