tsunami in their souls

It was ten in the morning and the gossip mill was running as quick as a hamster did on their wheel. Something about city hall and Instagram, Vanessa Perry couldn’t resist scrolling through her phone as she stuffed crispy hashbrowns in her mouth. He is the man who sees. The fuck did that even mean? The timing of it all seemed a bit insidious. “Who you think did it?” She leaned over the table and flipped her phone to show the person sitting across from her, arm just a bit constricted in her uniform. “And what is the point, like are they trying to scare out our tourists because I don’t think it’s doing shit.”

Lisette had to laugh at his pout. He was, but she wouldn’t argue just yet. Scooping the tote off the coat hanger, she locked the door one Elijah stepped out of the office. “Okay, so I think… well…” she sighed, her brain spinning faster than she could process. Perhaps, she’d had a little too much caffeine ( though there was no such thing as that, Lis always claimed ). Stepping down the hallway that gradually brightened up as they inched towards the lobby, she dug through her tote for her keys. “I reviewed all arrests and convictions from about a year prior to the murders,” she started, neglecting to state how exactly she had gotten her hands on that information. “And I thought that maybe if we looked at where exactly the first murder occurred, I could maybe narrow it down or cross match a little bit. Granted, that’s not gonna be finished tonight and I can do the rest of the locations myself, but I just need help locating the first one. Maybe we find evidence, maybe we don’t,” Lis had attempted to find a connection between the murders and disappearances and the only one that everyone with a brain could connect was that it was around the same time frame that the murders occurred. Anything beyond that, the journalist was at a loss. “Then I promise not to bother you with this,” she grinned, that was a lie but a lie to deal with another day. They both knew damn well she was more likely to break into his place if he ignored her. Her lip twitched at the thought of it and she cleared her throat to conceal a giggle. Opening the driver’s door of her Rav4, she peeked over the windshield at Eli. “So just the one spot then I’m buying dinner, promise,” she finalized as she crawled into her SUV, shutting the door beside her.

Forrest damn near rolled his eyes as he caught the keys just in time, his face yanking out of harm’s way. “Exactly, leisurely drive,” he repeated as he pressed the key into the ignition, feeling the truck roar to life. His left hand rested on the top curve of the steering wheel, right foot pressing lightly on the accelerator as they maneuvered out of the parking lot. “What are the chances, you think, that the caller was playing some stupid prank to get us out there for nothing?” Forrest mused as he drove them down the vacant main road. It was like she said, though—better safe than sorry. “I failed to sleep like a normal human being last night and I need a nap,” he shook his head at himself. Damn books and lack of self-control.

Shane’s head tilted to the left, his brain struggling to comprehend some people were really just…like that sometimes. “I’d say that sounds fun, but…,” he grimaced, a laugh sitting on his tongue. “To each their own I suppose,” rolling his wrist gently, he watched as the liquid splashed around. “Long time,” he commended. “Uh, I’ve been here for two,” he pressed his lips together. “I’m originally from Alaska, I thought I needed a change of pace, but it’s pretty much just Alaska, but in a different country. At least around these parts. Can’t say our murders are as spicy, though.” “I have to ask,” a grin of curiosity danced on his lips as he leaned back into his chair, taking his glass along with him, resting the base on his lap as he held it. “You said you work with death everyday? Like…what? A mortician? Is that weird for you at all?” Shane, being a former detective, he’d had his fair share of deaths, sure, but not daily. He wasn’t quite sure he could stomach that. Hell, it was why he left that career path. Somehow, though, he’d found himself ass deep in a mystery that nobody seemed to be able to solve. Even the local journalist ran around like a chicken’s head had been cut off, developing theories he hadn’t thought of.

Lis sipped her coffee, fingers hugging the cup. “I mean, do I not make it fun?” She retorted, an eyebrow challenging him. Placing the cup down carefully, she picked up her laptop and stuffed it into her tote bag, which might as well have served as a limb of herself. She took it everywhere. “And yes!” Her smirk quickly dissipated, her lip jutting out into a pout. “Listen, her latest excuse the other day was that I had been utilizing their services too often, like there was something about a specific amount of files or books I can have at one time,” her hand waved off that statement. “Which is absurd. So yes, I need your help keeping an eye out for that batty woman.”

Relief was a feeling that Clark hadn’t felt in a while, since his wife died. He tried to embrace it as best as he could. Nothing was more important than knowing his children were okay. If they had friends, or hobbies that kept them occupied, that was more than enough for Clark. Still didn’t stop him from worrying, though. “You win any rounds?” He smirked, thumb scratching at his chin. Really should trim it. He kinda liked it, though. It felt like an armor of sorts. “Wasn’t bad. I think I may have convinced the board to approve the expansion, but that is…a lot of work that I don’t think I can comprehend at the moment,” he breathed out a chuckle. “So hopefully your day was better than mine…you weren’t here all afternoon, were you?” He inquired, an arm resting on the back of the couch behind her head. “Cause while I love my children, that sounds just as exhausting.”

Scratching behind Simon’s ear momentarily, he finally stood up. “Oh, black’s fine, thank you.” He stepped towards where the mug had been resting, before reaching for it. Sipping it, he welcomed the warmth. Fingers felt fur again, pushing Forrest to redirect his attention. Fingertips grazed the top of Simon’s head. “Hiking sounds fun. Definitely more preferable over a run. Where are you thinking of going?” The man wasn’t normally one to run or hike with others, hearing complaints on and off about how fast he was going, but he hadn’t heard that from Mariana, yet and bringing his dog along with Simon, it only improved the experience. “I haven’t had the chance to take Scout out for a lengthy…anything, so seems like today’s the day,” he smiled.

Shane swished around the water he’d tipped in the confines of his mouth before he swallowed. An eyebrow rose at Mitch’s hesitation. Obviously, he didn’t have to, and Shane was sure Mitch knew it. Tongue jutted out as he licked his lips free of extra liquid, his head cocking to the side. “I do have manners, Beaumont,” he retorted, feigned shock flashing across his face. “Deal, though.” Eyes glanced towards the watch on his left wrist, signaling ten until eleven. Inhaling deeply, lips pursed as he observed the room. Not many patrons left, compared to when he’d entered earlier. It certainly got quieter; the music more apparent to Shane. “So…when you letting my baby out?” He grinned, teeth sinking into his lip. The dog had to be let out sometime.