THE THIRTEENTH DAY - BOOK 1

Flower shop

"We're not there yet kiddo, and I hope we never get to that stage," he said with a laugh while putting the key in the ignition and bringing his car to life, and then he began to drive.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. "And please please please play something that isn't classical music, driving in the same car with you is boring," she retched.

"Hurtful," he joked placing his right hand on his chest.

"Hey, put your hands back on the wheel, I'm not ready to die, we still have a case to solve," she said.

"So if you died after this case you'd be satisfied?" he raised up a brow.

"Of course I don't want to die after this case but if I did, I'll be happy knowing that I did something meaningful, and that people of Freetown will never forget me," she smiled.

"Wow!" his eyes went wide open, he stopped at a red light and turned to face Cassie. "So I've never asked you this question Cassie but what's your story?" he asked with a burning curiosity in is eyes.

She looked at him skeptically "my story?" she dragged her words "what makes you think I have one?"

"I know you didn't just wake up one morning and decide you wanted to be a detective,  so what really motivated you?" he asked as he drove when the red light turned green.

"No one has ever asked me this question before, they all just assume that it's something i just enjoy, the way my boyfriend enjoys sport, or my bestfriend, fashion," she said sadly.

"No one is as passionate about being a detective or a cop like you are without having a motivation."

"Well, I actually always loved the idea of being a detective, it seemed like a fun job to do, but it was just a random desire that I assumed would fade away." she started "My main passion was to be a writer, but it all changed April 16th, 2010," she sighed 

"What happened on that day?" he asked, he occasionally turned to face her, to study her expression. As he looked at her she looked pained, like she could cry at any moment.

"I was  thirteen and I was at a camp out of town with one of my best friends. She didn't go to my school, I met her at a park and never introduced her to my other friends. Her name was Avril. I say was because she's dead now," she said with a tear trickling down her cheeks. She quickly wiped it away and continued her story. " On the second night at camp, she decided to wander out into the forest. I told her not to but she wouldn't listen, she was very stubborn. I didn't tell anyone because I knew she would get in trouble for wandering off into the forest alone. That night she didn't return to the room and I got so worried, I informed our camp instructor so  we all went out to look for her but it was to no avail. A week later her body was found without a heart, and do you know the worst part?" she turned to Brady, there was a lot of pain in her tone and her eyes "They never found the people who killed her, and that made me furious. I didn't think they tried hard enough. And that's when I made up my mind on becoming a detective, someone had to do things right and I decided that should be me."

"So do you blame yourself for what happened?" he said coming to a stop, it was then that Cassie realized that they were pulled up in front of a beautiful house that she assumed to belong to Carla Henderson's cousin. 

"Yes I do," she nodded "if I had tried harder to stop her from going or if I had told someone that she left, she would still be alive," she said with more tears rolling down her eyes.

"So finding out this murderer will make you feel like in a way you've done justice for your friend?" he asked looking at her with so much seriousness.

"Yes, I know it's stupid and it's not the same thing, but it would make me feel better. Four years ago I couldn't do anything but now I can, and I know wherever Avril is she'll be proud of me," she smiled.