Secrets of the Great Oak

Chapter 7

They walked up to Jake's apartment and Anna immediately went for Jake's computer. Jake went to the kitchen to make some tea.

"We're going to need it. That file is massive." He called from the kitchen.

"Tell me you guys aren't doing homework on a Friday night!" Noah groaned.

"It's Maggie's case file. We just got it. There's no way I'm waiting until later to look at it." Anna replied.

"Ah, well, I'll leave you, two nerds, to it then, while I go do something fun!"

Neither Jake nor Anna really cared that Noah was leaving, as they both said, "Goodbye, Noah." And he was out the door.

"He's a character, that one," Anna said as the kettle started screeching. Jake removed it from the stove and poured it into two awaiting cups.

"He always has been. I know he gets on your nerves sometimes, but he actually likes you."

"And I actually like him... most of the time." They both laughed at that. "He's a good friend to you. He can just be a little much at times."

"Oh, he knows," Jake said, setting down a mug in front of her. The cup was from Jake's collection of mugs that he picked up on tour with Noah. One mug for every town. Which left him with exactly 12 mugs. Way too many for his small apartment, but he liked them. Anna was graced with the one holding a picture of the Miami, Florida skyline today. While Jake was holding his favorite, good ol' Nashville.

She picked up her mug with a thank you and took a sip of the French Earl Gray blend Jake had opted for. The black tea had some petal notes, a slight fruitiness and, most importantly, caffeine to fuel them for the evening.

Jake exchanged his mug for his laptop and sat back on the well-loved, tan couch. Anna scooted in to get a better look at the screen, touching Jake's shoulder with her own. It was another flannel and band tee for him, like always, paired with skinny jeans and that blue beanie covering his always untidy hair.

"Alright, you ready to dig into this?" Jake asked. Anna nodded her answer and held her breath as Jake opened the file.

Maggie's case had gone cold about six months into the investigation. And nothing new had been added to the file for five and a half years. But, there were still mounds of stuff to go through. Interviews, evidence pictures and logs, reports. This would take hours, possibly a full day to go through.

So, the pair started at the top: Eye witness accounts from the very night that Maggie disappeared. They combed through them and took note of all the pieces that stood out to them. They cross-checked the names with the list that Anna had made the day before.

***

They read every line of those accounts until their eyes were drooping and Anna's head had found a permanent place on Jake's shoulder. Noticing Anna's quiet snoring, Jake laughed softly to himself and closed the laptop. She awoke when he stood to place the computer on the coffee table.

"What? Are we done for the night?" Anna said sleepily.

"Considering you fell asleep, I'd say we should pause the investigation for tonight." Anna stretched, laid down and pulled a throw pillow towards her.

"If you say so." She yawned.

"Are your parents expecting you home tonight?"

"Umm... No. They think I'm staying at Stells."

"Alright, you can take my bed then and I'll sleep out here on the couch." He moved to pick her up and carry her to his bedroom, but she stopped him.