How To Catch a Killer

Secrets Underground

Rowan's POV:

It's weird that Ghost hasn't made contact. It's been a week, don't get me wrong I'm not complaining. It's just torture waiting for the other shoe to drop. I took a sip of water to flush down my anxiety meds and closed my locker.

"Hey!"

"Jesus!" I jerked at Bri's unexpected greeting.

Someone needs to put a bell on her.

"Woah, someone's jumpy. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, you just caught me by surprise," I explained.

"Well, I have another surprise," she beamed. "Are you ready for this one?" Her eyes lit up and I could tell it must really be important.

"Sure, go for it." I smiled lightly.

"Coach made me team captain! I just got the news! I've been busting my ass off with practice, and it finally paid off!" She squealed like a kid on Christmas. I wish I could return the same excitement but I felt nothing.

"Team captain wow that's great. I'm so happy for you," I wrapped my arms around her so that she wouldn't see through my pained congratulations. I am happy for her truly but it's like I've lost the ability to express that. I don't want her to think that I'm being disingenuous.

The bell rang causing the two of us to untwine. She skipped to her class whilst I dragged mines to Dr. Martin's office. It was the usual, we would exchange pleasantries as I took my seat, and he would sit back unwrapping a butterscotch that came from a little bowl that rested on the desk.

"So, how is the medication working for you?"

Honestly all it's done was lower my energy. Has it caused some relief? Sure, you can't really be paranoid if you're too tired to even spell the word.

"Peachy," I mustered up a smile.

"That's good to hear, very good. So, I take it the dreams you've been having are no longer."

"I wish that was the case but no. I can't remember exactly what happened and I can't help shake the feeling that it means something. It's like...trying to put puzzle pieces together without seeing the box," I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"I believe I can provide a remedy for your problem," he reached under his desk and opened one of the drawers. "There's a friend of mine, Dr. Raegan, she specializes in repressed memories. Here's her contact," he handed me her business card.

"Repressed memories? It's just a stupid dream. There's nothing I've repressed," I scoffed and got up in a fit.

"Rowan, I did not mean to upset you. You don't have to go to her right away, take all the time-"

"I'm not going to her, period!" I stormed out the room and killed time until my next class started.

Campbell's POV:

If what that boy said is true, then it looks like this goes way deeper than I would've ever imagined. I scribbled some new notes in my notepad and circled the location of where I have to investigate next. I was so lost in thought I didn't even notice when Higgs snuck up beside me.

"Hey, you didn't actually let that punk go right," he asked with his arms folded and an icy stare that told me no was the only acceptable answer. However, it was an answer I couldn't give him.

"Yeah, I did. He's just a kid, it was his first offense and besides letting him go will be proven useful in the long run."

"Long run? Now just what exactly are you plotting Camp?"

"You'll see sooner rather than later Higgs," I patted his shoulder and made my way out of the precinct.

Much much sooner.

Avery's POV:

Me and Oswin have been getting along more than I expected. It's nice to have someone in your corner for a change. We decided to grab some ice cream after school as a little treat for getting an A on our project. The parlor was quaint and had basically all the ice cream flavors that were ever created. Our little name me and Anna gave it was the 'Ice cream vault'. Everyday that I think I'm getting better with the grief there's always something that brings it all back. Oswin must've noticed my change in demeanor.

"If you di-didn't want ice cream y-you could've just said," he placed his hand on mine.

"No, it's not that. I used to come here with my sister and I'm just realizing I haven't been in here since she died," I explained.

"Oh, we can le-leave if you want," he motioned to leave from his seat, but I held his hand before he managed to get up.

"Stay," I pleaded. "I can't avoid everything that reminds me of my sister. In order for that to happen I'd have to quite literally live under a rock," I joked to lighten the mood. "Let's just enjoy ourselves." Oswin agreed and we continued to surf through the menu. Making light conversation as we did.

Rowan's POV:

"Repressed memories," I grumbled to myself. "Who does he think he is?"

I threw my pill bottle across my bedroom causing it to knock over my art folder. The pieces that I drew from my dream spilled out messily over my floor. As I began to clean it up, I looked at one of the pieces intently, trying to make some sense of it.

Come on think.

Unfortunately, the only thing I managed to get was a headache. I shoved the papers back in the folder and rested it on my desk. It's just a stupid dream. I pulled out my phone to see if Avery replied to any of my previous messages, nothing but radio silence. My room felt smaller than it did before, much colder to. I sought warmth under the covers of my blanket but it wasn't the same when I was a kid. The warmth was gone and the cold slowly creeped in. It looks like I'd have to get use to this feeling. I started at the ceiling wondering if I'll ever feel the warmth again.

Campbell's POV:

I disposed of my cig as I made my way to the building that would hopefully give me insight into the case. They must've remodeled, the scent of paint was in the air and the lights were brighter than necessary. I tried my best to ignore it as I approached the old woman behind the counter who gave a warm smile.

"Welcome to FBIM. Checking in or visiting?"

"Uh, neither. I have a few questions," I went in my coat pocket and retrieved my police ID. The woman visibly had a change in attitude, but she still offered to be of assistance. She led me to a little office around the back. Once we were seated, I conducted my line of questioning.

"Does the name Oliver Grayson sound familiar to you?"

"Grayson... yes, he was a troubled boy with a deep wickedness in him. I'm still puzzled on how he managed to slip out of here," she admitted.

So, he wasn't lying after all.

"Do you think that Oliver would be capable of harming someone?"

"As much as it pains me to say, I do. He's had a few outbursts here actually, but his friend always seemed to calm him down. She was a handful herself but not as bad as Oliver."

"Friend?" I asked intently.

"Yes, don't be fooled. The two of them were heathens but they cared for one another. Inseparable those two," she added.

"Does this friend have a name?" I took out my notepad eagerly waiting to fill it with an answer.

"Ashe, Ashe Harris."