When Shadows Rise | I

Ch. 6 | Passageway

🥷

"Why would you drop Genesis's case, Dad?" Those were the first set of words April threw at her father as soon as her pushed the front door of their apartment open.

"Who told you that?" Kirby threw the keys in the direction of the ceramic bowl sitting somewhere on the table.

It was a best friend's sworn duty to tell you when something was wrong or when everything didn't go as planned. "You know how much this means to Taly!" April protested, following her father to the living room.

Kirby pinched the bridge of his nose. "It wasn't my call to make, April. My superiors don't want my detectives to stick their noses in this case any longer. Besides, even if it were to remain open, we would have a hard time building around it for lack of physical evidence. There is nothing that links us to Genesis's murderer."

April frowned. "Then find something. You guys didn't go to college and study criminology and forensics just to not be able to try harder and find more clues!"

"That's my point, April. Whoever did it made damn sure we wouldn't find anything. If they are capable of cleaning up after themselves really well, then that means we are dealing with a killer who knows their stuff. An elusive killer is the most dangerous killer out there."

"So that's it, then? What about Taly and her father? The wait is never going to end for them, Dad."

"Look, sweetie, I wish I could do something about it, but I can't. It's out of my hands."

April only huffed. Kirby sighed. He was aware that by closing the doors on Genesis's case, Talia and her father's chances of getting closure disintegrate, which was something he hated seeing, but it wasn't like he could conduct an off-the-record investigation. An order was an order.

Kirby decided to change the subject. "How are you holding up with those migraine attacks?"

April flopped on the sofa, puffing. "The pills help. I just don't want to get addicted."

"That's why it's important to resist the temptation."

It really was tempting. The stronger the migraine, the greater the urge to increase the dosage. April wasn't sure how or why they started, but all she could recall was being bombarded by migraines during her prepubescent years. The pain proved to be too much, so much that April had to be prescribed medication for it. Now that her junior year was right around the corner, she predicted the migraine trips to be stronger than ever— especially with all the stress.

Last thing she wanted was in the future for the headlines to read 'Decorated Captain has a junkie for a daughter!' That would be embarrassing. "Don't worry, I know better."

***

Talia knew her mission was doomed for failure lest she carry it out by herself. Of all the values and lessons she was taught, she would never forget how important it was to have help.

And what better than to have your best friend to aid you? She needed someone she could report her findings freely to without being shot down by law enforcement for vigilantism or by her father's opinions on how it was "too dangerous." She would never have resorted to taking matters into her own hands, but what choice did she have? Who else would help her in her quest for justice if everyone's hands were tied?