X Marks the Spot

29 - No Going Back

Grayson and Justin were on the road once again. Now that the air was cleared between them, the journey to meet the X Killer could have been mistaken for a road trip. Every part of the mystery was fitting perfectly into place for both of them, and neither could have foreseen that anything would have gone wrong. They were just too content in each other's company. 

They went to the home of the final suspect, whose name was Brandon Robertson. However, when they knocked on the door, Justin surprisingly taking the lead by asking to speak with him, the woman who answered told them he was out at a cafe, so they headed there, spirits high.

They arrived in the cafe, Grayson trying to stop himself from becoming too distracted by the pleasant aromas. He and Justin split up to ask customers about Robertson, and one man Grayson asked pointed to a man stood by a self-serving coffee machine. He and Justin approached him, trying to hide their apprehension. 

"Mr Robertson?" Grayson said, trying to take a professional approach as they had with all of the suspects. 

"Yeah?" Robertson replied in a surly voice. His voice alone was enough to make Grayson's skin crawl; his intuition told him that Robertson was undoubtedly the culprit.

"We'd like to talk to you about an illegal purchase you made recently -"

"Just a second." They granted him a moment to take his cup of coffee out of the machine, and then he did something neither of them expected; he reached one arm around to the back of the coffee machine, and in one swift movement, he tugged it off the counter and it toppled onto the floor. Grayson realised that it had practically crippled Justin's foot as he fell to the ground, groaning in pain. 

"Shit! Is it a stupid question if I ask if you're okay?"

Justin's expression changed from one of pain to one of confusion. "The hell are you doing?"

"What?"

"Go after him! He's gonna get away!"

Robertson had fled the scene as soon as the coffee machine had fallen, but Grayson had barely noticed. "But your -"

"This can't - be for nothing." 

If it had been his own choice, he wouldn't have left Justin's side again. But he wanted him to go. And Justin was right; this was their chance. Grayson would do it for both of them. 

Grayson ran after Robertson before he had a chance to change his mind. He was still in sight, only a few metres away. Grayson was alone, but not like the night before, when Justin had left. The thought of Justin and all of X's victims floated around in his mind, and they only spurred him on. He realised with glee that he was beginning to catch up to Robertson even though he had a head start.

It was like running an obstacle course. The cafe was located in the town square, and at every opportunity Robertson would find something to throw in Grayson's direction, ranging from hangers displaying clothes at retail stores to a dead fish at a market stall. 

Grayson began to think he'd never catch Robertson until he saw a line of bookshelves at a second-hand book stall. He leapt on to one, took a running jump and landed directly on top of Robertson, toppling him over. 

He wasn't entirely sure what to do - he wasn't a police officer, after all. He couldn't arrest him. As per usual, he hadn't thought the plan through in particular detail. 

But he didn't need to do anything, because at the moment Grayson landed on Robertson, a tall shadow of a man was cast over them. 

Grayson looked at the man and felt dismay upon seeing the uniform he was wearing.

Damn it.

***

Grayson suddenly remembered the memory he had of waking up in his bedroom and looking around the room to be greeted with Justin's smile. Waking up to the murky grey walls of a cell wasn't quite the same experience. He didn't remember how many days ago that memory was, or how many days he'd been in a cell. The only specific length of time he could remember was -

Five days. Those five days were...

He couldn't finish his thought. He'd give anything to go back to those five days now. Even the dull hours he'd spent waiting for Justin outside Nolan's house. Even the time he'd been shot. Right now, he was utterly alone and unsure of what the future held in store for him. 

The day in the town square was a blur. The police officer had taken him and Robertson down to the station and asked Grayson to explain himself. He'd admitted everything about the investigation, and when the officer realised that there was more to Robertson and Grayson's 'fight' than just a mindless brawl in the street, he'd had Grayson give a statement and detained him in a police cell until 'further notice', as he could be charged with giving out false information and assault. 

How long had he been here? Three days? Four? He couldn't remember. He just remembered the five days. 

Justin...

He hated not knowing what was happening outside the cell; whether or not Justin was okay, if he knew Grayson was in a cell, if he thought Grayson had just abandoned him...

However, as if on cue, Grayson heard a key turning in the lock of the cell door and he approached it hastily. He was surprised to see the same police officer who brought him to the station with Justin, wielding a pair of crutches and wearing a cast on his foot. He quickly pulled him into a hug, causing Justin's crutches to clatter to the floor. Grayson awkwardly helped him pick them up and the police officer simply watched them. 

Grayson finally addressed the officer. "So, did you talk to Robertson?"

"Yes. Mr Robertson has an alibi for the day Maisie Hall disappeared."

Grayson didn't - couldn't - believe him. He could feel Justin's gaze on him but couldn't face seeing the disappointment that was probably clear to see in his eyes. 

"What?" 

"His alibi was confirmed by a witness. He's not guilty."