In the Beat of a Wing {boyxboy}

Chapter Twelve

~Saturday 2nd February 2013~

Malcolm often lost himself in cases, forgetting to eat, or drink, or check the time. He had to look over files and make notes and form some sort of plan in his mind. Most of the time, his health came second. He knew it wasn't good for him, and he knew it worried others, but he didn't care. He had an obligation to help others in his job, they had gone through terrible losses or could be facing serious jail time, missing a few meals was nothing in comparison to their possible fates.

"Mal, it's nearly midnight," Arian chided, peeking his head through the doorway into Malcolm's office, "are you ever gonna go home?" Malcolm looked up from the files strewn over his desk, rubbing his eyes when Arian wouldn't actually snap back into focus.

"Yeah, in a minute," he murmured, covering his mouth as he yawned, frowning when Arian sat on the chair opposite him, "what are you doing?"

"Waiting with you. One minute never means one minute. You need to go home and sleep, you're gonna crash," Malcolm didn't stop his brother when he started collecting the documents and pictures together in one pile and slipping them back into the file, "come on, you're done for tonight."

"How come you're here so late anyway?" Malcolm inquired as he rose from his seat and shrugged on his coat.

"Had to finish an autopsy report, Rei was pestering me so it took longer than expected," Malcolm collected his briefcase and turned off the lights in his office as the two exited, locking the door behind them.

"What was it?"

"Siren, came in with death by natural causes, not anymore," Malcolm cocked an eyebrow allowing his brother to go first as they stepped into the elevator, "poisoned. There was atropa belladonna in her blood, only a minute amount but it was enough to mimic a stroke and kill her. Her husband isn't going to be pleased when I have to inform him on Monday."

"Do you think it was hunters then?"

"What else could it be? If it was suicide, she would have taken enough to kill herself instantly, not draw out the process," Arian shrugged plainly, following Malcolm out through the foyer, "either way, she went painfully, and her husband is probably gonna rake up a serious investigation into it. I'd expect a heavy case from him," Malcolm nodded, choosing not to mention how intense his workload already was.

"I hope everything goes well on Monday with it, are you gonna be over for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Arian stopped next to his car whilst Malcolm continued further toward his own, "go to sleep when you get home Mal! I'll know if you've been working from home!" Malcolm chuckled, ignoring his brother, pressing the button to unlock his car.

Before he could open his car door, however, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, something glinting down the nearby alleyway. He focused in on the surroundings, listening in to the noises drifting around him until he heard quiet whimpering, almost as though someone was trying not to cry. His brows furrowed into a frown, an internal debate of whether he was listening to the wrong thing or whether he should investigate. Investigating wouldn't hurt, at least if he was wrong then he could put his mind at ease.

Malcolm placed his briefcase on his driver's seat, locking his car and walking down toward the alleyway. With each step, he saw that same glint again, something metal catching on the shifting lights around. He could hear voices too, two hushed tones and one breathless one. Malcolm stopped at the opening to the alleyway, squinting in the darkness, silently wishing he had Reivon's sight. It was far superior to his own. Finally accepting that he would have to walk further down the alleyway to see whatever the commotion was, Malcolm stuck to the shadows.