My Worst Nightmare

Part 3

September 19th, 2014

8:09 A.M.

I wake up an hour later than I am supposed to. I must've slept through my alarm. Once I realize the time, I quickly get out of bed. Since I took a shower last night, I just end up putting on yoga pants and a University of Maryland T-shirt with a NYC Mets sweatshirt over it. I brush through my hair and put it up into a messy bun. I'm running out of time, so I skip on putting on makeup. Lastly, I slip on a pair of white flip-flops and grab my book bag. I quickly do a scan and make sure I have all of my textbooks inside. Luckily, I did complete all of my homework last night, so it is all done inside my bag and ready to be turned in. I pocket my phone and keys. Once my car unlocks, I hop in and put the keys in the ignition. I don't bother putting on my seatbelt since it is only a five minute drive to the university.

By the time I got to the campus, found a parking spot, and made it to my first class, I was five minutes late. I entered the classroom hoping that I wouldn't get noticed, but sadly that didn't happen. Everyone's eyes turned to me as I opened the door. The teacher, Mrs. Keane, gave me a disapproving look as she said," Miss Pierce do you think it's okay that you can come to class late each day and get away with it? I didn't know that I was giving you special treatment."
I roll my eyes, but so she doesn't see. Mrs. Keane is one of those teachers that you can't help but hate. She is a old and bitter hag who wouldn't know what teaching is if it hit her in the face. Okay, that was a little far, but I'm not in the most pleasant mood this morning. I mentally think to myself," Well if you were a better teacher than I would come earlier to your class."


The teacher gives me a look, like she would kill me here and now if there wasn't so many witnesses. What is her...oh shit, I said that aloud, didn't I? "I'm sor-" I start to say, but she cuts me off," Just sit down. You've disrupted class enough today."

I finally listen to her and take my seat. She continues on with her discussion with the class.
"For everyone, this is your third year with me."- Yes, please don't remind me, I think to myself-" This year you will be completing your very own case. You will be given the assistance of a professional criminologist or least someone who is in a similar field. You will be given a week to solve a case. I will be giving you your case and your mentor. If you fail to complete this task, you will be dropped from my class and be switched to the freshman class in order to repeat Criminology 101."

I put my head up, finally interested. Mrs. Keane comes around the room with a giant bowl in hand. She pulls out a tiny folded strip of paper and gives it to each to student. She throws the paper on my desk, which makes it to fall on the ground. I scowl at the back of her head as she walks away. Then I bend down to grab the piece of paper. I unfold it and read what it says:
Mentor: Alexander Rouse
Case: The Blind Butcher
More information will later be given.

I smile at the piece of paper. Finally, we will be able to do something that will actually help us in our careers. Mrs. Keane releases us, so that we are able to go meet our mentors. I go and sit on a bench outside of the classroom. We aren't given any hints as to what our mentor may look like, so I am forced to wait until my mentor finds me. While I wait, I check my Facebook account. Someone sits next to me, and I look up to see a boy about my age...who is quite good looking.

"Ummm.." I mumble.

"Hello, I am Alexander Rouse, private investigator in Birmingham, England. I also happen to be your mentor." My mentor holds out his hand, which I am guessing I am supposed to shake. Oh god, why did I have to be put with someone who has a hot face and an adorable accent. I return the gesture and smile. "Hi, I'm Kinsley Pierce."

"I know." I feel flattered that he cared enough to learn or even remember my name. He was not at all what I expected. I find myself staring at him longer than necessary, so I avert my gaze to my shoes. My cheeks turn red in embarrassment. "S-so, I have the case The Blind Butcher. My teacher told us that our mentors were responsible for giving us the rest of the information."

Alexander looks at me humorously. " The Blind Butcher? Seriously? That is the easiest case that there is. It was second degree murder. It was quite predictable. A blind man stabbed many men and then kept their eyes. He was quite stupid and left behind fingerprints on every victim. The scallywag thought that he had an advantage just because he was a policeman. He was so bloody stupid! So-"

"Wait! Aren't we supposed to work on the case together?! You're not supposed to give me the all of the answers! We had a week to do this and this was the only case I have this year!" I shout at him.

He puts his hands up in surrender. "That case was easy anyways. Mrs. Keane always hands out the same cases every few years. She's a dosser, has been for years-"

I interrupt him again," Two things. One: I have absolutely no idea what you are saying, and two: This was worth 50% of my final grade this semester. If I don't have any evidence for this case then she will eat me alive!"

Alexander gave me a reassuring smile which seems to calm my nerves. " Relax. No need to get your panties in a twist. We can find a different case."

"Okay, but one more question. How do you know that Mrs. Keane gives out the same cases. I thought that you live in England."

"I do, now at least. I was born in England and moved to the U.S. before high school. I moved back to become a private investigator after college, but I attended the University of Maryland and I took Mrs. Keane's class. You know that it is considered rude in England to ask people you've met personal questions."

"No. I'm afraid that I'm not from nor have I ever been to Great-"

"Don't you dare say that. It is England!"

"Same thing."

"Not really," he replies. I smile. Who knew he'd be so funny? "What did you say your name was again?" he asks.

I scoff," And here I thought we were starting to become friends, but you had to ruin it by forgetting my name. Even though I just told you five minutes ago!"

"Seriously, what is your name?"

"Seriously?" I mock in a childish tone.

"Are you always this stubborn?"

"Yes, and my name is Kinsley Pierce. K-I-N-S-L-E-Y P-I-E-R-C-E," I say, trying to annoy him.

"You're downright childish, aren't you?" he states. I nod, even though that isn't true. I am usually never this immature, but he seems to bring out this side of me that I never knew existed. " You're the daughter of Charles Pierce?"

I stop.No one knows about my father except for Aiden, the police, and a few others. "W-why do y-you ask?"

"Don't worry. I know because I have studied the case. It is quite interesting that the NYC police worked on it for almost three years, but they never found anything. I have wanted to look deeper into the case and have needed to find more information, but haven't found the right evidence. Have you ever considered trying to solve the case?"

"I have been trying to do that for a year now," I blurt out. The words leave my lips before I even know what I'm doing. Why did I tell that to someone I don't even know? I slap my hand over my mouth.

"It's okay. How about this? We use this as our new case?" Alexander suggests. I shake his hand and tell him to meet me later tonight at my apartment,so that we can start. After giving him my address and saying goodbye, I grab my stuff and head to my next class. Maybe this case isn't impossible after all.