CHAPTER 28

    Dylan tried really hard to act cool about the whole thing while Carl was there but the moment he left,she pushed her coffee and the bagels away after taking one sip.It sounded tasteless suddenly even though it always was the best coffee she knew of in the biggest part of Los Angeles. It sounded bitter in her mouth as questions flooded her mind.She had held on to Carly for the best part of college thinking that she would one day change her mind and come back to her.Her patience and hope had turned into disappointment during her third year in college. They weren't in the same school but news came to her that Carly had in fact moved on and to make matters worse,she had started dating a guy.Of course Dylan knew that that was normal but it hurt her to think that Carly hadn't trusted her enough to tell her that she was bisexual. It came as a blow to her and she received it hardly and speaking honestly, it still hurt her up to this point.Then there came the point where they had bumped into each other in the grocery store and Carly had broken the news to her.It was just a random disclosure and she still didn't understand why Carly had decided to tell her about her leaving and with a guy.They hadn't been talking. Seven years away in a foreign country should have been enough for her to forget about her completely but the thought of her coming back awoke some of the feelings she had pretended to bury.She had dated a lot over the years but each date turned out miserable than the last.Until she eventually gave up and settled for one time sex,spend the night and then forget we ever met kind of thing.She would visit night clubs together with Carl who had remained a close friend all through college despite being the twin brother of her ex girlfriend.Their friendship had grown even stronger after Carly left for Australia immediately after college and they had remained so up until now.Carl was the coolest guy she knew of but right now she really wished it wasn't like that because she was fairly certain she would encounter Carly,one way or another and that disturbed her.She would have to face her,and her son probably.What would she even say to her?  She couldn't just cut off her friendship with Carl because of this.He was the reason she had not fallen apart these last few months after she went through hell,harrowing experiences just because she was a committed officer. She had lost so much and she would have given up if it was not for him coming to her rescue.She still hadn't gathered all the pieces but at least he had helped her wean of the terrible habit of sleeping around with every random person just to try and drown her sorrows. She still hadn't gotten to long term dating but at least she saw the same girl for at least three times before moving on to the next.She owed him big time and that's why she wasn't mad at him for not telling her they were coming back to America.

    She sat back in her chair and was suddenly pulled away. Memories from a past she didn't want to be reminded of came crashing through her head.She remembered that after Carly had left her in the gym,it was the last time she saw her.She had completely kept far away from her and then two years later,she had started dating a guy.The news had come to her through a former classmate who was Carly's roommate. She had been devastated and for several weeks she had tried to get herself together,she dated but it never felt  good.

        "Lewis!"

    She looked up abruptly at the voice of the chief.

        "Yeah," she said and stood up.

         "My office, now."

   Dylan picked up the forgotten coffee and threw it in a waste bin on her way to the office. She knew the chief too well to notice any change in his tone or facial appearance no matter how slight it was.Today he seemed a bit anxious about something and she quickly obeyed his command wondering what it could be. Even though she was close to him,they always kept things professional and there was no preferential treatment.She got assigned to cases just like the others and the fact that she was already working on one doubled her curiosity as to why the chief had summoned her and not any other officer.

   She knocked once then went in after the invitation.

        "Take a seat please," the chief said.

        "Thank you, I'm good." She said and remained standing.

 The Chief pulled his chair forward and entwined his fingers in both hands then placed them under his chin and fixed his gaze on her.Dylan knew that gesture meant something serious and probably something that would affect her.She always refused to go home for the weekends even on the days the schedule allowed her.Keeping her mind busy with work always helped her not to think too much about what life had stored for her and that's why she was here,along with several other officers who had already had their weekend away. However she wasn't prepared for what the chief was about to say to her.

          "This might be a little hard to take in while standing, I seriously recommend that you take a seat."

    She frowned,"Why,what happened?"

          "It's Smith." He stated simply and waited to see if she placed that name.Dylan looked at him questioningly clearly not getting what he was saying. "Kelley from the women's penitentiary you had been sent to two years back."

    Dylan's mind immediately clicked and she remembered the name clearly. Even the face behind it now formed in front of her mind.How could she forget such a person? The person who had taken everything from her and left her miserable and almost depressed.She moved forward and took the seat.

         "What about her? Is she dead?"

        "I wish it was the case but it's even worse.She got out yesterday."

       "Like she was released or did she break out?" she asked.

       "She was released for good behavior if you believe that.You and I know that she's the animal behind a sheep's skin."

 Dylan thought for a while then replied, "Of course I believe that.She's always the one behind everything and uses others to do the dirty work for her and somehow makes it seem like they were behind it.Of course her record is clean." She paused and looked around the room."Did you know they were going to release her?"

        "I did but there was nothing I could do.You have seen how expertly she manages to manipulate any evidence to implicate her and how easy it is for her to seem like a changed person.It is almost as if she has someone in the high places wrapped around her finger."

     Dylan nodded,"I understand." That was definitely a lie.She never would understand how such a criminal would be allowed outside in the general public with her previous records. She was a murderer and everyone was better of with her behind bars for the rest of her life.

        "Look,I know that this is personal for you.She has taken away a part of your life but I would prefer not to go looking for her for revenge. You should be vigilant though because we never know what she has planned under her sleeve.You did shoot her favorite 'pet' and she might be out for blood."

    Dylan's anger rose as if he had just stroke a wound.

       " She killed my mother for God's sake!" she replied loudly and her voice shook.She felt bile combined with anger rise up her body and made her feel like she was choking.A lump formed in her throat as tears stung her eyes.The memory was like opening up a fresh wound even though it had been two years since the gruesome murder of her mother.She pressed the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes tightly willing the tears to roll back in her head.She never allowed herself to get too emotional in front of him.It made her feel helpless and weak and that was something she couldn't afford to be.

        "I know and I get that you are angry and it still hurts to remember what she did to your mother but the anger will not be the solution to all this.She's out and all we have to do is lay low and be on the look out just in case she decides to come after you. I only told you about her so that you would not be surprised if you encountered her out there."

   Dylan nodded, "Yes chief.Thanks for the heads up. I'll be vigilant."

 She rose up and prepared to leave even without asking if their was something else.She touched the door knob and pulled but  just as she was about to leave,he stopped her.

         "You are not gonna go do something stupid,are you?"

        "What would I do,start looking for her?Follow her?And then what,shoot her in the head and finally revenge my mother's death?" she shook her head. "We both know how smart she is,I wouldn't win even if I tried and I am not that stupid." In her head she was already working how it would be nice to do exactly all that to Kelley Smith.Nice name,very attractive but with the heart of an animal, even worse than an animal. Animals only attacked when hungry or provoked but Kelley did it whenever she felt like it as if she gained pleasure from it.

  Dylan however didn't want to show what she felt to the chief because she knew he wouldn't be too happy about it.So, she said what she thought he wanted to hear.

        "I'm not going to look for her, I promise."

        "Good," he said. "Because I wouldn't want to see you getting fired for not following the rules and instructions. Just keep working on your cases and very much soon,you will make  detective. It's what you want, right?"

  She nodded, "Yeah,I want that very much."

    She then left the office but instead of going back to her desk, she headed to the washrooms. She went to the sinks and splashed cold water on her face.She didn't even know why she was doing it but went on anyway. She then looked up at the mirror and the person she saw there was one she recognized.Anger, need for revenge and hatred were the emotions displayed there and she had last  experienced the combination two years earlier after she realized who had killed her mother.She remembered that day too well.She had just come back from the jail she had been sent to investigate a case that had involved the same criminal who was now for some reason, was walking free,all charges dropped.Her mother had invited her over for dinner. Having moved out immediately after college,she only got to see her during the weekends and on the days when she was too lazy to cook and she went home for dinner. Except that on that last day,everything had changed. She had found dinner on the table alright but there was no sign of her mother. At first,she hadn't been alarmed but then she had noticed the missing photograph that her mother always kept on a shelf just beside the TV. She had looked down and there it was,frame broken into pieces and the photograph torn into two.She remembered frowning knowing that her mother would do such a thing to her baby photograph.She had panicked and had rushed upstairs and around the whole house calling her.The scene she had met in her mother's bedroom wasn't something she wanted to remember. She closed her eyes tightly again trying to push away the thoughts but failed. She clenched her fist in her right hand then smashed the mirror in front of her with such a force that the glass shattered into several pieces that fell on the tiled floor noisily.      

          "Fuck!" she cursed loudly as she stared at the now blood covered knuckles. She made up her mind right then and there that that was probably not the best day to be working.First Carly coming back and now her worst enemy roaming the streets of Los Angeles.

           "Are you okay?" A young officer asked as she came out of one bathroom. She had a worried look in her eyes.

          "Fine." Dylan replied and left slamming the door after her.She headed straight to her desk,took her coat and car keys then left the building without saying another word to anyone,not her partner or even the chief.​