A Quiet Walk

6

“Those two are-”

“Telling the truth” she cut him off.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get the joke cause, as you can see, I’m not laughing yet,” he shot her a deadpan look “. Do you believe them? Are you kidding me?”

“It all makes sense now.”

“Is this your way of apologizing to him, by letting him off because you feel guilty for running out on him?” he shot her a steady look, making her roll her eyes “Your guilt is clouding your judgment.”

“I swear to God, Spencer,” she muttered, glaring at him.

“Well, guess what” he continued, “he’s over you and I mean really over you cause as you can see, he likes dudes now-”

“Spencer, I promise you I am this close to using this Taser on you” she swiftly reached for the device and held it to his face.

“Okay fine” he flailed his arms. “But I mean, were we not in the same room, did we not hear the same baloney? Then you have to walk me through Sarah in case I missed it. Walk me through how any of it makes sense”

“Well, if you would shut up I will” she spat, gaining a glare “. First, he has an alibi.”

“Who is his damn boyfriend” he snapped

“Still an alibi.” she countered.

“Not good enough.” he mumbled.

“And Armand said Ryan is schizophrenic, and you heard him say he stopped taking his pills.”

“So?”

“So when he met Miss Berg, she was already dead and washed up on the shore.”

“But he gave her CPR and she revived, remember” he mockingly replied.

“Shut it and let me finish”. She clenched her fist in frustration.

“Okay” he raised his hand feigning surrender. “Sorry officer.”

“Maybe he did give her CPR or not, schizophrenia messes with the mind. But when he said they spent the day together, it was really just him carrying her around, which would explain how his fingerprints got all over her.”

“Well, someone around was sure to have noticed him carrying a dead lady about with him” he interjected.

“Pebble beach isn’t exactly known for its packed population, Spence.” she reminded him as he remained quiet. “Now he couldn’t have killed her because the forensics report says salt water was found in her lungs and if he did drown her in the ocean, the water was sure to clean off his fingerprints off her body especially after almost two days of floating”

“Holy smokes you’re right” he murmured as realization dawned on him, “Well now I feel bad for the poor guy” he looked through the glass at Ryan, who was laying his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. Sarah creased her brows in confusion.

“He spent a day with a dead lady – her actual dead body. I don’t think he’s going to recover from it. Ever”

“He obviously has no idea and I very much doubt Armand will tell him that.”

“Sweet ignorant bli- wait he’s telling his boyfriend something shhh” he frantically waved a hand at her

Sarah frowned, he was the one talking

“- and she said someone had actually pushed her off the cruise ship.

“It’s okay baby” Armand cooed.

“Okay, this guy is messed up. Armand is one hell of a saint. I mean he deserves an award for staying with Ryan’s messed up ass-”

“No wait. Hold up” he held up a finger to shut him up as she walked back into the room, her partner following suit. “Can you repeat what you said to Armand?” she called out to Ryan.

“Sarah you know he-” Armand tried to protest but went quiet when she shot him her ‘shut up’ look.

“I said she told me someone had pushed her off from a boat or cruise ship?”

“The boyfriend” she muttered to herself.

“What?” asked a confused Spencer.

“He was the one to report her missing.”

“Well, why should we believe him?” he glared at the two men.

“Because they were last seen on a ship together” she clarified.

“Of cause. The piece of dookie did it”, Spencer excitedly exclaimed “classic rookie love-murder-case”, he added with a loop sided smug smile.

Sarah rolled her eyes at him, then turned to Ryan and Armand. “You’re free to go”. She motioned with her head towards the door while heading for it as well, before turning to her partner, “come on, we have to pay Leo a visit.”

“I just know the boyfriend did it” said Spence as they approached a cop at the counter.

“Shut up Spencer, you always think everyone did it” Said a tall officer with dark hair.

“It’s called good police work Jon” he replied, gaining a patronizing look from Jon as they headed for the door “Everyone is guilty until proven innocent.”

“Oh my ears, my poor ears” mumbled Jon.

“You do not want to say that in front of chief”, Sarah replied with a laugh as they headed for their parked cars.

“Or anywhere,” Jon added.

“What?” the clueless man creased his brows.

“I honestly don’t know how you became an officer in the first place”.

“I passed the bloody exam” he beamed, taking the driver's seat beside Sarah as Jon took a different car.

The couple’s drive home was quiet save for the random music playing on the radio.

“Are you mad at me?” Ryan quietly asked.

“Of course not, babe”. Armand flashed a smile at him before turning his eyes back on the road.

“You know” Ryan began, eyes fixated on the window. “Sometimes the dead just want their stories to be heard.”