Bracelet

Carson walks carefully down the hall upstairs, his gun raised in front of him, ready for any surprises. He’s barely opened the door to the first room when Nate’s call sends his adrenaline racing.

Moving quickly, Carson sprints back down the hall and skips sideways down the stairs, his eyes peeled. Reaching the living room, his arm goes to cover his mouth and nose at the sight and smell. He’d thought the odor had reminded him of a dead rat in the air ducts – now he knew why. A flippant curse slips out. “Aw, what on earth…” He grimaces and steps closer to the body, giving it a once over. “Nice. Apparently Aerith was so close to her grandmother that she hasn’t checked on her in a few days eh?”

He almost gags and steps away from the scene, turning his back to regain some composure. “Lovely.”

Suddenly there’s noise at the front door, and he whirls back toward the hall and entry way, his gun poised.


Wyatt jumps and Reese puts on his brakes, skidding to a stop and raising his hands. “Whoa, Carson. Cool it.”

Carson glares at Reese, but slowly lowers his weapon. “You could try knocking.”

“I could try a lot of things.”

“You’re not getting me off this case.”

“Look, Carson…”

“No!” Carson’s voice raises. “Shoot me if you have to, but I’m staying!”

“Carson!” Reese steps forward, looking him in the eye. “Did I tell you to leave?!” He searches the angry man’s eyes. “You’re deputized for this case, and this case only, got it?”

Carson is taken aback by Reese’s words. “What?”

“Do you think I’m nuts?” Reese rolls his eyes. “But you cool it, or I’ll revoke that deputizing on the spot. You’re helping us find Misty, is that clear?”

“I…”

“What, you don’t want to?”

Carson grits his teeth and spins back around. “I’m going back upstairs.”

Reese lets out the breath he’s been holding, and looks to Nate. “What did you do, set off a stink bomb in here?”

Wyatt grimaces. “That’s no stink bomb, Dad. That smells like something dead.” He glances at Nate too. “Let me guess – it’s not Frankie.”


Carson looks into several upstairs rooms, finding nothing. Finally he comes to what looks to be a spare bedroom. The covers on the bed were askew – someone had been here recently. The room appeared void of personal belongings, but things were not straightened, as if someone had left in a hurry.

He glances around, snooping in drawers, and in closets. Looking down, he spots a small, torn piece of paper sticking out from under the dresser. Picking it up, he tries to make out the blurred ink writing. An address.

Hurrying back downstairs, Carson joins the others again, holding the paper out to Nate. “Can you make this out?”


Morgan looks up quickly as Frankie comes back. He grits his teeth, still holding Misty down. “It wasn’t my fault, he growls.”

Receiving Misty’s threat, he looks down at her, studying her face. “Dead meat, huh? You’re not exactly in a good position to be throwing threats around.” He pauses, a grin spreading. “I don’t mind you in this position though.”

Letting a moment pass, he finally stands up, yanking Misty to her feet and shoving her back towards her corner. Pushing her down to kneel, he takes her arms behind her back and starts wrapping the rope around them again.

As he’s tying her though, suddenly for a brief moment, he runs his fingers across her arm, coming to the steel chain and narrow plate engraved with Carson’s name. “Wow.” He almost laughs, his voice suddenly a little softer, almost bewildered. “And he said he’d never…” Shaking his head, he finishes tightening the ropes around Misty’s wrists, immobilizing her hands.