The Broken Ones: Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Good Cop, Bad Cop

(Sarah)

I hadn't heard back from Adam, it had only been yesterday, but a small part of me was hoping that he would call me. I just knew I had the perfect cottage for him, and it wasn't going to be available for long. Una came breezing in and made herself a coffee, she was half an hour late!

"Ugh, I have little baby elephants stomping on my head and my tongue is as dry as Ghandi's flip flop!" She was hungover, it wasn't the first time.

"You and my brother have a hefty session or..." She grimaced when I mentioned Mark, and then she burst into tears.

"I'm sorry!" She mumbled, and ran into her office, slamming the door behind her. What in the name was that? Was she feeling guilty that she never told me? Or was she embarrassed that her latest conquest was my brother? I stood stunned, he'd done it again! Una wasn't exactly an innocent little lady who hardly ever dated, no it could not be possible...did she actually like my brother? I'd never seen her react like that before over a break-up!

I knocked softly on her door, and let myself in without an invitation. She was standing by her desk looking off into the distance with her back to me. "Una? What's happened?"

"He was using me, for his job...he didn't even like me! The things he said...oh!"

She looked at me, startled by her confession, "I...he's your brother Sarah, you don't want to hear..."

"Tell me everything!" What kind of friend and colleague would I be if I didn't let her vent? And okay the last thing I wanted to hear was the details of Mark and Una's sordid relationship, but she really did need a friendly ear.

"He started sleeping with me about a month ago, just after you came back to work. And things were good you know? I was connecting with someone for the first time, he seemed interested in me, my work and my life..."

"...but then yesterday morning, he came by the office. He said he'd come by because he couldn't bear to not see me before he went into work. I went and made him a coffee, and when...I came back..." She choked on a small sob, closed her eyes and took some deep breaths, then she went on, "...he was on my computer, going through our client list!" Mark what the hell???

"When I asked him what he was doing he...he just...blew up! Said he was only using me to get information on a guy we'd sold a house to, he said it was none of my business but all he did say was that drugs were involved and it was important to the town...he said...he said some awful things Sarah, awful things!"

"What kind of things Una?" I knew Mark better than anyone, he had a short temper when people questioned him, but Una was thick skinned!

"He called me a dirty whore who gives it away to anyone! That I was easy to manipulate! I just open my legs and offer the world..." 

"...and then he told me he'd got what he wanted from me, and that it was over! And then I went out and got drunk, woke up about half an hour ago. Adam was so sweet he..." I blinked and stared at Una.

"Wait! Adam? What's he got to do with it?"

Una blushed and looked away, "Oh I made a complete tit of myself Sarah!" She groaned and looked at me guiltily, "He was in the bar, he walked me home and...oh I made a pass at him totally naked and out of my tree!" I felt sick, and I had no idea why.

"Oh!" Was all I could say, I was stunned.

"He was such a gentleman, he looked horrified too! Why can't all men be like him?" She mused, "And he's so not interested, I think he has layers Sarah...lots and lots of layers that he won't let just anyone peel away at!" Talking about Adam, in this way, was making me feel more uncomfortable than talking about Mark! "He held me, told me I was beautiful and that he wasn't going to go there because I'd been drinking, and then he helped me to my room and covered me up with a blanket!" She had a dreamy look in her eyes, "As I said, gentleman!"

"So nothing happened?" She laughed sadly, then answered.

"No, nothing at all. But he was happy to see me if you get my drift!" She winked, "First guy to say no...apart from John!" She was talking to herself, as if I wasn't even there. "Although, if I hadn't known he was married to you, I'd have sworn he was gay or something. He just did not find me the least bit attractive...unique boy was John!" She shrugged.

"Did Adam say why he couldn't make our appointment?" I tried to steer the conversation away from my dead husband, Una sighed and smiled.

"Yeah, job offer, said it was too good to turn down. Looks like he might be sticking around for a while!" And perhaps he might call me?

He had my number, and it had only been 24 hours, maybe he would get in touch soon. That cottage really was made for him, he didn't know what he was missing!

(Adam)

I wasn't ready to leave, and I wasn't going to let anyone run me out of town! I'd thought it over these last few days, even got a job at the Brindleton Bay Gazette. Journalism was my profession, before I became a murderer. And then I dropped everything and went underground...

...and now I was in the town where my victim had grown up, got married and had hopes and dreams in! I was getting pretty agitated, I wanted so badly to contact Sarah. My flat was driving me crazy, I wanted a home! My home! And most importantly I wanted a bedroom, this couch was killing my back!

I'd been relegated to doing the ads on the paper, as I was the new boy in town, Karen Thomson was the editor and she was born and bred here. She took her little paper seriously, and she believed in having her staff work from the bottom to the top, no helping hands up the rungs...

...and that was how I came across Detective Mark Caldwell. He had been in smarming at Karen for a good half hour, asking her all sorts of questions about her extracurricular activities, made me feel sick! What he was really here for was to put out a plea to catch a mysterious graffiti artist who had vandalised a few walls in town. Wow, life in the fast lane Detective, how do you survive the fast pace?

As I was smirking to myself, he turned in my direction, and caught me! He gave me a stern look and bounded over, trying to intimidate me no doubt. "And who's this?" Now he was smirking at me.

"Oh, Mark this is Adam Masters!" Karen introduced us, "He just moved here, he's started on the ads at the moment, and then Auntie Karen is going to assess things from there. Adam this is Detective Mark Caldwell!"

He shook my hand roughly, man it smarted! His eyes bore into mine. He knew who I was alright, and for a detective, he needed to work on his poker face! And that's when I had the most ballsy idea ever!

"Pleasure detective! Say, since I'm new here, I don't suppose you'd be up for having a few beers later? I'd love to get to know more of the locals!" And those eyes widened, I'd got the slimy bastard! With Karen and her number one reporter watching, he could hardly say no!

"Why not, always happy to make newcomers welcome here!" 

Liar, I had him by the balls and he knew it! But did he know I was onto him? Guess I would find out later.

Mark and I met up at the same bar Una found me in a few days ago, he had no idea what to make of me. He was nervous, and I was as calm as the summer ocean. "Detective, good to meet you again!" I nodded as he approached me.

"Yeah, yeah!" He coughed and patted me roughly on the back. How was this guy even in the police? He was a walking disaster, his emotions were painted all over his face and his mannerisms gave him away!

We sat down and made a little small talk before I got down to the real reason I'd tricked him into being here. "So, Mark, why did you threaten me to stay away from your sister?" He spat out his drink and those eyes were popping out of his head again, completely aghast at my out of the blue question.

"What are you talking about?" He muttered, so fast I barely caught it.

"You know, that text you sent, from a burner phone probably, telling me to stay away from Sarah Wallace?" His face turned a dangerous crimson, and the look of shock was transformed into murderous rage as he shot up from his seat.

"Prove it!" He hissed, his eyes darting from left to right around the bar.

"Look, all I wanna know is why!" Mark let out a huge, exhausted sigh, sat back down and squeezed his eyes shut.

"You knew her husband." I was confused, what?

"What has that got to do with..."

"I just got her back, she was getting back to work and starting to behave like her old self!"

"Then you rock up, I was scared you'd churn up old memories! I didn't want her to have a relapse." He was on the verge of tears but hiding it as best as he could, whatever happened after John's death, it obviously affected him.
"Mate, she never knew me, we only just met! We never talk about John! I only ever mentioned him once, to offer my condolences...that's it!"

"You have to understand, she is my little sister...and it is my job to protect her!" His rage was now sadness.
"No it's not, your job is to solve crimes! Sarah is a grown woman!" He looked down at his hands, and there was a long silence.

"Look all I wanted was to pay my respects to a deceased ex colleague and buy a house. That's all! There's no need to threaten me, I'm a reasonable guy!" And when his eyes met mine, I was hit with a serious case of deja-vu.

It was insane! I'd seen that look in his eyes before, sad and desperate. It left me so confused. "She's come so far, I don't want her to end up...back in the darkness!" His voice shook me back to reality. What in the hell was that? I cleared my throat and focused on the present.
"I understand!" I nodded.

I sat among my boxes, feeling totally confused. I only met Mark today, and yet the way he looked at me, I remembered it! 

And that night I had the dream...

"HEY! Watch it mate!"

"I'm sorry I..."

I woke up in a sweat, my heart pounding in my ears. What the hell was happening to me???

To Be Continued...

Previous Chapters:
Prologue
Chapter One: An Unexpected Visitor
Chapter Two: Unwanted Attention