Once Upon A Stranger's Crime

V. Bad News Over Bad News

Lauren's POV

It stung.

The moment, my superior’s palm landed forcefully on my left cheek, it stung. But the funny thing is, the pain did not only strike the surface of my skin, it also reached my fragile heart because I knew I deserved it.  

“Sir, it’s my fault.” Jane attempted to stand up for me but I know it was no use. She was brave to speak up and I’ll give her credit for that.

“You don’t know how much I’m disappointed at the two of you….especially you, Detective Moore.”  Sir David declared while he looks out the window with his back facing us. Eventhough we couldn’t see his face right now, his body language says that he is nowhere near forgiving us.

I took a deep as I stare emptily at his desk, still feeling the stinging sensation brought by his heavy and non-personal slap before replying to his statement.

“I have no excuse with my carelessness, sir. I apologize. This mistake won’t happen again.” I promised.

After I spoke my heart out, Jane decided to brush my back softly while wearing a concerned look on her face. I just smiled back at her briefly, appreciating her effort of comforting me.

“You are weak, useless, and disappointing piece of trash.” Sir David uttered. And just like that, my heart felt like it was stabbed deeper. But I need to be tough. These below the belt disciplinary comments aren’t new for me anyway.  

“Sir…” Jane tried to reason out again but she was dismissed.

“He was a few feet away from you and we were a few seconds away from stopping this f*cking crime and yet….yet, you let him slip away from your hands! Can you imagine how the whole unit would see us? We would become a laughing stock once this news flew out. ” He turned around, facing me.

Facing only me.

It’s as if all he can see in this room is me.

“It was dark sir and I was running alone and he was way faster than me. Besides, we couldn’t be so sure that he was indeed Eric Snyder.” I responded with my head lowered to the ground.

“May I remind you that a few seconds ago, you just said that you have no excuses for your carelessness, Detective Moore?” He replied with a raised tone of voice. Of course, I knew he wouldn’t understand.

“Right.” I said simply.

“Lauren’s right. We weren’t really sure yet if it’s really Eric. And I swear, we immediately called for backup sir. ” Jane butted in bravely. Looking at her stance and listening at her tone of voice, I can say that she is determined to stand up for me. I guess I made a wrong assumption about her from the start.

“I agree…sir.” Edward spoke as well, out of the blue. Our heads turned towards him who was standing quietly at his desk up until now. Somehow, it makes me happy knowing that my colleagues understand the general picture of the situation here. 

For a moment, Sir David fell silent. He rubbed his temple with his right thumb and index finger while his eyebrows are furrowed so close together, it now appears to be a unibrow.

“Is that right, Edward? You agree? Well I want you all three to know that I was right too. I was right of my first impressions about you. All of you are nothing but incompetent!” He screamed, looking alternatingly at the three of us.

The atmosphere went dead quiet and his heavy words echoed through us. Soon enough, we heard his footsteps fading away as he exits the office with a frustrated mind. But just as he reached my exact spot, he decided to stop walking and lean closer to my face.

“You don’t deserve to be here. If you just worked your way up here by spreading your legs to all of your male superiors back then, you being a lowly woman has no place in this respectable unit.” Sir David whispered before looking at me from head to toe with judging stares and finally walking away.

I kept a straight face as I felt my body went numb. I heard all the insults I can get before but I was shocked to hear this one. It was my first time hearing that kind remark towards me and I didn’t even had the chance to stand up for myself.

What a stupid, emotional Detective I am.

All his words weren’t true. How dare him frown upon all of my hard works that lead me to where I am right now? From now on, every time I will see his face as I enter this office, I knew I will feel nothing but disrespect for him. 

--

After Sir David insulted me in front of my colleagues without remorse, I arrived home at around 6 in the morning, tired, empty, and hungry.

An hour has passed since the office incident and the pain finally turned into anger. Soon enough I felt that anger turning into motivation. I became motivated to prove my worth to my close-minded superior.

But before I let all other emotions flood my system, I realized that I am human too and at the moment, my eyes are begging to let all the tears that kept building up since earlier to fall free. I decided to finally step out of my car after a few seconds of staring at Mason’s house, or should I say….my new place to stay.

“Get it together, Lauren. Damn it.” I uttered to myself before looking up at the sky as my skin felt the breeze of the morning air. I took a deep breath and walk slowly towards the door. I made sure to hide all that had happened last night from Mason as my feet come closer and closer to his property.

When I finally reached his door, I wore a wide smile in an attempt to show a bright façade towards him to hide my messy and pitiful side. But to my surprise, his door is locked.

“Huh?” I tilted my head as I tried turning the knob counter clockwise again. This time I am sure that it was locked. I then decided to knock three times so he could know that I was already home. But then I realized that my move isn’t official yet. I haven’t signed any contract and the key for the front door isn’t with me yet.

“Oh, shoot me.” I whispered helplessly before leaning my forehead on his glass window. When I felt all the energy draining up my system, I decided to sit on the tiny ladder leading to the entrance of his house.

The moment my body touched the coldness of the cement stairs, loneliness instantly devoured me and that’s when I lost it. Soon after, I found my hands automatically covering up my face as I sob like a baby. All those tiredness, disappointments and pain that I received last night was too much. I knew I needed a good cry…especially when I realized that Sir David was right. Aside from being wrongful at accusing me of being a slut, he was right about everything.

And even if I kept on telling myself that I wasn’t sure that Eric was the one I was chasing last night, I knew it was him. I just knew.

Maybe I am indeed incompetent.

Maybe I am indeed useless

Maybe I will become the reason why a new body of an innocent child will be found in the woods a few days from now…all because I wasn’t able to catch him.

Eric Snyder was so close to me and I let him escape.

“Will I feel better after this?” I thought while internalizing all the negativity inside my head. I then finally let my face be covered by my legs as I let my face sunk further, touching both my trembling knees.

“You will feel better.” Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice speak out beside me, startling me a little bit.

“Oh, I’m so sorry about this…I just…” I attempted to fix my disgraceful face before facing Mason shyly. He was wearing a track suit and a pair of black earphones is hanging down his neck. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that he just came home from a morning jog….and the first thing he saw when he went home was a sobbing, ugly woman at his front door.

I wish the ground would just swallow me whole right now.

“I noticed that for a cop, you are quite easily startled.” He said jokingly. His remark made me look up at his face and laugh like a fool. The moment our eyes met, I felt a bolt of unexplainable rush down my body, causing my heart skip a beat.

“Here, take this…” He stated, offering his handkerchief. I politely accepted without saying anything. Call me shallow but this simple action of comfort is really touching me right now.

I don’t know if it’s just hunger, loneliness, aloneness, or sleepiness from all that I’ve been through but suddenly, I found his every action and facial expression happening in slow motion.

Mason is currently smiling at me and his smile is all that I needed to forget everything that brought me here. There’s something in his eyes that’s telling me I can trust him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to offend you.” When he realized that I wasn’t speaking, he suddenly apologized before unconsciously wiping a drip of sweat down his forehead.

I smiled.

 “No, you didn’t offend me…” I assured him, holding his handkerchief tight.

Mason and I shared a brief silence together before I felt the need to come closer to him. The silence between us isn’t awkward or tensed….it is nothing but comfortable. It is a silence that makes me want to stay here until everything bad about my life is over.

The silence succeeded in inviting me to come nearer to his body because soon enough, I found myself closing my eyes and leaning my face to his until our noses touched and eventually our lips too. I pressed my lips hard enough on the tip of his until heat flooded up my cheeks. My noisy mind finally calmed down for a moment…at least for this moment.

It wasn’t long until I finally snapped myself back to my senses and break away from our intimate distance to create a casual gap. I held my breath as I widened my eyes upon realizing what another embarrassment I brought myself unto.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…my emotions, it’s just...I’m all over the place right now.” I apologized in a fast pacing tone, catching Mason off guard. I didn’t look for his reaction further because of extreme humiliation I am feeling right now. Instead, I decided to stand up, tuck my hair behind my ears and look as far away as possible.

“Let’s go inside now, it’s really cold.” He uttered with an expressionless face before standing up and walking towards the door to unlock it with the key in his pocket.

“Yep. Sure. Hehe.” I replied with an awkward smile.

--

I kept maintaining a great distance between our bodies the moment we entered his house. I actually plan to excuse myself and go directly to my room to further beat myself up from what I did but Mason seems to have other plans because he decided to invite me for breakfast inside his shop.

“B-Breakfast?” I repeated his invitation naively.

“Yeah. I bet you’re hungry.” He replied casually while setting up the table in front of us.

“Uhh, sure.” I agreed hesitantly and he just nodded.

It’s strange. Why does Mason seem to not be affected after I stole a kiss from him?

“I hope you’re okay with avocado toast.” He said in a louder volume, making sure I can hear him from his mini pantry.

“I’m okay with that.” I screamed back.

After a few minutes of waiting, he arrived on the table with two plates containing avocado toasts and two mugs full of hot chocolate drinks. I heard my stomach rumble at the sight of such delicious breakfast. I wasted no time and proceeded to shamelessly devour the food in front of me. 

“Wow, this is…” I was almost speechless by the time he sat adjacently towards me. The smell of the toasted bread and chocolate made it impossible for me to ignore my rumbling stomach.

“You’re welcome.” He said with a smile. It’s like he completely forgot that everything and I don’t know if it’s a good thing.

“By the way, I already prepared our contract regarding the house. Since you’ve already partially moved in, I am thinking if I could help you bring your other things left from your old place here….just tell me.” He explained.

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you but I think I can manage.” I responded with the same tone of voice he gave me, completely ignoring the feeling of humiliation that continues to creep up my gut. I then took my time reading the three-page contract while I take bites of my avocado toast. Thankfully, Mason is patient with me. The moment I finally understood every condition he wrote, I wasted no time and proceeded to sign the paper.

“Well then Ms. Lauren, it’s official. We’re housemates now.” He uttered with the widest smile before reaching to shake my hand. But before I accept his handshake, I decided to take courage and ask him about something.

“Mason, why aren’t you asking anything?” I raised.

“W-what do you mean?” He replied, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

“You saw me crying in front of your house…and I….I just kissed you. Why aren’t you asking anything?” I uttered without a hint of nervousness. I guess the investigator in me suddenly popped out because of the circumstances we are in.

“I…I just th—“ He tried explaining but he was cut off by my ringing phone which I carelessly placed on top of the table when we entered his shop.

“Excuse me for a bit.” I said before standing up and walking towards a private spot.

My screen flashed Edward’s name. With this, adrenaline rush filled up my body and without hesitation, I picked up his call.

“What’s up?” I asked immediately with a serious tone of voice.

“Lauren, we found something on the spot where you chased the man we suspect to be Eric Snyder…” He explained.

The moment Edward told me those words, my heart thumped hard. I looked around to make sure that no one is eavesdropping to this important call…including Mason.

“Listen to me, do not say anything and just send me a picture of it.” I commanded before ending our call.

I stared emptily at one of the cabinets inside Mason’s shop as I anticipated the picture that Edward will send. I shifted also my gaze towards him briefly only to realize that he is already tidying up the table we shared breakfast in.

“Are you okay?” He asked out of concern.

“Yeah….Yeah, I’m okay.” I expressed dishonestly.

My phone soon vibrated revealing a photo of a silver wristwatch covered with dirt, untouched in the scene where I last saw the man last night. My heart couldn’t sit still. I decided to zoom in the picture with my shaking fingers to take a closer a look at the evidence.

This is big. This is unbelievably a miracle to save me from my crashed reputation in the eyes of Sir David.

I squinted my eyes to analyze the details of the structure and brand of the wristwatch.

Wait a minute…

Why does this wristwatch gives off a familiar vibe? I zoned out completely as I tried my best to think hard of where I saw this before. Together with the ticking of the clock, my mind wandered to the past, recalling of every single important event that took place lately.

That’s when I realized that I saw Mason wearing the same wristwatch the first time I met him when he invited me for tea. He actually wears the same kind of wristwatch every time I see him.

I gasped.

Out of the blue, my gut turned suspicious and my heart kept beating fast. I decided to walk slowly towards him to confirm my assumption.

“Hey Mason, I think I’ll go to my room now. I’m a little tired...By the way, thank you for the toasts! ” I said calmly.

“Sure, let’s continue our conversation some other time.” He responded before placing the tray back down to the table and entertaining me.

“So then, should we continue the interrupted handshake?” I offered lightly and he accepted it without thinking twice.

By the time our palms touched each other’s, my eyes shifted to his wrists and I saw that Mason is no longer wearing the silver wristwatch for the first time since I met him.

No way.