If Only She Knew

17. The Lighthouse

Two years ago...
London, Kent

The team took the police van out to the seaside.

While Ariana had applied sunscreen priorly just to be sure, it turned out to be a grim, stormy day.

The sea was angry and swollen, the raining was incessant.

"How many rooms should I order? Does anyone want to share?" Archie, the current team leader asked them as they were walking through a motel's driveway.

"Carla will stay with me," Ariana told him as she smiled at the other blonde.

"Blondes go together," Carla giggled.

"I don't care whatsoever," Jacob said, his hands lost in his pockets.

"We guys can room together, I don't mind," Yamato commented.

"All's settled, then." Archie ordered the rooms.

The motel was a small, 3 stars one close to the beach, but the neighborhood looked overall bleak.

The sky was a deep storm blue, overcast, the wind, though violent, was morbid and static and the area wasn't exactly swarming with people although it was August.

The motel was located only a few miles away from the forsaken lighthouses which they were going to investigate tomorrow.

"I'm going for a walk. Don't mind me," Ariana told the team suddenly.

Archie seemed to be very alarmed as he watched her as though he was insulted.

His eyes glided all over her body and he moved closer, inching towards her.

"it'd be dangerous out there... For a girl like you." He smirked.

"Please don't insult me. I can take care of myself," Ariana told him.

"Somehow, I don't believe that." Archie shook his head with that smug smile still on, his eyes daring her.

"I can't be bothered with you Archie or whatever." She checked her leather bag in a rush and started leaving. "I'll be back in five. I'm seasick so I need to go watch it in the face."

"Fine. If you're not back in five minutes I'm coming after you." Archie warned.

"We're coming after you, you mean," Jacob intervened. "If you're seasick we have to keep an eye on you."

"I'll be fine." Ariana left in a rush before they could stop her.

If this is really the area where the body was hidden, the murderer was probably lounging around here.

Somewhere around this beach and forest...

She was putting herself in danger's way but she had to do this. As soon as possible.

The thing was, her mother's killer was never found and though she was killed meters away from her, she couldn't see his face... And she didn't remember much. She had only ghastly memories of that day, as though it had only been a nightmare.

So Ariana was obsessed with catching killers. She feared the idea of letting one ever get away again...

It was one of her motivations for picking this career.

One day she'd go after her mother's killer, too...

As soon as she got outside she pulled out her phone and called Joseph.

"Hii." She smiled.

"Hey baby... You alright? You rarely call me up like this, not that I'm complaining."