Crime (h.s. au)

Chapter Fifteen

Ava

I shut the car door, walking onto the property of Jacqueline Rae. Crime scene investigators surround the property and their dogs are sniffing the ground. Harry stands beside me, and I can see that he's watching what's ahead. However, I notice a glance he gives my way, and I take a deep breath.

There's a feeling running through me; a feeling of completion. I get this almost every time a case nears it's close, but this particular case has left me yearning for the answer. There is a slim chance, perhaps one percent, where Alexander Cross did not commit this crime against his girlfriend's friend.

"Ava," Harry nearly whispers, and I flicker my gaze up to him. He lifts an eyebrow, indicating he's asking me if I'm ready to search the area with him. I give him a curt nod and we walk out, joining the plethora of investigators.

"Do we have anything yet?" I ask, the few officers around me shaking their heads in a somber act. It's rough when you search these areas and nothing seems to come up.

The searchlights scan the area and I begin to walk around, Harry staying by my side. It's sort of comforting to have him beside me during this. Perhaps it's the way he understands that I work how I do, or how I don't let much affect me in the field. This case was different, because of so many different aspects. The victim was my age, her boyfriend was masochistic, and I'd do anything to protect a woman who may be harmed in the future by a man such as Alexander Cross.

"Have you looked for signs of disruption near trees?" Harry asks one of the investigators, and my mind goes elsewhere. I furrow my eyebrows when I see a wheelbarrow tipped over by a tree. It's propped up and clearly visible to everyone in sight; it's too obvious.

"Lieutenant," I hear, but I move my feet towards the wheelbarrow. I push it off the tree, almost violently, and see a patch of dirt littered on the ground.

"Here," I state, an investigator walking over to me. A few people join and begin to perform their procedure to unearth potential evidence. Harry and I watch, my arms crossing over my chest.

My heart is pounding out of my chest and I feel as if it's ready to beat straight out of my body. I swallow hard, needing this to confirm all the effort I've put forth in this investigation. Harry needs it just as much, and if what we've worked on proves to find Alexander Cross guilty, I'm making him my partner.

A bag is pulled from the ground and I take a deep breath, unsure if I'm able to rejoice yet. There is so much on the line with what resides in that bag, and I want to rip it open and see what's inside. I'm excited, but for reasons other than what a kid would feel than receiving a present for their birthday.

"Can I have a pair of gloves?" I ask one of the crime scene personnel. They happily oblige and I crouch down. A light is shone above me and I slowly open the bag, almost afraid of what I will find, but intrigued all at the same time.

Each moment and each action I move is with care, slowly able to pry the bag open. Once I peer inside, I take a deep sigh. My lips unwillingly part open, but I close them when I take grasp of one single item in particular.

A tire iron.

It's riddled with blood, and I move to set it down on the tarp beside me that was placed down so I can lay out each item I come across in the bag. A pair of jeans is next, blood inspected on both the front and back of the fabric. My jaw clenches when I see a shirt next, blood stained across the front of it. There isn't anything else in the bag and I move to observe all the things I've laid out.

"Hey," I hear Harry, his body crouched beside mine. "Take a second."

I tear my gaze away from the clothes to look at him, his eyes meeting mine. Then, I breath. I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath. I'm unsure as to what I'm feeling right now; it's never happened before. There is almost a vulnerability, and a hint of relief. Perhaps I put too much emotion in this case than I should have, but I didn't realize it until now.