Criminal Case: The Fanfic Saga

Sleepless Nights (Grimsborough/Conspiracy: Interlude)

"Grandpa?"

A desperate and distressed voice echoed into a black abyss.

"GRANDPA! WHERE ARE YOU!?"

The pink haired woman wandered around within the eerily silent and empty void for a little while, before eventually noticing a door that appeared to closely resemble the same door of her grandfather's Chief of Police office.

"Grandpa...?"

No response. However, as Cathy peered into the luxurious office, she caught sight of her grandfather stood at the other end of the room, his back turned as he stared out the window. Cathy took a step into the office, cautiously closing the door behind her.

"Grandpa? It's me. It's Cathy."

Again, he didn't respond. He continued to stare out of the window, completely motionless. It was almost as if he didn't even realize that his granddaughter was there, attempting to reach out to him.

Cathy took a couple of paces towards him.

"Grandpa?"

The Chief briefly looked down at the floor, with a slightly sad but otherwise emotionless expression, before reaching for his handgun from the holster which was concealed underneath his jacket.

He slowly raised it to his head, his finger trembling on the trigger.

"NO, GRANDPA! STOP! PLEASE..! DON'T DO THI-"

B A N G

-----

Cathy shot up from her bed, letting out a panicked scream that synchronised perfectly with a loud strike of lightning coming from the thunderous storm that was currently raging over the city of Grimsborough.

Cathy gingerly combed back her bangs, took a deep breath, and let out a big exasperated sigh. Her heartbeat was rapid and a cold sweat swiftly took over her body.

"Another nightmare..." she thought to herself.

Things had been like this ever since the whole fiasco with Chief King and the Crimson Order had finally settled down after an emotionally traumatic 2 month ordeal.

She took a quick glance around the room. There were piles of university textbooks and numerous pieces of paper with notes scribbled on them scattered everywhere.

Usually, Cathy wouldn't be the type of person to have an unorganised or haphazard work environment, but attempting to deal with the loss of her grandfather, as well as coming to terms with everything that had unfolded about his involvement with the infamous Crimson Order, had severely hindered her ability to focus and work efficiently, which had never been a problem for Cathy before.

But Cathy had never actually allowed  herself to grieve her grandfather's death until now. She had been way too busy desperately trying to find answers for his actions.
She got so consumed and so obsessed with bringing the Crimson Order to justice, that she conducted her own investigation into them without telling anybody. Not the Grimsborough PD, not even Alex, her own boyfriend.

Cathy became so blinded by her own emotions that it eventually led her into investigation the Crimson Order's Headquarters alone. A decision that got her thrown in a jail cell for a brief period. But it also could've just as easily gotten her killed, and in more ways than one. The thought of it sent several chills down her spine.

"Serena met with me for lunch that same day..." she pondered. "She insisted I tried eating snails, and was also adamant that I wear the golden brooch that she gave to me".