✓ Chaos Theory | Diego Hargreeves [1]

【CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR】

—chapter thirty-four.

  ❛ boom, bitch. ❜

IT HAD NOT BEEN TOO LONG SINCE ELODIE had been in a police station. It had been some time, though, since her last trip to that specific one. Give or take a few years and a death along the way. But standing in its entrance way, staring into the cold grey hallways and the uniforms moving about, sure made it feel like it had been just yesterday.

She almost expected a hand to curl on her shoulder or to hear heels click-clacking over to her, followed by sharp red lips and a schedule she was already behind on.

"He's dead," Elodie muttered to herself. "It's over. Move on."

With a grimace, she marched in. She did not glance anyone's way, and no one seemed to care to stop her -- guess she was more well known then expected. That, or maybe they just expected she had to be comfortable there, considering how hard her feet collided against the tiles.

Man, did Elodie hate police stations.

She turned down a dimmer-lit hall, then down another just as she was instructed. At the end stood a vaguely familiar face; one she hadn't had to speak to in years. She nodded curtly, wishing she was anywhere but there.

"Took your time."

She only shrugged. "In my defense, I've gotten this call before. I didn't think there was a rush."

"I told you--"

"--yeah, you did tell me," she barked back. "And I listened. I'm here now, yeah?"

Chuck's scowl did not suit his gentle features. It hung too heavy and too sad. But it only made sense. Grief was an emotional that no one wore well.

"He's in there."

She glanced the way he pointed, raising a brow. "And?"

"Aren't you going to go in?"

"What do you want me to do? Go in and give him a 'thought you were better' speech?"

"No," he scoffed, a little humour dancing in his eyes. His hands moved from behind his back and to hers, pressing a cold object into the inside of Elodie's palm. When he pulled away, his hands were shaking. "I need you to do what I can't."

Her lips pursed. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I..." his head hung a little. "I know he couldn't have done it. Man's an idiot, but...Patch..."

"I get it." Maybe she should try to comfort him, but she didn't know Chuck well enough for that -- and hell, offering a weak 'sorry for your loss' usually only made things worse. "Put me in, coach."