Forever In The Depths

Chapter Three

The Detective passed back and ford across the narrow hallway, waiting for the door to open. She was nervous and fearful. She knew that declaring the investigation as a murder meant that they could possibly take the case away from her. Once the door opened and the man walked out Meredith headed in. Her boss was sitting behind a big wooden desk covered in papers and books. He looked up as she entered a little breathlessly.

- "Sir, I..."

He din't let her finish.

- "Meredith, I'm not reassigning the case. You started it so you shall finish it."

She visibly relaxed.

- "Detective Throne seems to be the only one from the Murder Investagation Unit thats free at the moment. He shall be joining you but the investigation will remain under your command."

- "Thank you, sir." She said, realizing that it was the first case in which her and her husband where going to work together officially.

- "Your one of my best Detective's Meredith. I expect results and I expect them soon."

- "Then you will have them." She answered.

Hours later she walked to her husbands office. Completely on the opposite side of the building. Her gun and batch on her holster. She knocked once since there where people walking in both directions. She could barely hear his answer above the noise. Meredith found Ethan sitting behind his desk, which was even more of a mess than hers.

- "Hey." He said standing up and walking towards her. He leaned towards her but she turned her cheek.

- "You do realize we are at work right?" She asked him with a smile.

- "Oh come on." He said as she turned and opened the door.

- "Hurry up, where going to pay a visit to the beach house."

- "Possible crime scene, you mean." He said from behind her.

After a long car drive. They found themselves in a beach mostly covered by Palm Trees. It was truly a beautiful place and yet it also provided perfect cover to move among the tress, maybe enough to dispose of a body. She started walking, her hand reaching into the pocket of her now to warm coat. Her fingers closed around the keys Matthew had given her. They walked on the sand for a couple of minutes until the houses came into view. Meredith had to admit they where breathtaking.

She reached for her holster until her fingers closed around the radio.

- "I wan everyone to search to area. We won't leave until you've covered the whole beach." She said.

They had brought their teams with them. Her eyes scanned the area until she found the house with the name Allen on a silver plate. When she opened the door the wind blew at the dust covering the furniture and floor.

- "Ethan, tell your unit to close this whole place. This could be the crime scene."

Covering her hands with gloves she stepped in. It chilled her skin to think that she could be walking in the place where Hailey's last breath left her body. Everything seemed to be in place. They hadn't left in a hurry. Meredith din't get far. The static of her radio freed her from her thoughts. Her brain had been working on every possible scenario.

- "Yes?" She said as her finger pushed the button on the radio.

- "Detective Throne, we have found a car. It's west from the house, about an hour of distance."

Her hands shook by now.

- "It's there anything in it? It's there anything near?"

- "We checked, it empty and all we can see is some docks." Answered the man on the radio.

She turned and walked out of the house in a rush.

- "I want it examined right now and when your done you will transport it to the lab." Once outside she found Ethan shouting orders to his team.

The bright yellow tape covered the area like a fence. The people in the other houses where gathering around to take a good look.

- "Detective Thorne." She said maintaining a sense of professionalism. "I want your team to search every inch of this house." He only nodded.

Seconds later they where rushing into the house. Covered from head to tow and carrying equipment. Meredith slipped underneath the tape and walked away from the noise of people. Her hand was moving to her pocket but she stopped when she felt the presence of another person. An elderly woman stood being her.

- "What's going on?" She asked Meredith.

- "I'm sorry, Miss, I can't share that information."

- "Is it about the girl?"

Meredith froze. She pulled out her phone and showed the women a photo of Hailey.

- "Have you seen her?"

She nodded.

- "Oh, yes. They where a very loud group. Except for her. The few days they spent here she would watch and read. Just like me that young child."

The woman's words matched with Morgan's. Meredith knew who had been lying, but why?

- "Until that day." She said all of a sudden.

- "What day?"

- "Her and the thin boy, yes the one with the glasses. They where screaming at each other at the beach. I couldn't hear there words but they both seemed so angry."

Daniel Jones.

- "Did you see or hear anything else?" Meredith asked hopefully.

- "No, darling. I'm sorry. It's the child alright?"

- "She's...missing." Answered the Detective.

- "Oh, dear god." Said the old woman.

- "Thank you very much for your help. Ir you remember anything else call the police department and ask for Meredith Thorne." She said before turning and heading back to the house.

While on her way she dialed a number on her phone.

- "Yes?"

- "Molly, I want you to order some arrest in my name." She knew she was taking a big risk, but she was done playing games. "Arrest them all and tell them to use cuffs this time. Make it as public as possible." She had to push them towards the truth and Detective Thorne would push them hard.

Just as she hung the phone a sound came from her radio.

- "Tell me." She said.

- "We found some fingerprints that will take a while to examine. Also there was...a hair in the trunk and blood."

- "Call me immediately when you get the results."

- "Detective Thorne, we also scanned the plate. We have the name of the owner."

Almost held her breath while she waited.

- "The car is under the name of Morgan Davies."