Crimson Creek

{six}

Daniel's p.o.v

"Daniel Blake?"

I looked up from from my desk, where I'd been playing a word game on my phone. A man with sleek grey hair and a furrowed brow stood before me, wearing a dark, freshly pressed suit.

It had been a slow morning so far, but with this man's arrival, things were looking up.

"Yeah– I mean yes. Chief of police," I stood up awkwardly, correcting myself as I put out a hand. There were few people I was nervous around, but this man was obviously someone with more power than me.

His face was stony, almost cavalierly as he stepped forward to shake my hand.

"I'm here for the Martha Ginsburg case. Can you show me what you've collected? My team and I can take it from here," he said, and it almost sounded as if he was talking down to me, which I didn't appreciate.
Despite my feelings, I held my tongue.

"Of course. Follow me," I replied, gaining my confidence back.

I lead him through the station, passing our bewildered-looking secretary and a few officers that stared with interest. When we arrived at the file room, which didn't take long because the station was fairly small, I unlocked the door and walked in.

I had to admit, I was proud of the work my employees had done so far. I took out the Manila folder and handed it to the man, who I now realized hadn't told me his name.
My breath was caught in my throat when he opened it, and I watched his with anticipation.

After what felt like a silent eternity, he closed it.
"There's a lot of information missing," he opened the door.
"Next time, try to cover your bases," the man said, distaste and annoyance prominent in his tone.

Anger overtook me, but I tried not to let it show. One nod was all I could manage.

"We'll have the characteristics of our murderer in a couple days. Then you can tell the public who to keep an eye out for," he finished with a tired sigh, as if he'd done this a thousand times before.
Another nod.

-----------------

I was a here yet again, greeted by the familiar stench of alcohol and sweat. At the bar, everything was in its place; Bryan in the corner, reading his newspaper and keeping to himself. Farmer John, everyone's favorite grandpa, was sitting and telling stories to Maggie. Then there was Rick, a mean drunk that yelled as he watched whatever sport was on TV.

Though, there was one thing out of place. A usually empty barstool was now occupied. I raised an eyebrow, smirking as I drew nearer.
It didn't take long before I discovered it was Tyler.

"Hey there, Danny," Maggie said warmly, Tyler turning his head so quick I thought it'd snap like a twig. I ignored her and took a step closer to him.

He looked as if he'd seen a ghost, the poor guy. Was I really that threatening?

"Hi," I greeted, locking eyes with Tyler. He didn't respond. This only made me chuckle, despite the fact I was slightly hurt.

"Oh leave him alone, Danny," Maggie scowled, counting the money she'd just pulled out of the register and using her arm to wipe sweat off her brow.

I glared at her, but she hadn't seen it, so focused my attention back onto the pretty man. He was grabbing his keys off the bar and standing up.
"I didn't know you came here often. M'just leaving," Tyler explained, the words practically inaudible.

"Not this time, buddy," I grabbed his arm lightly and threw on my most charming smile. I wasn't about to let him slip away again. I didn't believe in fate, but it was hard not to think Tyler came to this town, my town, for a reason.
"You wouldn't disobey an officer of the law, would you?" I added jokingly, which Tyler didn't seem to find very funny.

He hesitantly sat back down, and I did the same, ignoring Maggie's suspicious gaze. I would've told her to fuck off if I wasn't so set on making Tyler like me.
I ordered my usual and another drink for Tyler, the feeling of Déjà vu hitting me.

"How's the move been?" I questioned, trying to start up a conversation. He glanced at me from out of the corner of his eye, swallowing a large mouthful of liquor.

"Fine," he mumbled, then kept drinking at an alarming rate. I laughed.
Maggie was now back to talking to John, and no one was paying attention to Tyler and me. Good, I didn't need the judgment. 

"Did you move here with anyone?" I questioned, trying to find out if he was single. He replied with a shake of his head.
He was mine for the taking.

-----------------

As the night went on, I kept buying us more drinks, and he started to loosen up. I'd lost count of how many beers and shots we'd had, and realized we were both very, very drunk. The dim lights now were hazy, the light spreading from each bulb like a drop of ink on paper. The bar no longer felt lonely and dull- with the addition of Tyler and a lot of alcohol, the place was transformed into a warm, comfortable environment. 

"Why did I ever hate you?" He giggled, eyes glassy. My vision was slightly blurred, and I felt as if my brain was floating around the room. He hated me? I was too far gone to take offense or ruminate on it too much.

"I dunno. Wanna know what I do know?" I asked, holding back a laugh even though nothing was funny. He scooted closer, almost falling off his chair and nodding vigorously.

"That you're the prettiest young thing in this town," I heard myself say, my filter and judgement completely gone by now. He shook his head while that gorgeous, angelic giggling filled my ears again.

"Shush," he dismissed my comment, pressing his index finger to my lips in an attempt to silence me. This made both of us double over with laughter, the room spinning.

Right now, everything felt amazing. We were the only people on Earth, and nothing else existed in this moment.

"I think I like you Daniel," Tyler said once he was semi-composed, his plump bottom lip caught between his teeth. I wasn't quite comprehending anything, all I knew was that Tyler looked really good, and I wanted the night to last forever. 

Without a second thought, I was sloppily smashing our mouths together. It was a mess of warm tongues and heavy breaths and roaming hands until suddenly I couldn't tell the difference between which lips were his and which were mine.

When he pulled away, out of breath and swaying in his seat, he stared at me with eyes brimming with lust and want.

"Wanna take this back to my place?" I asked, ignoring the dizziness. He smirked, leaning in close with a hand resting on my thigh.

"Yes please, officer."