*****
Chapter 15 - I would
*****
Diego dropped off both guns at the B&B before making his way back to the station.
Sighing as he walked in, he saw Ashton leaning against the front desk while Jasper sat the desk, Carter leaning up against the wall behind him.
"Where's Taylor?" Jasper asked almost instantly as he looked up to see the lone detective.
"With Merrill somewhere." Diego mumbled as he leant against the counter.
Ashton walked over to where their coffee machine was to make him one, while Jasper looked up confused.
"The guy's gone back to being her shadow?"
Diego nodded. "After what happened to Charlie, he ain't taking no more risks." He mumbled as he ran a hand down his face.
Ashton brought him over a cup as he accepted it thankfully, giving him a small smile.
"He seems so set on proving he's innocent." Carter mumbled as his arms crossed over his chest.
Diego nodded as he looked up at him, taking a quick sip of his drink.
"I've never seen a suspect behave like this." He mumbled as he took another sip.
"Never thought I'd say this," Ashton started as he looked between his fellow officers and the detective. "But maybe Merrill is actually innocent."
Jasper scoffed as he leant back in his chair. "When has he ever been innocent?!"
Neither Carter or Ashton could answer that. Ace Merrill was always guilty.
"Can you get me his arrest report up?" Diego mumbled as he took another sip.
"Oakley brought the file back, you can have that." Carter replied as he walked towards a filing cabinet.
Pulling his keys from his pocket, he unlocked the cabinet and began flicking through.
"You really think he's innocent?" Jasper asked quietly as he looked up at Ashton.
Ashton shrugged slightly. "For the first time in Castle Rock history, yeah, I kinda do."
"You're the detective." Jasper sighed as he looked up at Diego. "Where do you stand on Ace? And Tom?"
Diego shrugged slightly. "Me and Oakley are pretty much agreed on everything, including Ace's behaviour."
"He's not leaving her side." Ashton mumbled.
Carter quickly brought over Ace's file as he placed it in front of Diego.
"Bit of a long one." He mumbled as Diego began to slowly flick through.
"They do say killers start with smaller crimes." Jasper mumbled.
Yet Diego shook his head slowly. "Yeah there are smaller pre-killer crimes like hurting animals, stuff like that but this?" He waved his hand over Ace's many arrest reports.
"This is like pre-bank heist robbery shit?" Diego took another sip from his drink.
"They're still crimes though?" Jasper stared up at him blankly.
"Yeah but they're the wrong ones. I've locked away many killers in my life and they've all generally had the same type of life, animal abusers, beating younger kids up, that type of stuff." Diego spoke as he shook his head before looking back down at the reports.
"Ace just focuses on breaking stuff, stealing stuff and just being a general dickhead." He continued to flick through them.
"You said they beat smaller kids up?" Jasper asked.
Diego nodded.
"There's some kids you might wanna meet." Jasper added.
*****
"So how come you actually joined the force?" Ace asked as both him and Oakley leant back against his kitchen counter. "I mean you said you joined homicide after a brutal murder but why become a cop?"
Oakley took a deep breath. "Well two of my brothers are in the force, so I just kinda followed them."
Ace raised his eyebrows slightly as she nodded.
"Wait, when you say two of your brothers?" He asked as she laughed slightly.
"I have six brothers."
Ace coughed. "Someone's parents couldn't get enough."
Oakley laughed as she swung her arm out to hit him.
"What? I'm just saying." He mumbled as he gently nudged her back. "Seven kids."
She shrugged slightly. "Kinda had to fight for a place at the table."
"They're all older than you?"
She nodded as she let out another sigh. "I'm the family baby."
"Tough luck being any guy who wanted to date you." Ace found himself grumbling.
"Believe it or not they're always nagging at me to find someone." Oakley spoke with a small smile.
"Oh? I'd have thought having six older brothers puts any guy off." Ace mumbled, forcing a laugh as the idea did somewhat terrify him.
"Nope, they're all for me settling down." Oakley replied.
"Guess you gotta find someone then huh?" Ace turned his head to her slowly.
"Guess I do." She spoke quietly as she turned her head to face his.
"Diego seems like a great guy." Ace offered up quietly.
Oakley laughed and shook her head. "I'm not his type and he's not mine."
"What is your type?"
Oakley stared at him as he stared right back, their sides gently touching.
"Haven't worked that out yet." She mumbled as she looked away, down at the ground.
"How have you not worked that out?" Ace almost laughed.
Oakley shrugged. "As I said, most guys didn't really want to try hearing I have six brothers and-" she waved her hand as she stopped speaking.
"You haven't-?" Ace asked her blankly.
Oakley gently shook her head. "Nope."
"Not even-"
"Nope." She cut him off.
Ace blew a breath out as he turned away. "Damn..." he mumbled. "Would never have pinned you down for a-"
"Please stop." Oakley begged him.
Ace laughed. "Like is there anything you have actually done?!"
"Kissed a guy on the cheek?" She offered up.
"Oh fuck off! Is that seriously all you've done!?" Ace laughed out.
Oakley reached out and smacked his arm multiple times.
"Hey shut up! I told you it was hard meeting guys with six brothers!" She tried to defend herself. "No guys wants to risk sleeping with me for that."
"I would."
There was no hesitation for Ace's statement. Oakley immediately stopped trying to smack him as the pair stood staring at each other.
Instinctively Ace found himself slowly leaning in, yet before he could close the gap between them both...
"Did I mention two more of my brothers are firefighters?" She whispered out.
Ace instantly pulled back. "Oh fuck off! Two police officers and two firefighters?"
Oakley smiled as she nodded.
"Let me guess, the other two are like army officers? Or some badass navy seals?"
Oakley shook her head. "News reporter and cameraman."
Ace's face dropped. "Wait seriously? That's it?" He asked as he shook his head.
Oakley nodded again. "Kinda disappointing I know but that's us." She held her hands up.
"Parents?" Ace asked curiously. "Only fair, you done your research on mine."
Oakley nodded. "That's true. So my parents aren't around anymore..."
Yet before Ace could press for more information, Eyeball poked his head round the kitchen doorway.
"Diego's here, says he needs to speak to you alone."
Oakley nodded quickly as she followed him out to where Diego was stood in the front doorway.
He nodded his head towards her, indicating for her to follow him.
Yet just as she stepped outside, she felt a hand grab her wrist. Turning she saw the pleading look on Ace's face.
"I'll be just outside." She spoke reassuringly as he reluctantly let go, nodding slowly.
"Someone's getting attached." Diego mumbled as Oakley shut the door and they walked a few steps away.
"He's just worried." She shook it off as Diego rolled his eyes unconvinced.
"You remember when Tom told you he only had one gun?"
Oakley nodded as Diego shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Well he was lying."