[Reviews - 12]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 646 times

- Text Size +




"Oh"

"Yeah," Gunn said, drawing out his words. "It was a good theory though."

Spike leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes and let out a sigh; one hand sat restless on his desk, fingers drumming away on Ethan Rayne's open file. He had a gut feeling that Ethan Rayne was connected to the case and from all the information they'd uncovered within his file about his past he was definitely a man worth looking into further.

"You gonna eat that?"

Spike's train of thought was broken, he peeked through one eye to see Gunn pointing down at the second half of the sandwich that he'd only taken one bite out of. Although his stomach still grumbled, he shook his head no and closed his eyes again. Silence filled the room, the only sound that broke it was Gunn's chewing.

"There's no profit of the crime, nothing was taken from the scene. No money. I would say team killing based on some of the information here, but there's no evidence to suggest a second party was involved. Her sanity is definitely up for question though. I don't think your girl is all quite there."

Andrews profile of the killer came to him and a strange thought crossed his mind and on reflex had Spike sitting up in his chair and dialing the familiar extension code on his office phone.

"I don't have any new information to offer you if that's why you're ringing. Unless it's to tell me that you caught the killer and I can go home because I have to say-" There was a pause for a deep breath. "Being hauled out of bed at three in the morning to come to work, which I've had no breaks from by the way, leaves one cranky Fred to roam the office-"

"Luv-"

"N-not that I don't love my job, but if AFIS doesn't spit out a name soon I-"

"No luck yet, babe?"

"No Charles, nothing."

Spike half smiled at Fred's frustration and tight lipped tone with her husband. Gunn had finished the sandwich and was leaning against the desk with his forearms supporting him.

"I've got one small reques' to make and then I promise you can have the res' of the afternoon off and go home."

"Does that also-"

"Yes, tha' includes Charlie boy."

"Go on."

"Can you do a search for a specific person through AFIS for a Drusilla Rayne?"

"I can. Is she the murder suspect? Someone you interviewed today?"

They could hear the sound of clicking as Fred typed away on her computer as she made the new changes to the search program Spike requested.

"She's dead though." Gunn whispered, taken back when Spike held up a finger to silence him.

"Just a theory, luv." Spike spoke into the phone, one leg bouncing slightly under his desk. There was silence for a few moments, and Fred let out a small frustrated growl as the system clearly yielded no responses.

"She's not in AFIS."

"Balls." Spike slapped his palm down onto the desk. "Can you check psychiatric hospitals or rehabilitation centers?"

"Why? Maybe." There was a pause. "Hang on, let me try a wider search." Fred resumed typing.

"Why are we searching for a dead woman?" Gunn asked, leaning back into his chair with disbelief in his voice. The search seemed completely pointless considering the woman, Drusilla Rayne, was dead going on nearly one year and couldn't have possibly killed anyone.

Spike didn't answer his partner's question. What could he even say in response. 'You remember that pretty blonde from this morning? Oh yeah, she talks to ghosts. My dead mother told her that another ghost is going around murdering the people of Sunnydale.'

Not bloody likely.

Spike stayed silent and waited for Fred to speak.

"Holy shit!"

"What?"

"Fred?"

"I'm coming up!"

Before either could speak another word, Fred disconnected the line and it was silent in the office once more. Spike and Gunn were left sitting alone with papers strewn across his desk and two very confused looks on their faces.

........................................................

Buffy sipped on the second cup of sweetened tea that Giles handed to her, thanking him with a soft smile.

"It's sweetened, to help settle your nerves."

"Thank you." She could still feel the chill from Anne's touch, but had calmed quite considerably since his son, Detective Giles departure.

"I do have to apologize for my son's behavior. I'm so terribly sorry-"

"Don't be." Buffy smiled in assurance. "I'm still a little bit rattled myself. I don't quite understand what's happening." She placed the tea cup on the desk. "How do you know all this stuff anyway?" Buffy pointed to the pile of books that Giles had brought down from his bookshelves that now sat on the table in front of her.

"Let's just say I had a very strange experience with the occult arts in my early twenties." Giles averted his gaze and pulled the glasses from his face and began cleaning them.

"Not gonna pry." Buffy held her hands up at seeing the look that crossed his face. It was very clear that something big had happened in his past, something dark. She felt goosebumps rising on her arms and rubbed them away.

"There are many things to be said about the knowledge of the hidden, but that's for another time." He placed his glasses back on his face and smiled at her. "I do find you quite intriguing, Miss Summers."

"Please call me Buffy."

"Buffy." Giles nodded and took a seat next to her. "Does anyone else in your family posses the same gift as you?"

"Gift?" She stared at the titles of the books that sat in front of her. Witches and Their Lore. Mediums. How to Connect to the Other Side. Stones and their Abilities. "It's more like a curse."

"Quite the contrary, Buffy. It's a gift, a very extraordinary one."

"Try telling that to my parents. No one believed me when I was a kid and when I became a teenager-" Buffy looked down. "I got thrown into the loony-bin because of this gift." Tears came to her eyes and she refused to meet Giles gaze. Instead, she picked up her tea cup with shaky hands and took another sip of the sweetened tea.

"My dear, I-"

"It's fine." Buffy smiled, blinking away her un-shed tears. "I got out and learned to deal with them. The ghosts that is."

"I do believe that in these books lay some answers to the questions you might have."

"Would you mind if I borrowed them? I only work a few blocks over and I can bring them back in the next few days-"

"Take as long as you need."

"Thank you." Buffy traced the lettering on the large book in front of her, it's pages still open on Samhain. Something about the books called to her. She couldn't put a word to the feeling, but Buffy knew that within their pages were the answers she seeked. "I'm not the first person you've met right? With abilities like this?"

"You're not, no. Actually I do have a friend who might be able to help, or guide you for lack of a better term, into understanding your gift a bit better. Would you like me to set up a meeting?" Giles pulled a small file-fax from his pocket and flipped through the pages until he found the name and number he was looking for.

"Uhm-"

"How about tomorrow night for dinner? Something casual?" Giles could see the hesitation on Buffy's face and softened his features.

"S-sunday? Isn't that when you have dinner with your son?"

"Oh he won't mind. William has known Jenny for years."

"If that's ok, then yes I'll come to dinner. I would like to know more. Understand more."

"Tomorrow night then." Giles tore a piece of paper from the back of his file-fax and wrote his address down to give to Buffy. She stacked the books in a pile and stood from the table.

"Thank you again for your help, you really didn't have to."

"When my son calls with an emergency like that, my dear," Giles handed her the paper. "I very much do need to help. It was a pleasure to meet you Buffy."

"Likewise." Buffy awkwardly held the books she'd borrowed in one arm and reached out to shake his hand. The bell jingled above the door as he opened it for her as she thanked him once again before leaving.





You must login (register) to review.