Hardly A Victim (Short Story)

Hardly A Victim: Part Three

           "Kestrel! Your savior has arrived, hold the applause, now." Theo, as comical as ever, makes his entrance, however is stopped in his tracks upon setting sights for the corpse.

         "Oh for fuck's sake-" He hardly stops himself from swearing, covering his mouth in pure shock. Glad to see he was as present as always.

        "Lovely, I know. Did you bring my little gift?" Kestrel purrs with a sniff, holding hands out. Theo raises a brow, and chuckles at the antics, albiet wearily, as his eyes struggle to leave Henry's.

          "You look great. I think red rimmed eyes are one hell of a look for you, love." He clicks his tongue with a dry laugh. Kestrel's smile never leaves his face as he accepts a pill, swallowing (Albeit, with difficulty, without water.)

         "I figured as much. Maybe you and I ought to get a pet cat together one day, hm? Could be experimental." The eldest remarks, waggling his brows as he wipes at his nose.

           The way his ally chuckles makes him just about nearly giggle like a schoolgirl. "You an' I both know your brother would have my head if I allowed that. " Yet another tongue click as he shoves the bottle back into his pocket.

         The exchange ends abruptly by Kestrel sneezing. Giving a momentarily worried expression, Theo flicks the back of his Kestrel's head, before adding,

           "Say, where is that friend of yours, anyhow?" He gives the room a look over, before landing back at square one: Henry. "Fuck.." He shudders, stepping back towards Kestrel, taking the eldest arm for his own comfort.

           "If by friend, you're referring to his cat, it went outside. It seems to know a place to get food- so it's been relying on Ellis- There's no marks or anything on Henry to show it's been eating him." Even turned away, sifting through papers on the desk, he can envision Theo gagging, feeling the blonde recoil against his grasp.

             "That's the grossest thing you've ever said to me, love."

               "Have I told you what Romans used to use to craft toothpaste?" Kestrel counters without glancing up.

             "Kestrel, dear, stop that. So, his cat's been fed and cared for, what are you going on about?" Theo's tired huff yet again ends the exchange, and Kestrel is upset he wasn't able to inform his partner that the answer was urine and crushed bones.

          "I'd imagine that it would mean that his neighbor, Ellis, was very aware of his sudden disappearance; Why else would she set out food for the strays?"

           "Sure, she knew he had 'disappeared', but she surely couldn't know he was dead. You're not convicting her of neglecting to report a body, are you, darlin'?" Theo exclaims, jaw agape. Kestrel simply rubs his nose, jotting down his notes for future referral.

            "Possibly, lover mine, possibly. The door was locked, the key was hidden. I'm not saying that she hid it in the door frame; something tells me she's not that bright."

           "That's harsh-"

             "She's very tall, average weight and built for a 26 year old lady. No way she could fit through his doggy door to find his body," Kestrel gestures to the back door. "However, who's to say that the curtains hadn't billowed open enough for her to see inside?" He makes his way towards the television set near the wall, where a window was behind it.

           "When I arrived, the curtain was shut, and now it's open. What says you on why that is?" The investigator's expression could have been ever so cocky, if it weren't for the red rimmed eyes it was accompanied with.