Chapter 2
„Damn! My little sis is a fucking hero!“
Anya grabbed her coffee cup and added unholy amounts of sugar. Lexa’s foster sister looked like she was a “coffee, black” type of girl, but Lexa knew better. Under her rugged exterior Anya was a big ball of fluff. One that would kill her would she ever let anyone else know.
“I’m not, An. I was doing my job.”
Anya chuckled.
“Sure, whatever you say, kid. You saved your ex-girlfriend’s life without so much as a weapon, but you are not a hero.” She took a sip from her coffee. “Come to think of it, you are actually more like a lovesick puppy. You really kissed her forehead?”
Lexa instantly regretted giving her this particular piece of information.
“I might have.”
Anya chuckled again.
“What?” Lexa started to be annoyed.
“Kid, you spent three years living like a monk and becoming this city’s findest detective, but the second you see Clarke again you’re all mushy.
“Call me mushy again and I’ll kick your ass. Pass me the butter.”
Lexa made an effort not to look at Anya. Her sister grinned.
“So, are you going to see her again?”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
“I told Jake I’d come by to talk about a few things.”
“What things?”
“Of the record?”
“Lex, you invited me over for breakfast. Do you really think I would ask you to talk to me on the record?”
Lexa nodded and put more milk in her coffee.
“There is this thing the kidnapper said to Clarke that I can't get out of my head. He said he would kill her, because he had to make his customers happy.”
Anya looked at her. “So, not just a simple kidnapping, hm?”
“I don’t think so.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll keep a protective detail on the Griffins and I’ll try to find out what either of them could have done to piss anyone off.”
“I might just be able to help you with that.”
“How so?”
“Well, kid, I am a reporter and I have my sources. There is a bill coming up that Jake is very much opposed to. It’s about land development. They want to build a new industrial park. I don’t want to bore you with the details. The thing is that there is a lot of money involved, but Jake thinks that it will be bad for the environment, so he is very vocal about voting no.”
“Yeah, but he is just one Senator. There are a lot more people, who are going to vote on this.”
“You’re right, but he is a very influential man. If Jake votes no it’s very likely a lot of others will too.”
“But killing Clarke won’t make him vote yes.”
Anya sighed. “Sometimes you are really stupid. Like the time Clarke told you she wanted to marry you and you got the hell out of Dodge.”
Lexa stared at her.
“Why would you bring that up now?”
“Because it shows just how much of an idiot you are. Anyways, it might not make him vote yes, but it might just make him not vote at all.”
Lexa took a bite out of her bagle. “And who you do you reckon would be making weird-ass conspiracy plans like that?”
Anya smiled at her.
“You might want to have a look at the firm that is planning this nice little industrial park. It is the Azgeda Corporation. Their CEO is Nia Queen. They call her the Ice Queen.”
“What a stupid nickname.”
“But fitting. The ham, please. There is one more thing.”
Lexa looked at her.
“What kind of thing?”
“I will tell you, but this time, little sis, you have to promise me that if you ever go on the record, I’ll be the first one you talk to.”
“Deal.”
“Jake Griffin and Nia Queen had a thing once, but before you get to the wrong conclusions: That was before he met Abby.”
“Lexa, it is good to see you.” Jake smiled at her.
“You, too, Jake. I take it, everything is fine?”
“Yes, Bellamy and your other people are very pleasant house guests.”
Jake took a step back to let Lexa in. She saw Bellamy sitting in the kitchen and looked at Jake.
“Do you mind if I catch up with Bell and then you and I can talk?”
“Sure. You know your way around. I’ll be in my study.”
Lexa walked through the hall and into the kitchen.
“Hey Bellamy, is everything okay?”
“If you want to know if the douche is still here: Nope.” He grinned.
“That’s not what I meant, but thank you for the update.”
“Anytime, partner.” He chuckled. All these people chuckling at her started to dampen Lexa’s mood.
“Listen, I had a very informative breakfast with my sister.”
“Informative how?”
Lexa sat down on one of the kitchen chairs and filled him in. Bellamy’s smile vanished. “That sounds like a lead, but we don’t have any proof. How do you want to play it?”
“I thought we could have Monty check any unusual financial transaction the Azgeda Corp. or Nia Queen might have had. Find out if there are any ties to our kidnapper. His name is Wallace, by the way. Cage Wallace. Gustus called me earlier. Monty is already trying to find out everything about him.”
“Okay, let’s try the financial angle first. If nothing comes from it we can always have a nice little chat with the Ice Queen.” He got up. “Can you manage talking to Jake alone? I haven’t seen Gina and the kids for almost two days.”
Lexa got up, too. “Sure, Bell. Say hi for me.”
“They all would love it very much if you’d come over for dinner some time.”
She smiled. “I will. I promise.”
He nodded. “Okay, I will call Monty and have him get to work. I’ll meet you at the station later. We’ll have to talk to Gustus about this. How did you manage to get the protective detail anyway?”
Lexa laughed. “It’s not so hard when the potential victim is a senator. Now go and have lunch with your family.”
Jake sat behind his desk and looked up when Lexa entered.
“Lexa, come in.” She smiled at him and closed the door behind her.
“Oh, this is a serious talk, I see.” He smiled. “Please, sit down.”
Lexa sat down on one of the comfy chairs next to the little coffee table. Jake joined her.
“So, what is this about. I thought you had the guy who kidnapped Clarke?”
“We have. He is very much dead and in the morgue, but before I came in I heard him say something to Clarke and I am a little worried about it.”
Jake looked at her, his gaze unwavering. “What did he say?”
“He said the reason he was about to kill her was that his customers wanted her dead.” She saw Jake’s face turn pale.
“Jake, what can you tell me about Nia Queen and the Azgeda Corporation?”
“Nia? Why would you ask about her?”
“Because as far as I know there were no incidents at the hospital that would make either Abby or Clarke a mark for anyone. You on the other hand are very vocal about a bill that if it fails will cost people serious amounts of money.”
He smiled at her.
“You really are a good detective, Lexa.”
Lexa smiled back at him.
“This industrial park would cause irreversible damage to the environment.”
“Jake, I’m completely with you on this, but I have to know: Has Nia Queen contacted you about this? Have there been any threats against you or your family?”
He shook his head.
“No. Nia and I … we don’t speak. We were … a couple. That was ages ago, but then I met Abby and I guess, Nia never got over that. We try to avoid talking to each other if possible. … A little like you and Clarke.”
Jesus, what was up with the innuendos today? Lexa looked at him. “I don’t think Clarke ever considered killing me, though.”
He laughed.
“No, probably not. She still likes you too much. Not that she would admit to that.”
He leant back in his chair. “So what is the next move?”
“You will keep the protective detail until further notice and Bell and I will try to find out who’s behind all of this.”
“So, basically you want us to stay inside this house and out of trouble until you've saved the day?”
Lexa got up. “Yes, basically.”
Jake laughed again.
“There could be a minor problem.”
“Meaning?”
“Clarke is determined to go home to her apartment.”
“She can’t. That would make protecting her way more difficult.”
“I know. And I told her to stay put, but you know how she is.”
Lexa sighed. “Yes, I do.”
“Maybe if you talked to her …?”
“I can at least try.”
“Clarke? It’s Lexa.”
There was no answer.
“Clarke?”
Lexa opened the door to Clarke’s room only to find it empty with the window open. For a second she felt panic rise inside of her.
“Not again!”
But then she saw the letter on the bed.
“Mum, Dad, I am not a child. I know you just want to protect me, but I can’t stay in this room or I’ll go crazy. Love, Clarke.”
Lexa sighed and took out her phone.
“Monty, please track a phone for me. Clarke Griffin. Yes, that Clarke Griffin. Call me when you have the location. Thank you.”
Half an hour later she arrived at the place where Clarke lived. It was a beautiful brick building. Clarke’s apartment was on the fifth floor and there was no elevator. Lexa knew the steps by heart. She couldn’t count the times she had climbed these stairs. She also remembered a few make out sessions that were usually cut short by the arrival of a neighbour. Lexa smiled. She took the last flight of stairs and was finally faced with Clarke’s door. She took a deep breath and rang the bell.
When Clarke opened the door mere seconds later Lexa stared at her.
“See, this is exactely why you are not staying here. I could have been a killer.”
Clarke just looked at her. She hadn’t expected Lexa and she was unsure what to say. She stayed silent and placed firmly inside the doorframe.
“Clarke, the man who kidnapped you, he worked for someone. It is not safe for you to stay here. Please, let me get you back to your parent’s house.”
Clarke still looked at her.
“Why would you care?”
“Why would I care?” Lexa couldn’t believe her ears.
“Yes, Lexa, why would you care? Send me some unis and do what you would usually do in cases like this. Find the bad guy or something.”
Lexa looked at her in confusion.
“Clarke I do care.”
“Whatever.” Clarke closed the door on her.
“Damn it!” Lexa was furious. Leave it to Clarke to risk her life only to piss Lexa off.
Her phone rang.
“Yes?!”
“Lexa?”
“Gustus. Sorry, I didn’t … What can I do for you?”
“Well, it’s good that you ask, because I just got a call from the Comissioner.”
“Yeah?”
“He informed me that he wants his best detective, and by that he means you, playing bodyguard for the next couple of days.”
Lexa swore she had a ringing in her ears.
“I’m sorry?”
“You will make sure nothing happens to Clarke Griffin.”
“Gustus, you got to be kidding me?!”
“Well, let me phrase it this way: You will not move away from that girl. Am I understood?”
Lexa sighed. “Yes, Captain.”
“Good. If there is anything you need, call Bellamy. He brought me up to speed. You can use all the manpower we’ve got. I don’t want to have the Comissioner yelling at me … again.” He ended the call.
Lexa resisted the urge to slam her head into the wall. She called Bellamy instead to coordinate the search for – as Clarke called it – the bad guy while she was stuck playing babysitter for an apartment door.