"It's been over 4 hours. I know you don't sleep that long," Nick said, patting my head. "You can't just hide under the blanket until you feel better."
"Who said," I groaned. Nick pulled the blanket off of my head, and stared at me.
"Get up, Bolts."
He handed me a thermos.
"Hot chocolate?" I asked.
"Of course."
I still don't like chocolate, but Nick's hot chocolate does always make me feel better. I sipped it, and sure enough, it's the same old recipe that he's always made.
"Have you seen the news?" Nick asked.
"I'd rather not have," I answered.
"I've been thinking though. Remember when you called, and asked about what Asher Kam could've meant?"
"I think he was just messing with me."
"I don't know about that. He's pretty damn psychotic. Do you think it was possible that he didn't know you were...really who you are?"
"You mean that he didn't know I wasn't his sister? I sincerely doubt it."
"There would not have been a good way for Morgan and Asher to communicate once he was arrested. Is there a chance?"
"I suppose there's a chance. A small chance, but a chance," I shrugged.
"Maybe we should keep exploring it."
"Maybe we should just let it go."
'Maybe not," Nick answered.
"Why are you so up in arms about this?"
"It's my name that's on blast," Nick shook his head.
"What?"
"So, you didn't watch the news," Nick sighed. He took out his phone, clicked around for a second, and handed it to me.
Leak Reveals Name of Head Detective on Asher Kam Case
Nick Lance: He Went on Vacation and Left an Android to Run a Case
Asher Kam Case - Live Updates: Nick Lance went on a month long vacation just days after arrest
I handed Nick back his phone. He stared at me.
"It's my head on the table now. We have to handle this," Nick answered.
"Can't they see that you were on paternity leave?" I asked.
"You...are so Nice. You genuinely think that gay men get paid paternity leave? No. I used my vacation days. At least for the first bit. After that, it was unpaid," Nick shrugged.
"Oh," I sighed.
"Yes. So needless to say, my stake is suddenly higher in this," Nick answered.
"Isn't that a little selfish?"
"Oh. Huh! Thanks for letting me know, Bolts. Well, now that I know it's selfish, I'll avoid it," Nick answered, sarcastically.
"Sorry. I guess you're right," I answered. Nick sighed, and shrugged.
"It's fine. I don't really expect you to understand everything. It's just overwhelming to suddenly be considered the worst man in America," Nick sighed.
"Oh, that can't be true," I responded.
Nick clicked through his phone again and showed me the screen.
Lazy, Loud, and a Lush - America's Most Hated Man: Nick Lance
"They've decided I'm an alcoholic, that I rarely solve a case, and that I can't shut up. I'm only mad because the last one is true," Nick frowned. "If they're going to profile me based on some hookups I had in Boston, at least choose the ones that won't talk about how much I talk during...well you get it."
"Nick...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I let this get out of hand."
"I know you are, but I also know it's not your fault."
"No. Let me take responsibility for something. I should've known, or noticed his behaviors instead of sugar coating everything. That will never be a doubt in my mind. Never," I answered.
"Well...fine. You want to hear everything? Everything?" Nick asked.
"What?"
"You're codependent and reliant. You should've been able to handle this case all on your own. It's true. But you've also been through a lot more than any human being I know. I think having a little of this going on is better than everything you could have going on. So, we're going to figure this out."
"Yeah," I said, tears welling up in my eyes. Nick sighed, and climbed over the sofa, taking me into his arms.
"You need to stop crying, Bolts. I'll start crying," He said, voice cracking. "This is a lot. This is all so much."
I pulled myself together, and instead took Nick into my arms. His life right now is a lot more fucked up than mine.
"What absolute assholes. Don't they know how much work you put in?" I asked.
"What do you mean?" Nick asked, clearly crying even harder.
"You always do so much for everyone. I mean think about it. Our first case. We went around triangulating drugs just to find the right case," I explained.
"Wait. Charlotte. That's fucking genius," Nick said, sitting up.
"What? What are you on about?" I asked.
"Don't you know. Don't you get it? Think like an actual profiler would. Think!" Nick demanded.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, leaning in.
"Charlotte. Think about every victim he has. Place them on a map. Triangulate them. We need to find whose missing. He had to have another victim."
"What?"
"Victims. He meant he had another victim. Another victim we hadn't found, but someone his brother and sister would care to know about. He had to start somewhere. Think about it, and place all of his victims on a map. Serial killers radiate, and triangulate. They're not as random as they think they are. Where is the missing piece?"
I sat for a moment, and began placing in my mind all of the places victims had been found. Everywhere. Every club they had been too, and taken form, and every place ethyl had been found. Nick was right. He had to have more.
"Greektown. It's Greektown."
~
Author's Note:
I won't act like I didn't disappear for two weeks. I'm super sorry. I'm back at college, and things are busy. I do have a break coming up though, so hopefully I'll be able to write more, and more often. Thanks guys.
Andrea