Public Enemy #1 (Gabentine Fic)

Let It Burn

Luke's funeral was held three days after the shooting. I was found unconscious in his pool of blood and had a concussion. The gunshot I took in my leg was a clean one and didn't hit any main arteries so I could walk on it the day after Luke's funeral. Chief had told me to take a couple weeks off to recover from my injury and the loss of a friend. I took one day off and then I was right back in my office the next day because I had to find him.

Gabriel Garcia.

I had pulled out every file we had on him and came up with only one that was given to him when he was 16. It was a parking ticket but it was paid off the next day by him and that was 20 years ago. However, Gabriel did have numerous counts of murder against him but it never went to court because no one can catch him. Him and his father have been off the grid for years and we have only heard from them when a body mysteriously appears down by the docks. That was the Garcia's signature move, kill someone who had wronged them, tie a cinder block to their feet, and the body would wash up a couple days later by the docks. The only lead we had on the bodies was Gabriel's DNA under the nails of every victim and that didn't do us any good because we could never find him.

Knock Knock

"Come in."

The door of my office opened and Chief walked in and he did not look happy. I sighed and shut the file I was looking into before looking up at him.

"What can I do for you, Chief?"

"You can get your ass home and take a couple vacation days like I had asked you to do, Detective Marsh."

Chief sighed and closed the door behind him before sitting in front of me in a chair. He rubbed his face with his hands aggressively and sighed at me.

"Clem, I'm just as nervous as you are but you need more time to recover. You got shot for Christ sake! Spend time with AJ and have some time for yourself. I'm not telling you as your chief, but as your father."

"I know dad but I need to do this or I won't be able to sleep at night. And AJ has been spending time with Carley so he's fine."

Lee gave me a knowing look and I gave him one right back before placing the papers down and huffing.

"FINE! I'll go home and spend a couple days there. But, I am taking home these files and looking into them."

Lee gave me a smile in satisfaction and stood up, his attitude changing back from dad to my chief.

"Very well, Detective Marsh. I will see you in a couple days and you better be ready to go because I expect you to be on this case."

With that, he nodded his head at me and stepped out. I watched him retreat back into his office and I grabbed all the files I had strung out, put them in my bag, and left my office. My drive to Carley and Lee's house was short but it was filled with thoughts revolving around the Garcia's. They were not the kind of people you want to piss off but I had fucking killed David Garcia's wife and I knew I was at the tip top of their shit list. Worry began to fill me as the reality of the situation sunk in and I remembered what Gabriel had said to me the last time we spoke.

"You've made the biggest mistake of your life."

Honk Honk!

I was jerked out of my thoughts as the car behind me started honking and I pulled over to the side of the road to recollect myself.

What the fuck am I doing?! I am Clementine Motherfucking Marsh! I'm not going to let that little bitch Garcia control my thoughts and threaten me! Fuck no! And that bastard shot me in the fucking leg! Next time I see him, he's dead.

After my little pep talk to myself, I pull back on the road and continue on my way to get AJ. The worry that I had before brushed off of me and I gripped my steering wheel tighter as anger starts to consume me. The last time I had let myself get that worried was when I was raped in an alley 3 years ago and then I became pregnant with AJ. I wanted to find the monster who had done that to me but the DNA the lab collected came up blank and he wasn't in our system so I let it go. I didn't want AJ to know who is dad was or try looking for him so I told him that his dad simply wasn't around anymore. I thought it was most appropriate thing to tell AJ since he was still so young and innocent.

I was about to turn down the road Carley and Lee live on when my radio went off in my car.

"All officers please be advised. We have a 10-80 on County Road 23, house number is 132........."

Wait. That's the road Lee lives on...no.

I slam my foot on the gas and tear down the road. I can now see black smoke and finally reach Lee's house. And it's in flames. Sirens are approaching but they're a distant noise as I jump out of my car and run towards the house. My leg is fucking killing me and I can feel the heat burning my face the closer I get to the house. I'm almost at the foot of the stairs when someone tackles me to the ground and I fight against their hold on me.

"GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME! MY SON IS IN THERE!"

"CLEM! CALM DOWN! THE OFFICERS SAID THEY HAVE SOMEONE IN THE BACK!"

I push Lee off of me and sprint around the house to see officers placing oxygen on someone. Relief sweeps over me and I run over to where they are before stopping short upon seeing who they had. Carley has an oxygen mask on her face and her body looks severely burned but that doesn't stop me from kneeling down and shouting at her.

"CARLEY, WHERE THE FUCK IS AJ? WHERE'S MY SON?!"

Carley barely opens her eyes at me and shakily pulls a burnt piece of paper from her pocket before the officers take her to the ambulance that had arrived. Tears fell down my face as I read the note and I it up before jumping in my car and peeling off.

The torn up note was blowing around from the gusts of wind but one could still see what was written in blood on the paper.

You took my wife so I took your son. We'll be in touch.- David Garcia