Finding Beauty (Rewrite)

Chapter 48

"I know how to catch him."

"Or maybe you've watched too many true crime shows."

A man in gray slacks and a blue button up approached the two of them. There was a pen in his hand that he spun around like a batton. His gray hair was full and the creases between his eyebrows were deep. When he was in proximity, everyone buried their faces in whatever it was they were doing. This was the man that was going to be his greatest ally.

"What's going on here?"

Grayson dared not give Detective Brendan a chance to speak. "I live with Bethany Rodriguez, victim of the Beast. She's told me things about what happened that I think can aid the capture of the Beast."

The man's white eyebrows shot up as he leaned in closer. "Things she hasn't told the police? What kind of things?"

"She's been trying to process what happened and remember things." Grayson took a breath, choosing his words carefully. He wouldn't let his eagerness mess up this integral part of the plan. "I think the Beast had some twisted affection for Bethany. If he thought she was in trouble, he'd come running."

"Captain Jacobs, sir, I should speak with you privately." Brendan stood up from his desk, rubbing his sweaty palms on his pants. "This young man is very troubled and I don't think -"

Jacobs lifted a finger, silencing Brendan. "Now, Detective, you've been on this case for two years and have not made a single ounce of progress in identifying or detaining this vigilante. If this man says he has some information that may be helpful, it is in your best interest to hear him out."

Grayson felt the muscles in his chest tighten. He could taste the restoration of justice. He could see the Beast surrounded and shaking with fear.

"What's your name?" Jacobs asked, really looking at him, really seeing him.

"Grayson Li."

"Well, Mr.Li," he said, escorting him into one of the private offices, "I want to hear what you have to say. Tell me everything. Don't leave anything out."

As the door closed behind them, Grayson felt something else closing inside of him. Something was being finalized, sealed, permanently etched into him. What he did in the last few minutes had secured something within himself that would be incredibly difficult, if not, impossible to undo or erase. He was stepping into something that would engulf him like flames drenched in gasoline. He was saying goodbye to something.

He just wasn't certain what it was.

~Beauty~

For the first time in years, Bethany was finding solace in her mother.

After the ruined brunch she had spent an hour in the parking lot of a frozen yogurt shop - the frozen yogurt spot Grayson and her used to go to. She sat there crying and feeling miserable for herself. She cried over the friendships she had lost, over how much she missed Teigan, and over how she couldn't seem to fit back into the life that had once been hers. The world had kept spinning without her in her rightful place and now that she was trying to squeeze herself back into it she had a hard time keeping up. Especially, with the added pressure of Grayson. She wouldn't have expected an outburst like that from him in a million years. It proved something was horribly wrong with him.

Bethany sniffled. The apartment smelt of lavender and springtime. The springtime was nice and all but it brought a lot of rain - tons of rain. Beth's life was flooded with it.

Her mother bit her nails, her expression as stunned as the Li's had been. "I can't believe he did that."

It was reliving that her mother was still managing to keep her sobriety. She was holding down her job with no issues, paying all the bills on time, and staying far from the shady figures that had feeded into her bad habits. While Beth did not allow herself to fully revel in her mother's victory for fear that it might turn out to be short lived, she did appreciate the little stability it provided for her. Perhaps it was naive of Beth to think that she would come back and be the only one a little broken. Of course, Grayson had been hurting. Of course, it had messed him up. He loved her and she had been in danger of dying.