Snakebite - Ace Merrill

Her back up

Through muscle memory alone, his hand went straight to the light switch.

Yet the switch wouldn't work.

The large room stayed dark.

The small dripping of water was heard as he crept further inside.

"Jasp buddy, you in here?"

*****

Oakley's back was firmly pressed against the wall as she side stepped along the corridor.

The light switch hadn't worked so she relied heavily on her hearing.

The grip on her gun never loosening.

Each step caused her heart to beat faster.

"Jasper?"

*****

"Come on Jasp, it's me." Carter spoke again.

His feet slowly edging further into the showers.

"We can talk about this."

Nothing.

*****

"I get what you were trying to do." Oakley spoke as she continued to walk in the dark, unsure whether Jasper was even near her.

Her mind flashed through every encounter with Jasper and everything she knew. Suddenly it all made sense.

The second murder, where he was found behind the pawn shop? No-one had seen any of either crews, just regular people and officers. Jasper.

Jasper knew whenever Ace was with her or Diego, he'd seen the trio eating together outside the diner when they told him they were taking Ace home afterwards, cutting his alibi short. The same night Charlie was shot.

Jasper was the one that first spoke to Billy that night, when they were at the hospital, as though he had to make sure Billy hadn't seen him.

And of course, why wouldn't Charlie feel safe enough to willingly leave the bar with a police officer?

Jasper had been the one, along with Carter, that had first taken on the View crew, taking Tom home.

And of course, why wouldn't Tom feel safe enough to willingly let a police officer into his home? Giving Jasper ample time to plant the handgun Diego had found in his room.

Jasper was the one always asking where Ace was, reacting different each time he leant the cobra was sticking with the detective.

Jasper was the one always trying to push the blame onto the cobras, specifically Ace.

Jasper was the one that had told Diego about the four younger children Ace frequently picked on.

Jasper couldn't have gone for the cobras last night, with them tucked safely in Oakley's room and the View crew tucked safely in Diego's room.

Jasper had been the one who was knocked out by Charlie and suffered a broken nose, the first cobra hit.

Jasper had known the whereabouts of each cobra at all times.