The Arsonist || L.S.

IX.

HARRY'S P.O.V.

Right when I got to work I showed bates the voicemail. Needless to say he was as tongue tied as I had been.

"How does he know what goes on in the building?" bates quizzed.

"I'm still trying to figure that out" I expressed, "maybe he someone on the inside"

He put my words into consideration and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. That would make sense" He thought while wagging his index finger.

"But who would or could it be?" Bates thought aloud.

"Beats me. Looks like we have to keep our eyes out for more than just the arson now" I said, sighing.

Just what I needed. Another person to watch out for. Another reason for stress. Just perfect. How would someone get caught up with the arson anyway? Something inside me thought that maybe this arson has a way with words. Maybe an outgoing person. He knows how to put on an act for sure. Perhaps I should invest time in looking for thespians in the city for the last 18 years; see if any of them have a record.

There was a knock at the door and then a head popped in. One of the workers.

"Harry I have the files you wanted"

"The ones of the past students of the daycare?"

"Yes" she walked up and handed me the yellow folders.

Seeing as her job here was done she turned and returned to other duties.

I waved the files in front of bates' face

"Well, I have a job to do and so do you so bye for now. Keep me in touch. I'll talk to you later bates" I concluded and walked over to my plain office.

I sat at the desk and got to work. In front of me was a list of about 30 names. Each name was accompanied by a short summary about them. I highlighted the names of those who had died in red. Only two had died. Anne Parker and Chris Andworth. They had died due to unfortunate events. Anne due to cancer and Chris because of a car accident. I scanned the list and ran across several suspicious people. Some who have gotten to know drugs a little too well and others who have had rough patches like abusive parents and other things too sad to mention. I want to personally interview all of them. I highlighted people who have been abused in pink. Some names popped up at me from the page. Niall Horan and one of his close friends from the daycare, Louis Tomlinson. Niall was an officer here that was working case and louis was someone who had sadly knew how it was like to feel neglected and abused. What brought my attention to that though was the side note under Niall's bio that said he and Louis used to get into big trouble. I guess niall is going to be one of the first people i will interview. Now i had to figure out what this message meant. It had been stuck in my head since i first heard it. Like i had an ear worm. Where do you go when you need help? when you have troubles and need someone to fool you into thinking that they care? I don't know. I haven't had a clue and i cant help but think that i'm overthinking things. Where do i go when i need help? if anything i go to my mom but i have a feeling that's not what he means. Who fools me into thinking they care? Everyone does. I don't think i've actually had an actual friend since my second year of high school which some people would call sad or pathetic but i actually don't think of it much. It must be cool though. I forgot what having someone beside my family who cared and was interested was like. Sometimes i think jasmine wasn't someone i ever loved. Sometimes i think she was just around when i was in a weak point in my life. Sometimes i think that i mistook kindness for love. It sucks when you feel like everything you have done was wrong. This is something i have never shared with my family though. I felt like if i did i would be told that its just one of those days or that i make a big deal of everything. I remember when i used to feel like that all the time though. When i felt alone in a crowded house and when i felt dulled down. I remember crying a lot even when i had no reason to. I remember feeling like something needed to happen. It sucked because i know my mom loves me but every time i even tried to tell her how i felt she would say stuff like 'Harry, you aren't sad. Go eat' or one of my siblings saying 'Stop pretending you're depressed. That's a serious thing don't joke about it'. At that point in time i felt like my opinion hadn't mattered. I felt like it didn't because I was young and always laughing. That's what my family thought. And during the lost time in my life i realized that just because you laugh doesn't mean you're happy but i guess no one else learned that. I felt a tear slide down my cheek and i wiped it off with the back of my hand. I can't think of those times anymore. I don't want to. No one cared so i had to teach myself how to smile. I had to teach myself how to fake it until i made it. I had to make my own happy medicine and i had to fake being content and satisfied all because everyone i tried telling thought i was a joke. From that moment i always knew there was a backstory for everything. I learned to accept everyone and i learned to be a shoulder to cry on.

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and i pulled it out. It was from Jasmine. She was telling me that someone was dropping my car off for her. I replied with a quick 'ok' and put my phone down. Less than a minute later my phone was buzzing yet again. I sighed and dug through my pocket for my phone once more.

"Hello?"i greeted.

No one answered. Its probably one of those prank callers again.

"Helloo? Anyone there?" i tried.

"um, yeah, i'm here harry" I thought i knew that voice. It sounded familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. He must be the guy that's dropping off my car.

"Oh, ok. I'll be right down."

I exited my office and left the building and entered the parking lot. The sun was unforgiving and i felt the heat through my shirt. The brightness of it all forcing me to squint.

"Hope there are no scratches on my car" i laughed. I walked around the car and was met with the man i had seen at the gas station. I could tell my eyes are wide and i felt my frown on my lips.

"You again?" was the only thing that left my slightly chapped lips. His gaze went from the ground to my eyes.

"Yes" he answered, "Sorry for how i acted yesterday"

"It's fine." i forgave, "But am i going to get to know your name today?"

He let out an awkward laugh and i saw his cheeks turn red as he looked at his feet.

"The answer to that is yes. My name is louis tomlinson" He explained while reaching out his hand. I took it.

Louis tomlinson. The one in my files. The one that was abused.

There were so many questions i needed and wanted to ask but all i said was.

"Harry Styles" I guess that knowing him or becoming his friend would be good. I could get to know him better to see if really was the arsonist. It was quiet and i stood there, secretly watching him. I saw something on his hands but he put them in his pants pockets, looking around the empty parking lot.

"He looked around once more and turned back to me.

"I heard jasmine got promoted and she invited me to dinner with you guys and i wanted to know if you wanted me to tag along" he spoke.

"That's fine. So where is your ride?" i quizzed. Now it was my turn to look at the parking lot.

"Oh i totally forgot. I don't have one." He looked down at his shoes again. I guess it was a habit for him.

"I could give you one if you want but i'd have to go tell my boss first" I offered

"If you're not too busy at work that would be much appreciated" He answered.

I told him to wait and i ran inside to go tell bates that i was gonna go get more information regarding the case and that i will explain to him later. He began asking questions about what i meant but i was out the door.

"I'm back" i said, sitting in the drivers seat.

Throughout the ride louis was giving me directions to his house. I was tempted to ask a ton of questions but i knew that i'd have to gain his trust first so i bit my tongue.

Once we arrived at his house he got out of the car.

"Thanks for the favor, harry" he waved " i'll see you at eight" and with that he was gone.