Dishonorable Conduct

Chapter Nine

Rosa walked through the house, trying to find her backpack before school tomorrow. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Turning towards it, she saw it was a manilla folder.

Finally, something to drive out the boredom of my monotonous life, she thought.

Curious, she walked up to it and opened it.

* * *

Latrelle sighed for the seventh time. It was too tiring to keep reading, so he shut down his laptop and turned off his desk lamp, letting the setting sun tinge the walls a bright red. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.

This is so tedious. I don't even know why I agreed to help on the case.

Startled by a loud sound, Latrelle nearly fell out of his chair. He stood up and opened the door to see Rosa running up the stairs with something in her hand. It wasn't long before he realized it was one of the files Kevin had given him.

I must've left it out. Dammit.

Latrelle ran towards Rosa, blocking her path.

"Can I have that?" he asked. Rosa hid the file behind her back and stuck her tongue out before turning tail and running back downstairs. Latrelle followed suit, and quickly caught up with her. He picked her up like he used to when they were little and held her in the air.

"Let me go!" she screeched, trying to kick him and make him let her go. Latrelle held her out farther (he's not only tall, but his limbs are long). She stopped moving, panting for breath, and Latrelle took the file from her.

"What did you read?" he asked when he put her back down.

"Do they really think he was murdered?" she asked quietly. Latrelle nodded, and she looked at the floor. After a few moments, she looked back up at him, determination making her eyes shine.

"I wanna help," she said.

* * *

Latrelle hung up and looked at his sister.

"He said that he has to get the OK from his boss before he brings another family member onto the case," he said, referring to the conversation he had with Harold a few minutes ago. Rosa's face lit up.

"But that doesn't mean no," she said cheerfully.

"It doesn't mean yes, either," Latrelle pointed out, and Rosa sighed. He walked up to her and patted her head. "Come on. He'll get permission, so I'll let you catch up on the case so far."

* * *

Latrelle and Rosa sat in his room, looking over the files. Rosa had her computer open, noting down what she considered important information. By the time the sun rose (they had worked all night), they had a document a mile long.

Latrelle stood up and stretched, bending backwards and straightening his arms behind him. Rosa did the same, except she grabbed her laptop afterwards and went to her room, yawning the whole time. Latrelle was about to lay down as well, but his alarm clock chose that moment to go off. Meaning he had to get ready to meet up with Kevin to go over what they learned about the case in the past week.

He trudged through the house and grabbed an energy drink. Should last me until I'm about to crash, he thought as he walked to his truck.

* * *

"So, what happened?" Kevin asked, eyeing the coffee in Latrelle's hand.

"I was up all night working with Rosa," he replied. He sipped at the coffee, although he thought it bitter. "We were looking at the files your dad sent over last week."

"Rosa?" Kevin said questioningly.

"She found one of the folders on the kitchen table and I had to wrestle her to get it back," he answered, taking another drink. "I'm never doing that again."

"It was your fault for leaving it out in the open, especially when you know your sister is as curious as they come," Kevin huffed. Latrelle nodded, throwing the empty coffee cup in a trash bin.

"I know."

* * *

Latrelle, Rosa, and Kevin searched through Richard's house, searching for anything that could help the investigation. They searched through drawers, cupboards, closets; anywhere something could hide. They were just about to call it quits when Rosa called out.

"Relle! Come here!"

"What is it?" both boys asked as they came running into Rick's bedroom. Rosa was pointing at a sturdy looking chest. On it, in bold black lettering, was painted 'DUMEL'.

"It's probably the chest they use for the military," Kevin said, kneeling in front of it. He opened it and rifled through the belongings. Two minutes later, he pulled out a notebook; on the cover was written 'Thoughts'. Latrelle and Rosa stood behind Kevin as he flipped through the pages, and stopped when Rick's calm, even handwriting became uneven and tilted.

"This could help us solve the case, guys," Rosa said.

* * *

Latrelle looked through the rest of the chest while Kevin looked through the journal.

Just by looking at his writing, you could tell he was on a short leash when he was a kid.

Page after page, day after day; Kevin got a feel of what the military was like. He turned the page and froze.

Kyle's not listening to anything I say. I tell him he's gonna get discharged, but he just laughs and says, 'Only if I get caught. But you aren't going to turn me in, are you?' Whenever he says that, I can't help but feel like he backed me into a corner. I think of him as a little brother, and if I had one, there's no way I would be able to sell him out.