Partners

Chapter 7 : Brown Cotton Candy

Chase woke up in her bed, feeling her head throbbing as all the bad memories came rushing back.  Garrett had got exorcised.  She felt light-headed, walking to the bathroom and throwing up into the toilet before she even knowing what she was doing.  

She found her cellphone on the dining table, dialing Fetcher's number, "Pick me up at my home."  She slurred those words out like a drunk. 

*****

Fetcher arrived outside the building fifteen minutes later, "Wow, you look like shit!" he opened the car door for her from the driver's seat. 

"And I also feel like shit." Chase climbed into the car, sighing. 

"Why so depressed?  You've just caught a killer last night!" 

Chase slumped back to the seat, "Right.   And Garrett got exorcised by Ethan after I got home, found out that on the top of the building." 

"What?" Fetcher slammed on the brake as Chase flew forward but fortunately was caught by the seat-belt. 

"Don't.  Ever.   Try.   To.  Threaten.  My.  Life." 

Fetcher ignored her comment, "What do you mean 'exorcised'?  So Garrett is gone now?" 

Chase shrugged, "I don't know.  Disappeared?  Dead?" 

"How about Ethan?" 

Chase shrugged again, "I don't know.  I guess he's very much alive after his hunter friends knocked me out.  You know what?" Chase grimaced, "I really don't want to talk about him.  He abused my trust.  That son of a bitch." 

"I'm very sorry." Fetcher started to drive, "I know you and Garrett were close.  Maybe there's some way that can make him come back." 

Chase rolled down the window and lay half of her arm outside, "Since when do you care about him?" 

"I don't." he said, "But you seem very depressed.  And I care about you." 

Chase chuckled, "Yeah. I know." without really sounding amused at all.

*****

Once the two detectives stepped into the homicide police department, a police officer came over.

"Detective Fetcher, here's an urgent package for you." he passed a box to Fetcher. 

"Thank you." 

Chase followed Fetcher to his seat, excited like a kid going to the amusement park for the first time, "Open it!  Who sent it?" 

Fetcher took out a letter opener from his drawer, "I don't know.   It only says Detective Fetcher." 

He drew the blade through the tapes and opened the box carefully.   Chase cocked her head to look inside.  Inside the box was a brown cotton candy with a note tied on the stick. 

"Cotton candy?" Chase laughed, "Someone wants to be your valentine?  You know, today's Chinese Valentine's day." 

Fetcher didn't say anything.  He took out a glove from his drawer and then picked up the cotton candy. 

"I miss you." Chase read the note, "You've got a secret admirer?   Please don't think it's me." 

Fetcher poked the cotton candy with his bare left hand. His face fell, "It's not brown cotton candy."   He put it down and stuff it back into the box, looking at Chase gravely, "It's human hair."

*****

Chase didn't have time to cry over Garrett's gone/death.  Truth was that she actually didn't have the need of crying.  Besides, it wasn't like she was gonna cry if Garrett was really dead.  She wasn't a crier.  Roxanne only said that Garrett turned over the resignation on her desk.  How could the head of CSI believe this easy trick?