I stand in the shower, scrubbing my skin as though I were trying to scrub away my grief.
I take a slow deep breath. A flood of tears roll down my cheeks, camouflaging with the water drops that fall from the shower head.
I've had a dull ache in my gut since last night. It doesn't seem to be fading.
How is it that one person can feel so many different emotions in twenty four hours?
Suddenly there's a knock on the bathroom door.
"Isla" Thomas' voice moves closer towards me.
I poke my head out the stripped shower drapes. Thomas stood a foot away from me - holding up my cell phone that was screaming as loud as it could.
I take my cell from him and press it against my ear "hello"
Hearing my voice out loud is strange. It doesn't sound like mine. It belongs to a stranger.
"I'm sorry" his voice starts as Thomas now stands at the door frame "I found his death certificate last night and tried calling you but you weren't answering your phone for once so I called Kyle-" Tommy starts.
"Is it true?" I gulp as twisting the shower knob - making the water stop running "How did he uh..." I struggle to say it.
I know my question is going to be answered with much complexity and that I would soon regret asking, but I can't help myself.
"Would you like to know the details?" Tommy asks.
"Yes" I nod as taking the towel from beside me and wrapping it around my body.
"On June sixth last year the twenty two year old had surgery to remove his right kidney that had recently failed...He haemorrhaged during the procedure....the report says it was due to his undisclosed medical condition....Hemophilia" he explains.
I clench my jaw in anger "okay...thank you Tommy" with that I end the call "your turn" I glare at Thomas in anger.
Why did Johnathan have him killed?
"I got close" Thomas starts as taking a step towards me "last year I broke into Johnathan house and stole his laptop...I met up with an old friend from New Hampshire who hacked into not only his records but also the FBI data base...I was so close to finding him Isla...but than Brandon's kidney failed and Johnathan bribed the head surgeon to take a step back in that room...two weeks later my guy was shot in the head"
I look down and grip my cell phone.
"I miss his whole life and I was stupid enough to think..." I trail off. "None of this is fair."
With that I walk through the house, to the spare room where I had slept the night before.
"We need to make our next move" he tells me "Because I don't know about you but I have no one left that they can take away from me but you"
I tie my hair up into a high pony tail as the door violently swings open.
Suddenly two men dressed in a police officers uniform comes in with glocks in their grasp.
"Hands where I can see them" the African American man tells me.
I don't hesistate to put my hands behind my head. The officer than aggressively moves my hands behind my back. Handcuffing my wrists.
"Isla Mills you are under arrest" the other cop starts as they both drag me through the house.
"Under what chargers!" Thomas cries as following us through his home and eventually outside
"Anything that you do or say can be used against you in the court of law" he finishes as they throw me at the back of the police car.
Through all this I'm perfectly calm. I just allow whatever happens to to happen, and once again I find myself being dragged away from Thomas in the exact same way as I was ten years ago.
***
"This doesn't look good for you detective" a female detective starts as I sit across from her in the interrogation room. "You're currently being investigated in Seattle-"
This is a first. I've never been the one being interrogated in an interrogation room.
"Are you going to charge me or not?" I say flatly.
"why were you at Johnathan Banks resting place digging up his remains?"
"I didn't take anything from-" I roll my eyes.
"Answer the question" she raises her voice with anger in her eyes.
The truth? I dug up his casket to make sure be was dead, but an answer like that could have me locked up.
Let's go Isla.
"If you had read the incident report thoroughly, you would know that the woman that was caught in the cross fire is the wife of Johnathan Bank's ex husband....I thought that i could use Johnathan to protest against his ex spouse in my defense....I found out that the mans dead to my surprise....in desperation I checked his casket just to be sure" I lie my fucking ass off.
Life lesson: before you do anything illegal make sure you have a damn cover story and fucking alibi to back your ass up.
"You are aware that perjury is a felony in the state of Chicago don't you detective? Thats up to five years in a federal prison" she takes a step back and folds her arms.
"If you're not going to charge me" I half smile "I suggest that you release me as I'm sure that you are aware that I'm a very busy woman and thus have places to be" I dont drop eye contact.
****
"Talk to me Ely, how's my girl doing?" I question as walking through the car park at the police station.
"She is nervous" he tells me "she threw up twice in her cell before the hearing"
Marissa's hearing is today. I'm supposed to be there keeping her calm. She needs me.
"Put her on" I rub my forehead.
"She's not with me" he admits "what happened I thought that you were coming to the hearing?"
I sigh. The hearing is scheduled to begin in two hours. I would have been there if I hadn't been detained by the police.
"Yeah well.....I kinda got myself into a little trouble and missed my flight" I admit.
"Are you alright?" He doesn't sound concerned.
"Yeah it was nothing that I couldn't get myself out of" I say honestly "tell Marissa that I'll be there as fast as I can...and tell her that yes there will be a few bumps during the trial but she's got the best lawyer that money can buy"
"You genuinely care for her don't you?" He now sounds as if he cares.
I look down "more than you'll know" I look up to see a familiar face in the distance. My eyes begins to water immediately "I'll call you back"
What's he doing here?
With that I run into his arms. He holds me close to his body. My heart rate slows down a little as tears rolls down my cheeks.
"I'm sorry" Ross strokes my hair as my head lays on his chest.
"He's..." I struggle to say.
"I know I know" he soothes me.
"And Hank-" I weep.
"I know" he starts "we'll find him"
Ross doesn't know that. Thomas and I don't either. I wish we did.
I close my eyes for a split second. "How can you be so certain?"
"You found me didn't you" Another voice starts from behind Ross.
I look up to find Thomas. Ross and Thomas reunited? Not that they were ever close.
"Let's find your family" Ross whispers as he wipes my tears.
I look up at my husband before kissing his soft lips. I need him more now than ever.
"Thank you" I say gratefully.