Always By Your Side (Jack Archer x Mithran Ganesh)

Chapter Nine

While driving down the highway towards the victim's sister's house although I will say this no matter how many times, we travel we still manage to get lost along the way. "Archer, I told you to stop and ask for directions." I just rolled my eyes. "I know Carmen, I know you don't have to rub it in besides I can count how many times you managed to get us lost." From the corner of my eye, I could see Carmen glaring at me. "What did I tell you about bringing that up again?" A huge grin appeared over my face. "Just now at this moment." Immediately I could hear Michelle and Mithran snickering in the background while Carmen continued to glare at me as we pulled up to the local gas station. "Alright then Archer head inside and ask for directions." Instead of saying anything I just nodded slowly getting out of the car mumbling under my breath. "I heard that, Archer!" I couldn't help but laugh at the sight making my way into the gas station as I headed up towards the counter where the cashier was. "Hello there how can I help you today?" I reached into my pocket pulling out a piece of paper. "I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to this place?" The cashier looked and nodded with a smile. "Sure, can when you leave here continue going straight down then when you reach the inner section then turn left continue going down that way, you'll see a sign at the front of the building got it?" I nodded with a smile. "Got it thank you so much have a nice day!" I quickly made my way back towards the cruiser hopping in. "Did you get directions?" I nodded pulling out of the gas station. "Yes, I did nice fellow in there helped me out." Carmen just stared at me for a few seconds before nodding going back to looking out the passenger side window after several minutes we finally arrive at the place. "I have to admit this is some fancy apartments." I nodded in agreement pulling into a parking space. "Alright according to the information Elliot sent me Rebecca James should be in apartment 204 which is on the second floor." The others nodded as the four of us got out of the cruiser only to be met with an elderly woman which made me jump a little. "I'm sorry I scared you, but may I ask what business you have here?" I nodded as the four of us pulled out our badges showing them to her. "Yes, ma'am we're from the Bureau I'm Detective Jack Archer these are my partners Lab Chief Mithran Ganesh, Detective Carmen Martinez, and Detective Michelle Zuria we're investigating the murders of Ashley Douglas and Calvin James." Immediately the look on her face changed. "Oh, my goodness I had no idea if it's any consolation I've known Calvin ever since he was a child always sweet and loving helping out others whenever he could who would do such a horrible thing to such a young couple?" We nodded agreeing with her one hundred percent. "That's why we're here to speak with the victim's sister do you know if she's home?" The elderly woman nodded. "She just got back a couple of minutes ago she's probably sleeping since she's a nurse at the local hospital." We nodded thinking the elderly woman before making our way towards the apartment. "It seems that before he was even famous, he loved helping others enjoying his youth which leads me to believe that it could probably be someone from his past but it's still too early to tell." After making our way towards the apartment I notice something out of the blue I noticed a car slowly driving by which is very suspicious we needed to keep our wits in check, but this nagging feeling won't stop. "Jack, are you okay?" Looking back, I saw the others staring at me. "Yeah, I just got distracted." I immediately knew what was going to happen so without a second thought I knocked on the door beads of sweat begins rolling down my face. "We'll discuss this later Jack." After several minutes the door begins to open there stood a woman in her late twenties with long Burnett hair and greenish eyes looked at us confused. "Can I help you?" We nodded holding out our badges. "Yes, ma'am we're from the Bureau I'm Detective Jack Archer these are my partners Lab Chief Mithran Ganesh, Detective Carmen Martinez, and Detective Michelle are you, Rebecca James?" She nodded opening the door wide before stepping out. "Yes, that would be me I apologize for not answering sooner I've been trying to get a hold of my brother for several hours, but it keeps going to voicemail I'm worried that something bad happened to him." Turning around I saw the others looking at her sadness visible in their eyes. "That's why we're here I'm afraid we have some bad news your brother was found murdered this morning." She just stared at us for a few seconds before letting the tears fall freely. "I'm so sorry for your loss but rest assured we'll do everything in our power to bring this killer to justice." She nodded wiping the tears away. "Thank you so much please come inside." We nodded heading inside. "I'm surprised that the Bureau is investigating the murder of my brother." We turned to look at each other before me and Mithran took a seat on the couch while Carmen and Michelle sat down on the love seat. "We have to keep a low profile in order to solve this case when was the last time you spoke with him?" She thought for a moment before responding. "About several weeks ago he's been telling me all the things that's been happening I was very happy for him but during one call I noticed he wasn't acting like himself, so I asked if everything was okay but before he could even respond the call ended." We nodded as Mithran started taking notes. " So, I tried calling him back, but it just went to voicemail I started to get worried, so I called one more time that's when a female voice came on telling me to leave her fiancé alone then hung up, I immediately thought that was strange." A slight breeze entered the room. "Did she say what her name was?" She shook her head. "I'm afraid not but now that you mention it my brother did say he met a wonderful woman while at work." We turned to look at each other again. "Well, we did find a female victim if we show you a picture would you be able to recognize her in an instant?" She shrugged before nodding. "I'll try it's been a pretty hectic day at the hospital." I reached into my pocket pulling out my phone showing her the picture she takes one look before shaking her head. "I'm afraid not although my friend might she's such a huge fan." I turned to look at Mithran who nodded agreeing with the idea. "Does your friend live in the same apartment building?" She nodded turning around pointing down the hallway. "Yes, she lives with me we've been roommates ever since our university days if you want feel free to look around, I'm sure there's something here that'll help you with your investigations." Of course, we accepted right away pulling on some gloves the four of us separated into teams and begin processing the area immediately while looking around I noticed a picture hung in the hallway. "Excuse me Rebecca I have a question about this photo can you tell me who this third person is?" Rebecca quickly made her way over towards me. "Oh, absolutely I'm the one on the left the person next to me is my best friend Mary Douglas and sitting in front of us is her sisters Marie and Ashley Douglas." When she said that I quickly rushed over grabbing the photo of the female victim making my way back towards Rebecca without a second thought I held up checking for specific details so far everything matched except for one thing in this picture Ashley had a scar across her cheek but from what I could tell the female victim didn't have any scars which probably means that we're dealing with a different person without a second thought I pulled out my phone and texted Elliot asking him to run the female victim's fingerprints of course he texted back with a sarcastic response I looked up and saw Rebecca staring at me with a concerned look across her face I turned to look at her. "Would it be possible to show me Ashley's room?" Rebecca nodded. "Of course, it's right at the end of the hall you should see a poster on the door." I nodded thanking her in the process but before I could even move, I heard Mithran calling my name turning around I made my way back into the living room. "What's going on is everything okay?" I immediately noticed that everyone had a shocked look across their faces. "You were right to double check Archer Elliot ran the fingerprints it turns out it belongs to a certain Brittany Johnson twenty-five years old with a long criminal record with the local police department not only that she went to prison for several years for breaking and entering and of course identity theft but get this after being released it seems that her former self disappeared according to what Elliot found out all her previous data has been  completely erased from the system not exactly sure what happened but he's looking into it but you're not going to believe who's been investigating this it's your ex-girlfriend Archer... Asal Hawaa." My eyes went wide when Carmen said her name, I never thought in a million years that she would be investigating something like this, but I have a feeling that something else was going on. "Believe me Archer I don't like this either, but we have no other choice but to contact her. " I shook my head looking away. "Absolutely not after what happened between us, I refuse call me stubborn as I am the answer is no!" Carmen and Michelle looked at me completely shocked while Mithran walked over towards me placing his hand on my shoulder. "I understand that you don't want to speak with her Jack but in order for us to solve this case we need to put our differences aside okay I'll be right beside you all the way." He's right taking a deep breath I turned to look at Carmen giving her a nod. "Go ahead and contact her Carmen even though I don't like it we still have a case to solve." She nodded pulling out her phone dialing her number before handing it over to me holding it up to my ear I heard it ring a couple of times before it someone picked it up. "Hello agent Asal Hawaa how can I help you?" Taking a deep breath, I cleared my throat before speaking up. "Hey Asal, it's me Jack how are you doing?" I could hear her chuckle on the other end of the phone. "Oh, my Jack it's been quite a while hasn't it what can I do for you today?" I turned to look at the others. "Yes, it has the reason why I'm calling you is because you were investigating a certain Brittany Johnson." She went quiet for a few seconds before responding from what I could tell was that she was typing on the computer. "That's correct I was in fact looking into her past but before I could even move forward my boss informed me that she just vanished off the face of the earth no known address I contacted her workplace which is the local coffee shop to my shock and surprise she quit three months earlier apparently she came into some money." My eyes went wide at the new information. "What about her family do they know what happened to her?" A soft sigh left her lips. "They're the ones who reported her to the police." That piqued my interest. "Reported her as a missing person?" She chuckled. "I'm afraid not Archer she stole some money for what I'm not sure that's for you to discover Archer." I just kept my mouth shut after forty-five minutes we hung up. "You did good love." I nodded pulling him into a hug. "What did Asal tell you Jack?" I turned to look at them. "According to her the victim has no known address she also contacted her work place only to discover that she quit three months earlier apparently she came into some money how I'm not sure and her family they reported their own daughter not as a missing person but as a thief who stole from them which leaves me to believe that someone else is involved we'll have to see if we can locate her family Michelle have Elliot find out the  address." She nodded as I turned to look at Rebecca. "Is there a way to contact Ashley?" She nodded writing down the time and place of the local train station. "You're in luck she's actually arriving back in town today, but you'll need to hurry it gets crowded." I nodded thanking her in the process as the four of us made our way out the door there was a loud gunshot quickly ducking back inside peeking out the window I immediately noticed it was the same car that drove by here earlier luckily I managed to remember the license plate and the make and model reaching into my pocket I pulled out my phone texting Elliot the information I'll admit he responded back pretty quickly turns out it's a jeep grand Cherokee it's been reported stolen in the next town over and the owners are Daniel and Chloe Johnson then it occurred to me it's a risk I'm willing to take without a second thought I headed towards the back only to be stopped by Rebecca. "Allow me to go with you I know exactly who it is he crossed the line." But before I could even ask what she meant that there was another shot I just nodded as the two of us headed out the back door. "This isn't a good idea I don't want you to get hurt or worse killed." She turns to look at me. " I completely understand and believe me I don't want that to happen either but if we don't put an end to this right now more innocent people will suffer." She's right it's now or never quickly rounding the corner with my gun aimed at the jeep I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins. "Driver roll down your window and put your hands out where I can see them now!" Instead of responding he just stared at me with a grin across his face pointing the gun in our direction but before I could even move or react Rebecca came forward looking furious. "Steven Lee James if you do not get out of that jeep this instant so help me, I will pull you out by force if you don't cooperate with the officer's orders now!" To my shock and surprise, he quickly rolled the window down his hands shaking like crazy with quick movement I rushed over quickly opening the door. "Come out nice and slow, okay?" He nodded but the moment he stepped out I immediately noticed Rebecca standing next to me turning him around I placed the handcuffs on him. "Sit at the front of the jeep and don't move got it?" He nodded as I started searching around and spotted the gun used to shoot at us. " Hey Rebecca, do you know if your brother owns a weapon like this?" I showed her and she shook her head. "I'm afraid not the one I own is locked away in a safe." I nodded putting the gun in the evidence bag. "And you say you know the driver of the jeep is that correct?" She nodded again looking over at him. "Yes, that's my cousin Steven Lee he's sort of likes to pull pranks unfortunately it always ends horribly." I nodded closing the door before making my wat towards Steven. "Alright you will be charged with possession of a weapon driving, without a license, and possession of a stolen vehicle do you understand?" He nodded not even bothering to look up at me. " Since you're here I wanted to ask you about your cousin Calvin James." That seemed to catch his attention because he looked up at me confused. "When was the last time you seen or spoke to him?" He thought for a moment before responding. "About several months ago the two of us made plans to hang out but he never showed so I decided to go to his house to see what's going on I immediately notice a woman moving stuff out of his house." From the corner of my eye, I could see Rebecca's face turn red with anger. "Do you know why she was doing that?" He shrugged looking away. "No clue but I did hear her mumbling something about needing money for surgery." Taking a step back I quickly pulled out my phone pulling up a picture of the Brittany Johnson turning it around to face him. "Would this happen to be her?" He took one look before nodding. "That's her not a nice person if you ask me stole from so many people by the way where is he anyways?" Taking a deep breath, I looked at him with sadness in my eyes. "I'm so sorry to have to inform you but he was found murdered this morning at the hotel along with Brittany Johnson if there's anything else that can help us during this investigation, please let us know." Then something unexpected, happened Carmen, Michelle, and Mithran came rushing out of the apartment. "Archer, are you okay?!" I nodded smiling giving them a thumbs up. "You know it, Carmen!" She just rolled her eyes as Mithran just stared at me with loves in his eyes. "I just got a text from Elliot he managed to locate Brittany Johnson's family's address we need to head there right away." I nodded turning back to look at Rebecca and Steven. "Before leaving we need to get that address to the train station and the time, okay?" She nodded handing over the piece of paper. "We'll need to stop by HQ to drop off the gun and any other potential evidence." Rebecca nodded walking towards Steven. "As for you I've notified your dad telling him what you did he's on his way here right now." I turned to look at her. "Thank you so much for all your help we really appreciate it." She nodded with a smile. "No problem I hope you find my brother's killer stay safe." We nodded making our way towards the cruiser. "Elliot contacted the police department their sending out a tow truck in the meantime did you get the address for the train station?" I handed her the piece of paper. "That's not far from here maybe a twenty-minute drive we better get going I nodded pulling out of the parking lot making our way towards our next destination.