Author's Note:
Suffering
continues the story of Shea, who was introduced in Ch. 03 of the Deus Ex Machina chain.
~~~
"You're late!"
Shea ducked reflexively when the accusation was hurled her way, but it didn't seem to be one of those days. James was simply standing there, both hands on the doorframe, waiting for her explanation while blocking her way into their apartment. He was still in uniform, Shea noticed at once. His face looked strained and downright menacing in the shadows the dull lightbulb out in the hallway was responsible for.
"I'm sorry," she replied cautiously, licking her lips nervously. "I've had... things to do."
"What things?" His eyes narrowed, his voice dangerously quiet. "This doesn't have to do with your sister again, does it?"
"I just talked to someone who knew her," she defended herself, and he sighed, shifting his body to finally let her in.
"When will you learn to leave this alone, Shea?" he asked her as she slipped past him. When she didn't answer, he followed her into the kitchen, where she set down her coat and stepped out of her shoes, feeling nauseous. She knew that she would not be able to escape his questioning, much as she wanted to. She just wasn't sure how much more of his pressing her she could take. The girl she had talked to today about Anna had offered bits of information that she hadn't quite stomached yet, and on top of that, she was still shaken from the encounter in the alley the other day. The mysterious stranger who had scared her so had left a lasting impression on her, one that she wasn't able to simply shake off.
"I can't just walk away." Shea looked up to meet James' inquiring gaze, jaw set. "I cannot walk away from this, and you know it."
He grabbed her wrists and pulled her suddenly close to him.
"Anna's dead, Shea, she's dead. Rotting in the ground. There isn't a thing you can do about it." He shook her hard, as if trying to get any notion of justice being dispensed to leave her mind with brute force. "You're going to get yourself killed if you keep up your little investigation."
"I wouldn't have to do this if you wouldn't refuse to help me!" Shea knew that it was a mistake to bring up the old argument again, but she couldn't help herself. James glared at her for a few seconds, then he let her go with a slight shove. Shea rubbed her bruised wrists while he turned, running a hand through his dirty blond hair.
"You know damn well that I've tried to find out what I could. And I've told you I'm going to risk my job if I dig deeper."
Shea let out a breath of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and swallowed despite the bitter taste in her mouth. "Some cop you are."