Always By Your Side (Jack Archer x Mithran Ganesh)

Chapter Three

After arriving back at HQ, I put the car in park only to realize that Carmen was coming this way with a ticked off look which meant that I messed up big time I needed a distraction just long enough to brief Chief Ripley then suddenly an idea popped right into my head without a second thought I reached into the glove compartment Mithran gave me a confused look. "Just follow my lead, okay?" He nodded still confused about what's going on taking a deep breath I slowly got out of the car. "Oh, hey Carmen sorry I missed your call earlier me and Mithran were busy talking to suspects and gathering evidence it won't happen again." She just kept staring at me until she sighed. "You better be Archer because if it does, I won't hold back next time got it?" I nodded quickly completely scared out of my mind. "Well, what are you waiting for get in there!" She didn't have to tell me twice luckily; I didn't trip over my own two feet, but it will be worth it at the end because I have a date with Mithran tonight as I entered HQ only to be met with Marina leaning against the wall her arms wrapped around Jonah making out. "Hey, get a room you two I don't want to see that!" Both of then turned to look at me before pulling away. "Alright you win Archer." A small sigh felt my lips before making way into the meeting room. "Hey Jack, can I talk to you for a moment?" I turned to see Marina walking towards me. "Yeah, sure what's up?" As she stood in front of me whenever I needed some advice Marina is the one, I talk too. "Is everything okay Jack you seem distracted?" I nodded taking a deep breath. "I am distracted I have a date with Mithran tonight and I'm afraid that I'm going to mess up big time." A small smile appeared over her face as she placed a hand on my shoulder." You won't mess up I promise Archer you're an amazing guy and besides Mithran is very lucky to have you in his life and nothing can change that." She's absolutely right I'm overreacting a smile appearing over my lips. "Thank you, Marina, for being there." She nodded hugging me. "I'll always be here when you need me." After pulling away I headed into the meeting room only to be met with everyone staring at the doorway. "Thank you for joining us Archer take a seat and let's get started." I nodded sitting beside Mithran. "What have you four gathered from the murder scene and the break in?" I watched as Carmen and Michelle pulled out a whole lot of evidence which made my eyes go wide. "Is that all that's from the break in?!" Both of them turned to look at me with a deadly look. swallowing the lump in my throat I allowed them to continue. "When we arrived at the scene everything was completely destroyed except for a security camera and what looks like a wallet after checking the ID it belongs to a certain Jason Smith." Immediately both of our eyes went wide. "Did you say Jason Smith?" Carmen nodded pulling out her notepad. "That's correct a certain Jason Smith a twenty-year-old with a criminal record for theft why do you ask?" Reaching into the folder I pulled out a police report placing it on the table. "Funny you should mention that because the victim's brother has filed a report against Jason for theft but when her brother went out to confront him only to realize that he disappeared like he wasn't even there when he asked around everyone said that an officer was looking for him." Chief Ripley nodded looking through the files. "Did you find out the name of the officer?" I shook my head. "I'm afraid not but if we're lucky enough the fingerprints should point us to our next suspect." And right as I said that Elliot came in with his signature smirk. "Ask and you shall receive pretty boy the fingerprints match a certain Officer Jacob Brown he's a two-year veteran of the local police force I already sent his address to Mithran's tablet but that's not all the second set of fingerprints belongs to the victim's ex-boyfriend Logan Williams they've been together for six months, but the relationship ended cause apparently she caught him stealing stuff from her apartment." I turned to see Mithran writing down everything. "Do you have the address for Logan Williams?" Elliot shook his head. "I'm still trying to track him down I'll let you know if I find something in the meantime, I also checked out the victim's phone and laptop believe it or not she left behind a very important while looking through her friendnet messages a certain account caught my eye, so I clicked on it and what I saw next.... well just take a look for yourselves." Turning his tablet around immediately all our faces turned completely green at the sight. "Is that the victim's body in that picture?" He shook his head. "No this was sent to her a few weeks ago before she was murdered." After gaining some composer back Mithran cleared his throat. "Were you able to track down the IP address?"  Elliot shook his head closing the page. " Not yet I'm still working on it I'll let you know tomorrow." After leaving Chief Ripley rubbed her temples. "All right Archer and Mithran go speak to Jacob Brown as for Carmen and Michelle head back to the break in and see what else you can find out GO!" Grabbing the keys, we headed out the door still having trouble figuring out where to take Mithran for our date. "Are you okay Archer you seem distracted." I nodded rubbing the back of my head. "Yeah, just trying to figure out where to take you for our date tonight but so far nothing." As we entered the cruiser only to be met with a flyer. "I figured you were having trouble deciding where to go so I looked around and saw something that might interest us both there's a restaurant downtown that has the most amazing foods not only that they have different types of activities we can do what do you think?" I didn't say anything at first but right as he was about to say something I quickly reached over pulling him into my arms. "That sounds perfect you are absolutely wonderful." Even though I couldn't see it a light blush appeared over his face slowly pulling away I couldn't help but stare deep into his eyes it wasn't long until I heard tapping on my window sighing, I turned to look and saw Elliot standing there with a smirk across his face grumbling I rolled down the window. "Can I help you?" Rolling his eyes handed me a folder. "Whatever pretty boy I was able to locate the victim's ex-boyfriend he's been arrested for trespassing he's being held at the local jail." Nodding I rolled the window back up pulling out of the parking lot heading down the street. "Quick question do we need a reservation?" He shook his head laughing. "No, we don't need a reservation besides we'll have lots of fun I went there with family, and we had the time of our lives." Chuckling I turned the corner pulling into the parking lot of the police station as I shut the cruiser off sighing, I rubbed the back of my head. "Are you ready?" Mithran nodded grabbing what we needed before getting out of the cruiser while making our way up the steps as we entered the building only to be met with a couple of officers. "Can we help you?" We nodded pulling out our badges. "Yes, you can I'm detective Jack Archer and this is my partner Lab Chief Mithran Ganesh were here to see Logan Williams we need to question him on his whereabouts." The two officers just stared at us for a few moments before standing up. "I'll take you to him right this way please." The three of us made our way down the long narrow hallway towards the jail cells." Hey, Logan there's some people here to see you I can give you a few minutes with him let me know when you're finished." I nodded watching as the officer left. "Excuse me Logan I'm detective Jack Archer and this is my partner Lab Assistant Mithran Ganesh we need to ask you a few questions about your whereabouts last night." He turned to look at us with no emotion whatsoever. "I was hanging out with my friends from my old high school last night why do you ask." Looking over at Mithran who reached into a folder pulling out a picture of the victim. "The reason why we're here is to inform you that your ex-girlfriend Kayla Hayes has been murdered last night and that she has a restraining order against you." Immediately he quickly stood up making his way towards us. "Wait a minute Kayla's dead you can't be serious!" I shook my head. "We are serious in order for us to find her killer we need to investigate every lead we can, and we'll also need your full cooperation, okay?" At first, he didn't say but nodded in agreement. "Okay deal I've been with Kayla for six months and I loved her with my heart and soul we were very happy then she caught me stealing stuff from her apartment she kicked me out and reported me too the authorities so after I got out, I went back to the apartment to try to get her back, but she wanted nothing to do with me saying that she was going to call the police if I didn't leave I told her to go ahead so she did they came and arrested me and I've been here ever since." I nodded as Mithran finished getting his statement." Thank you for your time we'll be back if we have any more questions to ask and please don't leave town until the investigation is over." He nodded going back to his seat. "Officer were ready to leave." The officer came in a few minutes later. "Did you get what you two needed?" We nodded as the three of us headed out the door. "Yes, we did thank you very much." A smile appeared over his face but before leaving we stopped him. "Actually, before I forget do you know where Officer Jacob Brown's desk is?" The officer nodded pointed towards the end of the hall. "Right down there feel free to check it out." After getting the okay we pulled on some gloves as the two of us searched through his desk. "Did you find anything that might help us find the killer?" Mithran shook his head but stopped when he saw something sticking out of the desk drawer. "Hey Archer, I may have found something that may help us after all." Looking up I saw that he had a pocketknife with what looked like blood on the blade. "We need to get a sample of that stain." He nodded pulled out the forensic kit being extremely careful after a few moments we had what we came for. "Way to go Mithran your amazing!" A soft smile appeared over his face. "Thank you, Archer, we better send them both to the lab for testing." I nodded agreeing with him after leaving the police station the two of us quickly got back into the cruiser pulling out of the parking lot heading towards our next destination which is Officer Jacob Brown's house from the corner of my eye, I saw Mithran looking through his tablet." Alright we need to keep going North then make a turn down thirty-fifth street then we need to look for reddish house." I nodded kept going North as I pulled up to a stop sign, and right on que my phone started going off sighing I reached into my pocket pulling out my phone answering it. "I'm so glad that you answered this time, Archer." Rolling my eyes mumbling under my breath. What's up Carmen?" Looking over I saw Mithran trying his best not to laugh. "Did you go talk to the victim's ex-boyfriend?" I nodded reaching over grabbing the folder. "Yeah, we did now were on our way to go talk to Officer Jacob Brown what about you?" In the background we could hear Michelle in the background shifting through some boxes. "Well believe it or not we may have found something interesting we found some bank statements apparently your victim has been receiving money from an unknown account." I nodded writing down the information after a few minutes of talking we hung up. "I have a feeling that this case is just going to get even weirder, but something tells me that somebody knew more than expected." Mithran nodded as the two of us have finally arrived at the address. "Woah would you look at this house it's huge how could anyone afford this house?!"Rolling his eyes the two of us made our way up the steps finally reaching the door while trying to catch my breath Mithran knocked on the door it didn't take long until someone answered the door. "Can I help you?" Turning around we saw a guy standing in the doorway. "Excuse me are you Officer Jacob Brown I'm detective Jack Archer and this is my partner Lab Assistant Mithran Ganesh we like to ask you some questions if you don't mind." He shook his head opening the door allowing us to enter. "You'll have to forgive me I just woke up from a nap what's this about anyways?" The three of us entered the living room. "Well, we're investigating the murder of Kayla Hayes did you know her?" Immediately we noticed he didn't show any emotion just like her ex-boyfriend did before. "Not personally no but I was called over to her apartment multiple times but that was just it." I nodded pulling out a photo from the crime scene. "We found your fingerprints along with her ex-boyfriend's care to explain how they got there?" Taking a closer look, I saw facial expression started to change sighing he took a seat on the couch. "She invited me over to her apartment weeks earlier to discuss some important details about getting a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend that was it." I nodded listening carefully. "Do you know if she had any enemies who wanted to hurt her?" He thought for a moment shaking his head. "I'm afraid not but if I remember I'll let you know right away." I nodded handing him my card. "Thank you for answering our questions we'll let you know if we have anymore." After leaving the house the two of us headed back to the cruiser. "Finally, time to head back to HQ drop off the evidence then head out on our date." Mithran smiled happily as the two off down the road preparing for the night ahead with the one, I love.