Chapter Fifteen: Surveillance Day:

Daniel leaned back in his chair and sighed. This part of the job was always so boring. Nothing happens for the most part. Just watching people walking by. The only exciting thing to happen today was running into Celeste again. How long has it been? Six years? Eight years? It’s been too long. He rubbed his forehead.

“I’m feeling too old,” he muttered to himself. All morning, nothing had been happening. He’s seen playing walking in and out of the flea market. This was a slow morning too. Daniel looked up at the ceiling of the car. How much longer would he have to do this? He looked at his phone. 10:19. Damn it, why did time have to move so slow? Travis always came out on break at eleven. The detective looked out his window. At least he got see Celeste again.

She hadn’t really changed much. Celeste still looked tense as the last time he saw her. She had gotten better at trying to look “normal”. But Daniel could still tell that she didn’t want to be here. He had dreamed of the day he would see her with a real smile on her face. Not a forced one she showed today.

Daniel looked out the windshield when he noticed movement across the street. A man with a dark buzzcut and a blue apron walked outside. The detective watched intently as he relied on memory to draw Travis in his head. The man stood outside the store and lit up a cigarette. Daniel had to play this cool. He straightened up his clothes and climbed out of the car. The detective jogged across the street as Travis took that first smoke.

“Excuse me!” Daniel shouted. “Are you Travis Cape?” The man in the blue apron glanced up at him. He didn’t move as the detective made his way over to him. He didn’t even have any expression on his face.

“Who’s asking?” the man asked. Daniel held up his badge. Travis threw back his head and rolled his eyes.

“What did she do now?” he asked.

“She?” the detective asked.

“My sister,” Travis said. “What did she do now?” Well, this was going to be much easier than how Daniel pictured it.

“We think that she might be involved in a murder,” the detective said. “Do you know where she is?” Travis flicked out his cigarette.

“No,” he said. “We don’t really talk.”

“Do you know where I could try and find Lanie?” Daniel asked. The man took a moment to think as more ash hit the sidewalk.

“Did you try the Quagmire?” he asked. The detective had an uneasy look washed over his face. He started to ask but he closed his mouth. Travis took another smoke.

“Anything else?” he asked. The detective shook his head.

“No, thank you for your time,” he said. He shoved his badge back into his pocket and walked back across the street. Travis shook his head as he finished his cigarette.

Daniel had just made it back to his car when he heard the radio crackle on.

“Detective Paige, come in!” the operator said. “Are you there? Come in! Come in!” Daniel reached in and grabbed the speaker.

“I’m here, over,” he said.

“We are requesting back-up over at Chestnut Grove,” the operator said. “We have another body.” Daniel jumped into his car and drove off.