Dead Ringers; Chapter 6

Jeb is waiting at Elliot's and my desks. He zeroes in on something behind us. Probably Detective Miles following us.

Reaching our desk, I plop down as Jeb inquires, "Well?"

I don't respond. I'm not in the mood to.

"It's now a joint custody case," Elliot answers sitting down in his chair, "I'm off. Winter is at point with Detective Miles of Night Division."

Jeb looks at Elliot, me, and then Detective Miles.

Detective Miles holds out a hand. "Detective Elijah Miles, Copultin City Police Department, Night Division."

Jeb takes his hand. "Doctor Jed Masters, Medical Examiner, Copultin City Police Department, Day Division."

Ignoring them, I've opened the doppelgänger case on my computer. "Exactly what time is the meeting set up for, Elliot?"

Elliot scans his notes. "One o'clock on the dot."

I look at the clock, it's hardly eight-thirty. It was going to be a while.

"Anyways," Jeb begins, "I just wanted to let you know that I entered the notes for the examination. Also, there's apparently a backlog for DNA runs, so that's still coming, but I'll let you know when I get it in."

"Thanks, Jeb," Elliot and I chorus.

Jeb does his signature half-wave and heads back towards the exam rooms.

I suddenly become very conscious of Detective Miles standing behind us. "How about you just take a seat," I tell him, motioning to the extra chair for witnesses stationed across the desk.

"I'm good," he states.

I clamp my jaw shut and continue to go through the case notes. I'm looking at the notes on the first time we saw the first vic. Suddenly, Detective Miles leans in, and his head is right next to mine, eyes locked on the notes. My annoyance level rises.

"If you want a copy, I can get you one," I state, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

Detective Miles points at the screen. "When was this?"

"Yesterday."

As suddenly as he had leaned in, he straightens and spins away. "Let's go," he calls over his shoulder.

"Go where?" I've spun in the chair, looking at him incredulously.

He turns back towards me with an equally incredulous look. "Into town."

"Why?"

"Because there's someone I need to talk to."

"You're a big boy. Go do it yourself."

Elliot snickers and I backhand his arm. Detective Miles crosses his arms and fixes me with a look.

"Like it or not, we're a team now. Which means we have to stick together. So, come on partner."

Glaring at him, I stand up and grab my keys. He turns and walks off towards the exit.

"I wonder who will win," Elliot muses. "Stubborn number one or stubborn number two."

I smack Elliot upside the head before heading after Detective Miles. When I finally catch up with him, he's outside the building on the phone. Seeing me, he wraps up the conversation. The bright light outside sets off a dull ache in the back of my skull. How had it gotten so bright in an hour?

"Alright. See you then." He hangs up and puts his phone in his pocket. "Ready?" he asks.

"Sure," I respond. I turn left and head toward the officer parking lot.

"Where are you going?" Detective Miles asked.

I turn around but don't stop walking. "To my car. Obviously."

"We're taking my car."

I stop and place my hands on my hips. "I can drive myself."

"It will be faster in one car."

"We can take my car. I know how to drive."

"You have no idea where we're going."

"You can tell me."

Now he looks very annoyed. "Detective Fullin, we don't have time for this."

I look at my watch. It's roughly eight forty. "Interview isn't until one. I beg to differ."

Detective Miles walks up to me so we're toe-to-toe. "Look. I have a fairly good idea of what's going on here. We only have so much time before it's too late to get a definitive answer."

What on earth was that supposed to mean? I don't get to voice that question though as a dull pain lances my skull and refuses to fade. "Fine," I growl, rubbing my temple as the dull ache has reached it. "You can drive, I forgot my wallet inside anyway. Where's your car?"

"This way," he replies, before turning and walking across the parking lot.

I follow him to the visitor's lot until he stops by a black mustang. I can't say I'm all that shocked. Once he's unlocked the car I climb in and close my door.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going, or do I have to wait until we get there?" I ask. Detective Miles ignores my question and pulls out of the parking spot. "Fine then." I look out my window, kicking myself in the head for not just letting the case go. Laci was right. I am way too stubborn at times.

"Do you know Madam LeVou?" He asks.

I look back at him. He's focused on the road. "Who?"

"Madam LeVou."

I think for a second. "No, I don't think I do."

"How are you feeling?"

"What?"

"How are you feeling?" Detective Miles repeats his question.

"What does how I'm feeling have to do with Madam LeVou?" I ask slightly irritated that he's changed the subject.

"Any nausea? Dizziness? Headache?"

"Will you stop answering my questions with questions?" My irritation is growing along with the ache in my skull. Probably the start of a migraine. I can't think of the last time I had one.

"Will you give me an answer?"

"You are impossible!" I exclaim, exasperated.

"This is important. Just answer the questions."

I huff and glare out the window, determined to ignore him.

"Detective Fullin, please just answer my questions," Detective Mile's tone is gentle, but underlain with irritation.

I choose to not respond.

"Look, even if you weren't still on the case, someone from Night Division would be asking you these questions."

"Really? Well, I would still choose not to respond, as these questions have nothing to do with the investigation." I say this without turning to look at him. I rub my temple again, the pain beginning to pulse. I find myself wishing I was back in the office so I could go get some medicine.

"Does your head hurt?"

"Only when you're talking."

Suddenly, the car veers right, coming to a sharp stop on the side of the road. I'm thrown right, then forward. My seat belt locks and I fall back against my seat.

"What the hell was that?!" I demand, enraged at Detective Miles's reckless driving. "Are you trying to kill us?!" The sudden movements have sent the pulsing pain into overdrive, and I can hardly focus on anything else.

Detective Miles grabs my chin and forces me to face him. I grab his wrist in response, a protest on my tongue.

"Look at me," Detective Miles orders.

I look at him, but I do so with a glare. Our eyes lock. For being hazel, his eyes are rather bright. I hadn't noticed that before.

My mind goes blank, my protest gone.

"Does your head hurt?" He asks.

"Yes."

"Any other pains?"

"No." I don't know why I'm answering his questions. I don't want to, but the answers are just coming out.

"What does it feel like?"

"A migraine on steroids."

Detective Miles scowls. "We have to hurry."

Releasing me, he refocuses on the road. The moment his eyes leave mine, I feel like a string has been snapped. I simply fall back against my seat again and stare out the windshield. The pulsing pain is growing. Slowly but steadily. I don't recall migraines being this bad. Groaning, I drop my head into my hands.

I feel the car accelerate. "Don't speed," I chide Detective Miles.

I hear him chuckle. "More worried over my speed than what's going on?"

"Kind of hard to worry about something you don't understand when your head is pounding."

"Trust me. If I explained it to you now, it wouldn't help your head."

Each word seems like a clap of thunder. "Please shut up," I whisper.

I hear something open, stuff being shuffled around, and then something being closed. Something touches my wrist. I lift my head enough to look. Detective Miles is holding out a hand in which there is a small square of a translucent red thing. I gingerly pick it up and look at him.

"Put it on your tongue and let it dissolve," he tells me.

Not in the mood to argue, I obey. It dissolves instantly, like sugar. The pain eases, and my mind begins to drift. The less pain I feel, the airier my head becomes. I look at Detective Miles. "What was that?" With how loopy I feel, I'm pretty sure my words were slurred.

"Something to ease the pain, but it also knocks you out. So just sit tight."

My head lulls right and I stare out the window. The last thing I recall seeing was the tall downtown skyscrapers.