You’re cute

“Am so sorry am late.” He quickly draw out chair and sat down. Detective Sean looked up from the magazine he was reading, and scanned him, his sleeve wasn’t properly buttoned, the face cap covered a bit of his face. And was drenched with perspiration.

“Went beyond time, what happened.... to you?”

He mouthed an oh and began fixing his shirt properly, clean off his face with a hanky.

“Something happened.”

“Something happened you mean, you were so deep into her, you completely forgot about time. I understand.” He wave him off with his hands.

“It’s not that.. it’s, well”

What Sean was saying was completely different from that of Dixon. But, he decided to let it be as he seems.

Adjusting his cap, glance round the cafe. Most of the people in the cafe were staring at them and whispering no doubt, they were talking about him.

“It’s Dixon isn’t?”

“Damn right!”

“He deserves to rot in hades”

“He shouldn’t have been released”

The couple behind him was saying loud enough so he could hear.

“We could leave, if ..”

“it’s okay detective let’s just go over to why we’re here.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with it?”

“There’s nothing I can’t do about it for now, people are always gonna say shit about me, any time I appear in public. Am used to it. Can I drink?”

“Sure.”

He took the glass of water in front of Sean and chugged down everything. Standing up he went over to the counter to make an order, returning with two Black americano. And glass of water.

“Here” he passed the coffee to Sean and settled down on his seat. His eyes darted to the papers on the table which wasn’t there before he left to get their orders. He pick it up, it held the picture of an unrecognized human, the stomach was exposed like a chicken, eyes opened, the skin was black yet white. The other paper had something similar, it was obvious it was a female because of the hair, though it was separated from her body.

“This happened last night.” Detective Sean began, he saw the awful look on Dixon face.

“Around your neighborhood, something or someone is killing people every night.” He sips from the coffee.

“A demon it could be, there hasn’t been any hint yet, but it’s sucks blood off its victims. Not a trace of blood was found when he saw them. It was like it was so hungry for blood.”

“I thought we came here to talk about me and Eamon, how is gonna get out of prison. That’s why am here isn’t?”

“This case involves you because you live there.” He place his elbow on the table and lean closer.

“We’re still gonna talk about Eamon but this a more pressing issue. What if Eamon got out of prison and gets killed by this thing ravaging the city. The only hint we’ve got on hand is that some strands of hair always falls off at every incident. For instance, from Lucas lab, from the wood and now in your neighborhood.”

He wasn’t pressing the it for no reason, but because something in his guts told him, Dixon knows something but doesn’t want to say anything.

“This could put the entire town in chaos. A curfew might be declared. If this persist.”

Dixon twitched uncomfortably in his seat.

It could be her right, is she the demon doing this? She bit your arm remember, eat uncooked beef. You saw her covered in blood, she confirmed it, she killed someone. Do you still believe it wasn’t her?

He was sweating. Feeling hot under the AC.

He shook his head, it isn’t her, but he wasn’t so sure anymore.

“I know, you know something, tell me what you know.”

“I do know something, Eamon told me...”

Detective Sean hit his fist on the table, inviting more prying eyes to their table.

“I wasn’t talking about Eamon.” He lowered his voice.

“Then I don’t know anything else, getting Eamon out is all I care about not some demon or whatever!” His voice raised a pitch which wasn’t his intention. He sling the papers on his face.

“This was why you call me out here, isn’t to talk to me about some demon, you weren’t gonna help me with the case, don’t worry, I can do this own my own, find the man with the scar, one my own. Asking for your help in the first place was all bullshit!”

He was pissed of, yelling in Sean’s face.

“Am sorry Dixon, sit please. Am just worked up, about all this, it’s a huge weight on me. That I can’t fulfill my duties. I couldn’t protect them.” He exhaled, taking a drink.

“Every fucking day, men, women and children are dying...” He hit his fist in his palm. “And whatever that thing is, is either lurking around or someone is hiding the demon. But how long, whoever is hiding the demon gonna keep hiding?”

Dixon sat down, lowering his gaze to the ground, he couldn’t face detective Sean, while rubbing his palm together, he was nervous.

“I don’t know about the demon or whatever, I told you before...” if he doesn’t make eye contact with Sean, he won’t believe him, but have reasons to doubt him more. He needed to say it to his face. Without blinking.

“If I find anything about the so called demon. I’ll tell you, am not joking about that, if I hid the demon, it’s a risk to my own safety, why risk my life keeping a demon whose gonna kill me?”

The question was more directly at himself than detective Sean.

Linda stares gloomily at the pictures of Dixon. And a tear escaped her eyes. She missed him. So much. Still couldn’t understand why he keep pushing her away, she just want be a mother to him again. Help him in any way she can. He’s still her son after all.

“Still crying over him, he’s not dead” Bruce said leaning by the door.

“He’s ne’er taking him back, you know that too well. You’re only hurting yourself. Dinner is ready.” He approached Linda with his hands stuffed in his pocket.

“I don’t know what to feel, I told once he’s out of prison, we get to live together. Maybe they could at least settle out their differences. But I didn’t happen, it only went worse. “

He took the album from her hands and dropped them on the shelf.

“I miss my son.”

“I know, but doesn’t mean you should keep locking yourself up in the room. Of you keep doing this, how are you gonna fix things up. Do you think Dixon will be happy seeing you like this, he might pick up another fight with dad. Thinking he did something to you.”

She buried her face in her palm.

“Albert has been so difficult lately. I doubt if he was my husband.”

“He’s your husband, you understand him better than either of us. If anyone is gonna fix this family. It’s you mom. No one else.”

“You’re right Bruce.”

“So get up, it’s easy seeing you like this.”

She stood up with a small smile, engaging Bruce in a hug.

“You came down late for dinner...” Linda looked at him and took a seat beside him. Bruce say at the far end of the table. Keeping his face down.

“You know you shouldn’t be late for dinner, everything has its time and when it’s time for dinner, I expect everyone to be down here at the exact time! “

“Enough Albert!” She snapped.

“Let’s eat in peace.”

“What’s that supposed to mean. I expect you to follow principles.”

“Stop it this nonsense talk. And let us eat.”

“I won’t let you talk to me in that tone woman!”

“Oh please “

“Lindane!” He yelled, dropping his cutlery.

“Just for once pretend we’re having a dinner together.”

“Am not doing this with you!” He pushed the chair backwards. Standing up.

“And where are you going.”

“What nonsense is that. Mind the way you talk to me. Where am going is non of your business. I won’t sit down and watch you sprout nonsense from your mouth.”

“Why’re being difficult. What’s wrong with you Albert.” She was already on her feet.

His eyes were a bit red. Which was unlike him. He was standing close to her and his right hand were in the air.

Linda froze. And shut her eyes. When she opened them he was gone. She heard him drive out of the mansion. She fell back to the chair. Bruce hugged her .

“This isn’t my husband, did you see the way he looked at me, he was gonna hit me.” She cried.

“It’s okay, everything will be fine.”

Albert drove out of the mansion heading towards his usual Bar. He wanted to call Peru to join him but maybe he wants to be alone tonight. There was changes in him. Changes he couldn’t decipher. And he doesn’t know if he was a good change or a bad one.

Saw Dixon through the rear mirror, looking so frustrated, his head was down, his upper buttons were unbuttoned. Held a duffel bag, he has been a little different from the last time he saw he, that was when he was released from prison.

He drove slowly, just watching him walks towards a street. And then he was out of sight...

Dixon opened the door and turn on the light since the room was completely dark. Why did she put out the light. The light turned on, there wasn’t anyone in here. He took off his shoes. Drop The duffle bag on the easy chair.

“Where is she?”

Did she perhaps leave. It would be better right, if she leaves, so his life would be lot more of a mess. But she couldn’t just leave like that. Could she?

He hurried upstairs to her room and flung the door opened. Searching the room. She wasn’t in sight. He ruffle his hair.

“Where are you?”

“ROAR!”

She jumped in front of him. He was startled. So he fell.

“Looking for me.” She smirked.

“You almost killed me.”

“Really.” She crouched down beside him.

“I thought you left.”

“I was going to.”

“What! You were going to leave.”

She nodded with a smile. “Joking, I like it here.”

“Really?” The smile came up his lips before he could stop them.

“Mmh” she nodded, her smile broaden. And he gawped at her. Without saying anything else but just staring at her smiling at him. Was it just him or the fact that she was glowing every day. Looking so much prettier.

He was lost for a second. Lost in staring at her.

She pulled away from him. Couldn’t take the stares he was giving her anymore. Standing on her feet. What’s wrong with him, he just made things awkward between them.

He cleared his throat and stood up as well. Itching his neck, he didn’t know what to say, his head went black, he couldn’t think of anything.

And she sniffed the air around him.

That was when he remembered he bought something for Her. She raced downstairs. He wanted to follow but halted for a while. Slapjacks himself for a while.

Is she really a suspect?

The demon everyone is afraid of, the one detective Sean is earnestly Looking for.

And now he wish is non of these things. That she was a just a lost orphan with a lost memories.

Right now he wished she was just human.

When he came downstairs, she had finished the entire beef he bought and was staring at the jean in her hands. She was happy he came late, and didn’t get to see her eyes change. She had noticed her eyes changes into three different colors.

When she’s normal, it’s her usual deep sea blue eyes, when she so hungry, it’s golden or flame. And when she’s in her full form it’s entirely black.

“You like it?” He asked standing close to her.

She nodded. Still staring at it.

“You said You’re poor but buy me stuffs everyday.”

“Well, lets just say I’ve a little source.” She shrugged.

“You’re learning pretty fast.” She flash her cute smile at her.

“I want us to be friends.” He said taking her hands, that seems to be the only safer way to get closer to her. So he could know her better.

“What’s a friend?”

“A friend is someone you trust, someone you tell everything, someone you don’t lie to. Like a bond.”

“Friends and they don’t lie. I want to be friends with you.”

He wanted to see a reason to defend her. A reason to protect her more.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah”

She mimicked. He chuckled and pat her hair.

“You’re cute.”

Whatever that word means she didn’t mind cause she liked it.