Ghost ⇔ Cake ✓

Nineteen: Detective Audacity

The three boys sit outside the police station in Luke's car. Michael is picking at the chipped black nail polish on his fingers. Luke is chewing on his bottom lip. Calum is watching Luke.

"So... what now?" Michael asked from the back, his voice low. They all turned to stare at the front doors.

The police station had upped their security measures since they had last been there. Luke assumed it was because of the missing files on Calum Hood, which they had so happened to steal.

"Do you think they will recognize us?" Calum asked.

"They can't see you," Michael reminded him.

Calum considered this. "Oh. Right. Then, you guys?"

"They didn't see us steal the files. I'm surprised we haven't gotten questioned, honestly, considering we were asking about them the day before," Luke said.

"Shit police station," Michael offered. Luke had to agree. The moment Ashton had become a suspect, they considered their case closed. Done, over with, despite the complete lack of evidence toward their perpetrator.

Luke turned off the car. "Are you guys ready?" Calum took a deep breath. He felt nervous, for some reason, considering Michael was right. He's invisible. He tried to still his shaking hands, hiding them in his lap.

He still hadn't gotten used to the idea that he wasn't exactly real. It's quite debilitating when you find out you aren't exactly a real human, at least not in the traditional sense. That you have died, but your body has decided to stay on earth, for whatever reason. Caught between two worlds that you aren't really sure you belong in anymore.

Calum startled. Luke was saying his name.
"Calum. Are you coming?" Luke's blue eyes were wide in concern, one pale hand covering his. Calum felt his stomach erupt in nerves, just from the touch.

"Of course," said Calum, removing himself from his seat. "I'm fine."

The three boys walked up to the police station doors. Michael held them open while Luke and Calum walked in.

Lining the walls were about four police officers, arms crossed, silently observing the boys as they entered. There was a considerable increase in the amount of cameras that were tucked into the corners, blinking red lights flashing beside the lens. Calum noticed this all warily, and instinctively moved towards Luke.

"Hi," Luke said, flashing his brilliant and charming smile to the frowning woman at the front desk. "Could we speak to a detective?"

The woman chewed her gum and slowly tapped a few buttons on her office phone before raising it to her ear, calling for a detective. Luke rocked back and forth on his heels, hands in his pockets. Michael was making unnecessary eye contact with one of the officers guarding the door.

At last, a tall man walked out from the doors leading further into the office, a shock of brown hair, grey color creeping into his hairline from the sides. He had wrinkles creasing his eyes and around his mouth, with kind brown eyes.

"Hola!" he said playfully. He had a thick Southern accent. "How can I help y'all today?"

Michael automatically scoffed. Calum elbowed him in the ribs.

"We have some information pertaining to Calum Hood's murder case. We think you might want to hear it," Luke said hopefully. He glanced back at Calum, who nodded encouragingly.

Already the detective was tilting his head, pursing his lips. "Well, boys, you know we already have the perpetrator behind bars."

"He's not the one who did it, shithead," Michael snarled from the back. "If you looked into the case for more than, like, three days, you'd know this."