The Gun and the Rose

13 | Lead

Anxiety was all I felt as I walked into work early Monday morning. The gum I was chewing on left an artificial mint taste in my mouth, hiding the evidence of me puking just twenty minutes earlier. I smoothed down my pants before pushing the doors open. I strolled past the empty cubicles until I reached Aerion's office.

You got this, I thought, taking in a deep breath. I pushed the door open. Aerion sat at his desk which was covered in papers. He didn't look up and instead called out, "hey". I sat in front of him, rubbing my clammy hands on my pants.

"What are we looking at?" I asked. Aerion finally looked up and opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, his eyes narrowing.

"Why do you look green?" I touched my hand to my cheek. "You look like a mess, Rose, what happened?"

"Tell me about your lead," I pressed. Aerion stared at me for a moment longer before picking up a piece of paper.

"Remember at the warehouse, those two workers told us about our guy having a scar." I nodded for him to continue. "Well, turns out there aren't many people with huge scars across their cheeks." He laid out images in front of me of several similar looking men. "I checked our databases and these guys had similar features to what we thought he looked like, plus a scar." I flicked through the photos, scanning them.

"He has to be one of them." Aerion nodded. "Okay, let's start by eliminating those who are most unlikely to be our crime lord." My partner pointed to one of the pictures where the man was posing in a photo with his arms around a woman and two teenagers.

"Lou Viano, aged 55. Married and has two kids who attend a public high school. He is apparently a practicing family doctor," Aerion read off another document.

"He seems a little too old. And both his kids attend public school? If he truly was a mob boss, wouldn't his kids at least attend a private school if not being tutored at home?"

"You're right," Aerion muttered, sliding another photo towards me. "What about this one? His name is Graham Joseph, aged 31. Single and is a librarian at his local librarian."

I hummed. "Seems about the right age."

"He lives in a small apartment and spends all his free time doing charity work."

"Doubt it." And so we continued, separating the men into piles until we had two left to consider. I had just pointed one of them to the growing pile of 'no's when Aerion placed his hand over mine. I jerked my hand away quickly.

"Tell me what's wrong," he said gently. I chewed on the corner on my lips, knowing I had to tell him.

"Just promise me you won't be mad," I said, lowering my voice. He chuckled. "I'm serious." His smile dropped.

"You're making me nervous, Rose. Just spit it out." This was it. There were two ways he might have responded, either welcoming a baby with open arms or shutting me out immediately.

"I'm pregnant," I whispered. Aerion's mouth dropped. I just stared at me while he gathered his thoughts, blinking rapidly.

"You're what?"

"I'm pregnant-"

"You're joking," he sputtered.

I scowled. "Why would I joke about something like this?"

"Is it mine?"

"Yes, of course," I choked out.

"What if it's your boyfriend's?" Aerion was mad, I could tell. His voice was cold and sharp like he could snap at any moment.

"I haven't slept with him! Aerion, it's yours!" I exclaimed. He got to his feet, but I grabbed his wrist. "W-where are you going?" He pulled himself out of my grip, grabbing his coat and buttoning it.

"I need a walk. And a fucking drink," he spat.

"You have to help me, Aerion. This is your child too!" I shouted, tears creeping into my eyes. He didn't spare another glance and stalked out of his office, slamming the door behind me. I could do nothing but stare at the empty space where he was, my lip trembling. "Oh God," I moaned, turning back in the seat. What was I supposed to do now? I put my head in my hands, holding back a cry. All I had been doing recently was crying. I picked up my phone and called Blake, but it went straight to voicemail.

Needing emotional support, I dialed Ryan. He picked up after a couple of rings. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ryan," I croaked, "are you busy?"

I heard some rustle, then came, "no I'm not. What happened?" I sniffled, playing with one of the pens on Aerion's desk.

"I told Aerion about the baby and he just-" I couldn't even finish the sentence, my mind still not grasping his reaction.

"What did he do?" Ryan demanded, his voice low. I laughed mirthlessly.

"He just walked out. He literally got up and walked out of the fucking building," I recalled, sighing. "I have no idea what to do anymore, Ryan."

"Tell me exactly what you're thinking right now." He sounded like my therapist that I used to visit back in highschool.

"I don't know if I want the baby because I know I am in no way able to support it. I make shit income and if Aerion can't help me out, I don't know what to do. And Blake is moving into your apartment and that means I have to pay all the rent now and holy shit Ryan, I can't afford it," I cried, my voice cracking. "Everything is falling apart."

"If money wasn't a problem, would you still want a kid?" The question made me pause because I hadn't considered it.

"I do. Preferably not with Aerion but..." I trailed off, calming down a little.

"And for the apartment, you're always welcome to stay with me and Blake until you find a cheaper place to rent. There's a spare room with your name on it," Ryan offered.

"Thank you," I breathed.

"And how's work going?"

"I don't have the job for sure. I have to close my case in what- two months? I am fucked on so many different levels."

"Okay, listen to me, Rose. I understand your frustration with everything right now, but you have to be more positive. I need you to focus your energy on work and solving that case," Ryan reasoned. He was right. As he spoke, my eyes fell onto the last potential suspect we had. I lifted the paper, focusing on his name.

Lucian Ventura.