fallin' out of love (stemxstud)

10

AS

"Well...this is no fun," I frowned, picking up the crumbled map underneath Anaela's desk that she had shoved there when her mother walked in. Once I had it unscrambled, I studied it.

Nobody just carries a dead body from point A to point B. Whoever fucked Dom up bad wanted to make a point and the point was for her to suffer...but for what? I traced the map into a linear route. Dom was alive when whoever got her snatched her up. But she certainly wasn't alive when she was found at the factory.

They had to have made a stop somewhere along...

"Here," I whispered.

I smirked.

"Well, wasn't that easy."

I smoothed out the map better and folded it up, carrying with me everything Anaela had about Dom. I walked out of the office, sliding on my shades and smiling to myself.

Once I left the building, I set her GPS to a hangout spot that Anaela knew Dom used to frequent.

Dominique Thomas, your murder will be solved.

I parked behind the old building, watching tons of shady looking teenagers and even older adults heading into this ancient looking place. I shoved my hands into my pockets, following after them, cool metal against my chest as my black jacket hung loosely on my body.

I tried to walk in with the rest of the crowd but a hand snapped out in front of me as I reached the creaky double doors.

"Name?"

Hmm, should I give him Anaela's name?

"I'm just tryna get in like everybody else here, sir," I took one step back from him, relaxing my stance.

The tall bouncer with a crooked nose and a permanent scowl glared down at me.

"You can be mad at life on your own time. I got somewhere to be, buddy," I laughed a little, feeling the way he was starting to piss me off.

"I haven't seen you here before," he grunted.

"Get some glasses," I tilted my head up at him.

"You don't wanna try me, kid," one step and he was towering over me.

"Am I supposed to be quaking in fear?" I asked dully. "Because I think we might needa redo this scene, if so."

"Name. Or no entry."

"I like the final tone you added to your voice, but I'm telling you today, that I will gain entry, sir," I chuckled. "No matter what way you spell it out for me."

"You want me to spell you out on the pavement?" he threatened.

"Well, I'd hope you would be able to spell such a simple word," I chuckled to myself, "and you'd hurt a lady?"

"You don't want any problems out of me-

"Blah, blah, blah," I waved my hand around. "All this talk but no action. I like to fight. How about we do that, big guy?" I gave him a dazzling smile, his eyes ten times darker from anger through my sunglasses.

He cracked his knuckles, his six foot stature rising easily over my 5'6 frame.

"Ouu, now I'm shivering," I made a big show of shaking my shoulders. "What's next? Are you gonna say, Get outta here, or else?" I deepened my voice to match his rustic baritone.

"Get outta here...or else," he smashed his fists together.

"See. I can't do that. I happen to be looking for someone. And I'd rather not give out my body's na- my name."

"Who are you looking for, and how may I help you? Sorry about Bob here. He's a charmer, isn't he?" an Asian boy with a straight smile threw his arm over my shoulders, steering me around the tall guy and through the double doors.

"Not the affectionate type," I shrugged his arm away. "But I'm looking for someone who may have known Dominique Thomas. I'm a friend of her's."

"Dom didn't have many friends. More enemies," the boy chuckled, probably Anaela's age or a little younger.

"Are you an enemy of hers...or a friend?" I asked carefully, my eyes sliding over to his.

"Depends on what price you can produce."

"I'm afraid money doesn't grow off of me. I'm like everyone else here. Barely getting by," I told him smoothly. I gestured to the old clothes I had dug around for at Anaela's place to make sure I fit in. "Do I look like someone who carries around a stack?"

"Maybe," he grunted.

"Will you help me...or will you just be a bother?" I asked bluntly.

"Dom had a blood cousin of hers that she'd come here a lot with. If you're really her friend, I'm sure you would know that," the boy glanced at me, "Her name was Keris. Once I stopped seeing Keris, Dom was into more trouble. Then Dom disappeared for more than a few months. Now she's been here every day since. Haven't seen her at all today though."

"She's dead," I told him bluntly. "I need to know who killed her."

He blinked, shocked by that news for a moment.

"She was behind on a lot of money due. The kid liked to steal to. I couldn't tell you anything of use. Around here, a dollar to thousands of dollars stolen can equal death. Sorry about the loss of your friend but...you're not likely to find her killer."

"I think I will. Did you ever see Dom leaving this place with anybody?" I glanced over at him.

"No. But the guy back there would have."

I slid the kid five dollars. "Go to tall guy, ask him if he saw Dom leaving with anyone recently."

The boy nodded, walking towards the guy.

Then he broke out into a run.

"Fuck," I shouted, shoving past people and kicking the doors out of my way after I chased after the surprisingly fast kid. I grabbed the back of his head, my nails digging through his oily hair into his scalp. I yanked him back and halted him, grabbing the few bucks out of his grasp. "Next time you try to steal from me, it'll mean death," I told him quietly, "and nobody will ever find your killer."

The boy shook in my grasp.

"Take two," I declared, giving him a suddenly bright smile. "The little boy runs over to the tall guy and asks if he saw Dom leaving with anyone recently," I stated grandly. When the boy wouldn't budge, I shoved him. "The boy goes now. Action."

With shaky knees, the Asian kid tapped Bob, and started talking to him. After a moment, he came back to me. "Why couldn't you do it yourself?" he whimpered.

"He was more likely to make me one with the cement than to tell me anything," I shrugged. "What did he say?" I abruptly grabbed him by the collar, making sure he didn't run this time, as I spoke to him in a casual tone.

"He- He said she left with some masked person. Dark clothes. Dark everything. It was nighttime so-

"Have you seen this person around before?" I asked sharply.

"No, but-

"Find me someone who has. I'll be back here tomorrow," I stated, letting him go and dropping his money to the ground.

"See, I'm fair," I smiled to myself, walking away from the building as I whistled.