FrAcTuReD (Part One) (Completed continued in Part Two)

Chapter 27

Claude's eyes narrowed as he crumpled the cup in his hand before dropping it in the garbage. "No, it's more complicated then that, it's what he did to Joshua that I..." he shook his head. "That doesn't matter now, I won't deny that we have a history. But the look in his eyes hasn't changed after these five years I doubt he will ever change."

Isaac didn't speak but could see the darkness in Claude's eyes, whatever that bastard Duke did that would cause such a collected and calm man could change so quickly. "You can head out early if you want," Isaac offered surprising his partner. "Besides with it just being the last bit of negotiations I'm sure you'd rather just go home and sleep. You look like you didn't get any sleep at all last night."

He can tell? "That's kind of you but it's unneeded. I won't let Duke affect my work anymore then it already has. I feel rather idiotic for allowing such a man get to me. Sorry for acting like such a rookie Isaac."

Isaac smiled slightly. "You're only human Claude, now let's go finish with this scumbag, and when we're through we'll head out to the Maxwell's Grill & Bar, how does that sound?"

"I'm sure that'll surprise the Maxwell's." Claude said in an almost monotone voice but Isaac could tell that was his way of fighting off a smile.

Charla stared at her cellphone while in the midst of doing her homework, something of which that she was close to finishing, when she had received a text from her mother that read simply with one line.

Call me.

"Ugh..." was all the Charla said before putting her phone down. She didn't want to talk to that woman. Right now, her mother, Kathrin, was one of the last people that Charla wanted to even speak too. With the recent murders and the questions that she had about that night prior she didn't have the energy to fight with her mother.

Her head began to throb from Charla trying to force some form of recollection that refused to surface. She leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling, her mind cycling in trying to determine if she should speak to her uncle about this or not. But the cons of it completely outweighed the pros in this type of argument. Not to mention the high possibility that Isaac wouldn't even believe her, think her mantel or even threaten to lock her away.

Her eyes narrowed, no, he wouldn't go that far, Isaac wasn't at all like her mother, it wouldn't be fair or even right to make such a comparison. But it was something to worry about. Charla could gauge a person's possible thoughts and outcomes of a situation but she wasn't a mind reader. It was all just guess work.

Thinking on guess work it made her recall the caves that lined the mountains and the few by the beaches. Perhaps going there would reveal some much-needed clues, but then what would she do when she found something that led in the direction she dreaded?

Her cellphone rang drawing her attention away from her thoughts, she picked up her cell and saw that it was her mother calling. Letting a long sigh Charla answered.

"Well there you are," her mother said with a rather annoyed tone. "Why didn't you respond to my text or answer right when I called?"

"I was in the bathroom," Charla lied.

"And what were you doing before that?"

"Finishing my homework," she said before asking. "Why are you calling me?"

Her mother scoffed. "What's with that tone?"

"What tone? It's just a question, why are you calling me?" her mother would never call unless there was a reason behind it, which was almost always the case. Her mother wanting to get an upper hand on something or someone, or in many other normal moments just to criticize Charla for not being 100% perfect at everything. She wasn't a damned robot, or at worse make the comparison of Carlin.