What happened after Midnight

CONTENT: Mentions killing and drinking. No graphic details. ;)

Time was ticking. Each moment passed one after another. I looked down the rain-covered street intently. Watching. Waiting.

"Sir?"

I looked up from my watch. There was a woman about my age, soaked with rain, and most certainly the one I was waiting for.

"Yes?"

I didn't think to say 'hello'. This wasn't the time or place for it. It was already five minutes after midnight.

"Are you the detective?" She asked timidly, pulling at her soaked jacket. I nodded.

"Do you have the clue?"

"It's better if I show you."

I stared at her for a moment. The tip I had received said nothing about the clue being shown. I had expected it to be some loose item from the murder scene.

"Alright. Where to?" I said. I looked her up and down, trying hard to find anything that screamed 'suspicious'. Too bad her black high heels and office outfit had nothing that stood out to me.

"Follow me," she smiled for the first time. I got the chills. Up and down my back. What was it that made me feel that way? Was it her smile?

I pulled my own jacket closer to my body. The mostier was not something I had predicted. Although this wasn't my first day on the job.

"Why are you hesitant?" The woman asked suddenly. We had been walking for almost a block now.

"Hesitant? Whatever do you mean?"

"You don't trust me."

That was true. Could I tell her that? No.

"I simply don't know your name, miss."

"It's Holly."

I almost tripped at her mention of that name.

"Holly?" I croaked, not able to keep back the surprise in my voice.

"Yes, Lucas. It's me. I can't believe you didn't recognize me sooner," she kept walking, but I could tell she was smiling.

"Holly," I whispered. She turned around to meet my eyes.

"I...It's dark and rainy out. Hard to make out faces right now," I muttered and plastered on a fake smile. It was the best I could do.

"Sure. You think I can't see through your excuses? I know you better than that," she spun on her heel and continued to lead me to who-knows-where.

"I know," I found myself saying. Drat. I let her win.

"What are you doing here? And where are we going?"

"Little Mr. Detective hasn't any clue?"

"No. No, I don't. I wasn't expecting this."

"Expect the unexpected, darling."

Did she just call me that? I should be angry...But I wasn't. I found myself hanging on to the edge of her every word.

"Holly."

I grasped her arm.

"Why did you leave me?"

She stared. Her blue eyes filled with pain.

"I had to, Luc. I had to. Now come on. We can't sit here and talk all night."

We resumed walking. My own heart filled with pain. The past is something not easily forgotten. Holly was not either.

"Now, I must warn you before we go any further," she paused and turned to face me once again. I watched her as she pushed some of that gorgeous brown hair out of her face.

"This place. This 'clue'. It's going to help with all your mysteries. I couldn't live knowing...knowing I could help you and didn't," she took a long breath in, "Just act normal. We're playing this off like you're my friend and you're here for a cigarette. You're going to see criminals. You must act naturally and not stare. If you go all detective mode inside, they'll kill you."

What? Was I processing this correctly?

"Holly, whatever you got mixed up in, we can fix. I don't want this ending badly for you---" she held up her hand, stopping me from talking.

"Luc, I love you, but listen to me. We are going to get info about your recent case from the top crime boss in town. I need you to cooperate. I'm doing this for you," she gave me a weak smile.

"No. I'm not putting you in danger. This was a mistake. I shouldn't ---" she interrupted by pulling me towards a murky alleyway. Why were they always the allies?

"Normal," she whispered, then knocked on a door. Tip, Tapp, Tip, Tip. Must have been some code because the door swung open and an ugly man stepped aside to let us in.

"Holly? Who's this?" The gruff voice of the man asked.

"My friend. His name is Brody," she smiled, and he let us in. We weaved through many rough and smooth-looking men and women. Some were laughing and drinking. Some were talking in hushed tones.

Finally, we got to the back of the hideout, where a handsome blonde sat in a chair. He smiled broadly when he spotted Holly. This was bad.

"Holly! My baby! I thought you said you'd be late tonight!" He swept passed me and kissed her on the cheek. It took all my willpower not to punch this man in the face.

"Sorry, Will, I guess Brody din't take as long as he used to," she mentioned my code name and motioned toward me. I plastered on a fake smile and shook Will's hand.

"How do you know my Holly?" He asked politely. My eye twitched at his words.

"Oh, just childhood friends."

Holly nodded in agreement. Will seemed to understand.

"Nice of her to bring you. It feels like she wanted you to meet me! I'm fattered!" He threw back his head and laughed to himself. Holly and I exchanged a worried glance. Did he know who I was?

"Anyway, make yourself at home, Brody. Holly and I will be at our table against the wall."

Err. They had a table?

"Oh dear, you wouldn't want to leave Brody all alone, would you? He really is socially awkward," Holly batted her eyelashes at Will. He smiled and said, "Oh no. We could never do that to you, Brody."

With clenched teeth, I followed them to 'their table'. We sat down, and Will ordered some root beer.

"I'm still a child at heart," he laughed, and my eye twitched again. This guy was starting to get on my nerves.

"So, Holly, has Brody ever murdered someone before?" Will asked very seriously after the root beer was ordered. I choked on mine when I heard those words. Holly nervously shot me a warning glance.

"Ha...sorry. I choke on everything. Even air!" I exclaimed. Will nodded.

"He's very socially awkward," I heard him whisper to her. She smiled at me and nodded.

"He hasn't. He's only committed small crimes as of now. I'm working on him, though!" Holly replied to his earlier question. I was starting to get a weird feeling inside my gut. I don't know what it meant yet, but I made sure to keep my eyes peeled.

"Did you tell him about your recent murder?"

Did I hear him correctly? Holly? A murderer?

"No. I thought it best not to...to overwhelm him," Holly met my eyes across the table. I did hear correctly. I wished I hadn't.

"It's actually the case that the famous detective Lucas Jones has yet to crack! Funny, isn't it?" I faked a laugh. My heart tore in two pieces, and I had to act like it hadn't. My Holly? Holly?

All the puzzle pieces started to fall into place all at once. Crime base, the anonymous tipster, Holly, showing me and not telling me, and Will.

Will was the one doing this to her.

I remembered her words before we came inside, I had to Luc. I had to.

It was all his fault.

I lunged at him from across the table. He squaled and tried to squirm out of my grip with no avail.

"You did this to her! You made her do it!" I thundered. Will's eyes looked pleadingly from side to side.

"What do you mean!? Brody! Put me down!" He yelped.

"You're using her as a frame! That's all this is!"

"I don't know what's wrong with but you're going to pay if you don't put me down!"

"LUC!" Holly screamed. I dropped Will.

Suddenly, my secret was out. Holly pulled me out of my chair, and we ran. Ran all the way outside and into the rain. We ran until she was out of breath.

"Holly," I said between breaths, "Tell me you didn't."

"But Luc. I did," she started sobbing, and I wrapped my arms around her. I missed her.

"Please, Holly, it's not true," I stroked her wet hair.

"It wasn't my choice. It was either...you or them."

I stopped. She chose me to save?

"But...but I didn't kill them," she cried.

"You didn't?"

"No! Will made me choose who to kill. I never actually did it."

What a relief.

"Why do you sound so guilty then? If you didn't actually kill anyone?"

"Because," she pulled me into a kiss. Her lips warmed my soul, and I felt alive for the first time in a while. I deepened the kiss, taking my hands around her waist. Her heart hammered against mine. We pulled apart and gazed at each other in awe.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you again," I whispered. She let out a sob and said, "I love you."

Then there was a bang and I fell out of her arms onto the cold, hard ground. Then everything went dark.