Death At Your Doorstep

Chapter 3 - Pest Management

Something woke me up.

I lay still with my eyes close, keeping my breathing even until I can figure out what is going on. I hear a soft whimper to my right followed by the sound of the sheets being tossed around. Either the kid's having a seizure or that's one hell of a bad dream. I quietly lean up on my side without making any noises. The whimpering and squirming is getting worse. I take a deep breath with the firm intention of pinning his legs and arms down. I'd rather not get punched in the face trying to wake him.

As soon as I start leaning over him my safety plan is shot to hell. I didn't see him reach under my pillow but I'm suddenly frozen by my very own knife that's now tight against my throat and most definitely not in my hands.

I immediately hold my hands up high and open in reflex. I hold my breath stunned and stare down in now open eyes looking straight back at me. His eyes are slightly glazed over and he has a blank look on his face. He looks like he's still sleeping. Gotta take a chance.

I slowly lower one hand and slowly bring it to the blade resting on my throat. As soon as I get my hand on it, he lowers his gaze to the knife and blinks a couple of times before I see awareness coming to his eyes. He gasps and let go right away. I quickly take hold of the handle with my free hand and throw it in direction of a farther wall of the room where it pins itself.

Fuck that kid is dangerous. I'd rather have that thing as far from him as possible right now.

I sigh, still leaning over him but relieved he snapped out of it.

He looks at me confused, "Wha-?"

I cut him off sharply, "How did you know about the knife?"

I know for a fact he didn't see me put in under my pillow earlier, hell I don't even think he knew I had that on me.

He looks up at me wide-eyed and shakes his head, "I didn't."

I narrow my eyes and study him calmly, "This happens a lot in the streets?"

He nods, "The safest time to sleep is during the day and in places with lots of people, like the park."

I grunt, already coming to that same conclusion and throw myself back on the other side of the bed. I lay my head back down on my pillow and stare up at the cracks in the ceilling. I wait to see if he's going to share that nightmare with me or just go right back to sleep.

After a few minutes pass and it's clear he sure like hell won't be talking to me on his own, I sigh out loud annoyed, "Wanna tell me what that nightmare was all about?"

"No."

I huff, "Fine." Pretending I don't care for a second before scowling and turning my head in his direction, "And why the hell not?"

He scoffs and starts picking at the sheet in a nervous manner, "You'll laugh at me."

I frown bringing one hand up to rub my neck where my knife was resting not 5 minutes ago.

"Trust me, I won't."

He scoffs, "It's nothing."

Knowing from his tone that he'll talk if I'm patient and don't push him anymore, I keep my mouth shut. Thankfully, I don't have to wait long to hear his defeated sigh.

"I dreamt I was being chased by a giant hamburger with fries arms until I fell in a milkshake river. Happy now? Go ahead and laugh."

And I can't help it, I laugh. Pretty loudly if I might add. But oh, hell! He scowls and throw a pillow at my face turning on his side with his back to me until I stop making the bed shake with my laughter.

Still chuckling a bit I can't resist telling him, "You sure do have weird nightmares, kid."

"Yeah, whatever okay."

I'm tempted to chuckle some more at him but that envy dies pretty quickly when I hear a very loud groaning sound coming from his stomach. The kid suddenly stops moving, mortified. I sit up and grab his arm to make him roll over. His face his flaming red and a few tears are rolling down his cheeks but he still refuses to look at me.

Well shit. Now I feel like a complete ass for laughing.

"When's the last time you ate something Adam?" I ask him seriously using his name for the first time.

Okay, some part of his name anyway. Can't go around calling him by his first name, the kid could have a record for all I know. Guess I should know. I'll have to remember to run a check on him.

Apparently deciding the name I choose to call him for now is a lot better than the kid alternative, he brings his fists to his face and roughly wipe his tears away, "I don't know, a couple of days ago. I saved all the money I got for my little brother. I'm fine."

I snort, "Yeah right, that's why Mr. Hamburger was trying to eat you."

He doesn't answer back, cuz really, what else is there to say. I pick up my phone on the nightstand. The only thing still open at this hour that delivers is pizza but somehow, I really doubt he's gonna complain.

"Yeah, I'd like to order a large all dressed pizza, fries and coke."

I give the guy the motel's address and our room number. I get up to open some lights. I can feel him staring at my back obviously unhappy.

"I don't want your freaking charity."

Damn difficult kid.

"Of course you don't. Tell that to Mr. Hamburger. Now, you wanna stay there and pretend to sleep while I stuff my face or you're gonna get up and come eat?"

He scowls but obey and gets up.

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"Are you gonna stare at it all night or what?"

He scoffs but glances nervously at the open pizza box on the small coffee table again. You'd think he'd be all over it being god knows how long it's been since he last ate.

"Don't worry honey, I swear mean Mr. Pizza won't hold it against you if you eat him."

He hisses at me, "Shut up, old man!"

Well at least that seems to have broke whatever it was that was holding him back. He takes up a big slice and starts eating it slower than I thought he would.

"Remember, small bites, sweetheart."

He looks up irritated, "I'm not a freaking baby!"

I chuckle but stop teasing him while we both finish eating after that. I see him glance at the box after a minute or so. He turns almost green just looking at it but he takes a deep breath and sigh before reaching into it for a third time.

I grab his hand lightly midway. He stares at me quickly with wide frightened eyes. I try to make my tone soft and as non-threatening as I can to explain him, "You'll be sick if you force yourself."

He turns his face down from me, embarrassed, "But... There's so much left."

I slowly release his hand, "Don't worry about it."

"Are you gonna bring it with you tomorrow then?" He asks facing me once more.

I raise an eyebrow, "Hell no."

He looks suddenly panicked and blurts out, "Then, can I take it with me please?"

I frown and don't answer him right away. He's nervously fiddling with a piece of the...shirt he wears. I take a minute to study him. Overall, he doesn't look too bad. Sure a lot of bones are alarmly sticking out some places but other than starved and exhausted he looks healthy enough. So I'm gonna assume he's good at what he does, which is, running away.

At first I thought about dumping his ass at the office tomorrow and let them deal with social services but now, I need to think about it. Something tells me if I let him go, he'll be right back on the streets again. And with a killer on the loose, that bothers me. I'm a cop, it's not something I just switch on in the morning and off at 5pm everyday. Don't work that way for me. I actually care what happens to this kid.

I shake my head at him, finally answering his question, "No way." He pushes himself up quickly trying really hard not to just glare at me. "Because unless you didn't notice, there's no fridge in this crappy motel. This thing is just gonna sit there all night."

He looks at me like I just told him we'd have to put his dog down. "But-"

"No. It's going in the trash and that's final. Now do you want to spend the rest of the night in a pointless argument over a damn pizza or would you rather take advantage of the warm room and get some real rest for once while you can?"

He growls, angry, "It's just a damn pizza to you but-"

I cut him off again staring at him seriously, "What did I just say?"

His eyes widen and he gets this hurt-defeated look on his face. He goes back to sleep without saying another word. I didn't mean to be cruel and scare him but he wouldn't have backed down any other way. I'm not gonna let him starve while I figure out what to do with him so he doesn't need the damn leftovers.

Now, if only I could figure out what I am going to do with him.

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He's been pretty obedient since yesterday but I knew it wasn't going to last. I pull the car over the sidewalk and turn the engine off.

He looks around a bit before asking, "Where are we?"

I point to the sign outside the building through my side window, "Work. Got some papers to pick up. Won't be long, stay in the car."

He grabs onto my sleeve just as I'm about to open the door, "Wait! You're not gonna just leave me here are you? What if some sick perverted old man tries to kidnap me? You're a cop, you're supposed to protect me."

I think about it for a second before I nod. I reach behind my back and have him cuff to the bar handle at the top of his side window before he can even blink.

He snarls in a high-pitch voice, "What are you doing, asshole! Let me go!" He tugs and jerks his hands hard a few times.

I smirk, "Protecting the perverted old man from getting hustled by you." I get out while he screams that it's not fair. I grin before closing the door behind me, "Tough luck, kid. Now you won't have to worry about getting kidnapped."

That, of course, only increases the scowling and cursing.

Going into the building, I flash a small smile at our secretary who smiles back sweetly at me, "Detective." I nod my head in greeting and walk past her to my desk.

"Hey, Brewster! What are you doin' here? Don't tell me you decided to go ahead and move here cuz you know, I still got that hamak if you want me to install it in your office."

I look at the short stocky guy sitting at a clustered desk eating a jelly donut. "You know Baker, I'm sure I could find you a couple of diet magazines if you still want to be slim one day."

He huffs, "It's my first one today okay."

I snorts, "Right, but it's certainly not your last."

"Gimme a break, not everyone is born like a freakin' Ken doll like you, jackass. What are you doin' here 'neway."

"Only came to get a couple of files that Laney better have not forgotten to leave me if he wants to keep his head attached to the rest of his body."

He laughs, "Damn I wouldn't want to have you pissed at me."

I smirk stepping in my office, "Yet, that doesn't stop you from trying."

I see a folder placed neatly in the middle of my workplace with a post-it that says 'Homeless Serial Killer Case Files' on it. Looks like he didn't forget for once. Good boy.

I grab it and tuck it under my arm such that nothing falls out.

I hear Toni saying, "You know you'd be damn bored if I didn't."

I chuckle waving goodbye. I walk towards Lucia again, our secretary. I stop in my tracks when I come into view of the entryway.

Adam's standing there in front of me with a nervous smile. He holds up his still cuffed hands with my freaking car handle dangling from his fingers.

"Hm... It fell off?"

That kid's driving me fuckin' nuts.

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"Are you still mad?"

I clench my teeth, squeezing the streering wheel tightly until it's almost cracking under my hands.

"No, but if you don't stop talking my urge to spank you might become a reality."

He immediatly quiets down. Finally. He manages to stay quiet the rest of the ride home although I see him bite back the 'Where are we going?' question a couple of times. Once I turn in my street, I park the car in front of the house. He looks around curiously and follow me out of the car. I open the door and motion him inside.

Unable to hold back a second longer, he finally gives in and asks, "Where are we?"

"My house."

He looks at the mess everywhere before mumbling, "Look at that, it's just like home."

I raise an eyebrow and he explains, "You know, the town's dumpster."

"Cute. Real cute, kid. How about I just drive you back to the bureau and let them find you somewhere more comfortable to live?"

Well that gets rid of his amused smile pretty fast. Good.

"They would probably send me back to that greasy bastard."

"That's always a possibility. Now, I got some stuff to do so just make yourself comfortable 'cause you're not going nowhere." I pause and grin, "I'm sure you'll feel right at home, like you said." He sticks his tongue out at me and pouts.

I got to admit thought it does look like a dump. Guess I've been pushing back the cleaning to another week one too many time. I should just give in and hire a damn housekeeper. But the thought of some stranger going through my stuff and washing my dirty underwear really irks me. Not to mention my office is cracking with confidential papers. I don't fancy the chief chewing my head off more than he already is.

I leave the kid in the kitchen and make my way toward said office. I set the report down before opening the folder. The traces of sperm the doc found in the HIV positive victim didn't give us any match. Hmm. Guess he wouldn't have made such a trivial mistake like that, huh? This is all the more difficult without any real suspect to compare the DNA with. Okay then, what else do we got? I pass a few minutes looking at all the victim's pictures again not really seeing anything more than I already did.

I get up and unroll a city map. I start marking down the bodies locations. I take a step back to study it. The only thing that connects them is that all the alleys we found the bodies in all join up to one street at some point or another. Mane St. That street runs right in front of the office too. I sigh deeply. It's not much but better than prowling the streets randomly. I glance at the clock. I guess I could go check it out a bit. It's a rather busy street and I don't know, I might spot a few suspicious guys looking around that might fit the bill.

I wonder what's the kid been doing for the past hour. Either he emptied my already less than full fridge or maybe a hot shower. God knows that's where I'd be if I was him. He's not exactly smelly but...Okay, yeah he smells like dirt and he looks pretty filthy too. I hear some clinging near the kitchen. He has his back to me in front of the sink when I come in.

"What are you doing?"

He jumps a bit dropping down whatever he was holding with a splash back in the sink full of soapy water. He turns around sharply, facing me. He looks stunned a bit before blinking and looking back at the sink. He grins, "Taking a bath, obviously."

I chuckle a little surprised when I spot the rack full of clean dishes besides him on the counter. "It's not just your hands that need a bath if you ask me." I answer, teasing him.

He grunts not really offended for stating the obvious and dries his hand on a dirty rag that obviously has finished it's life as a towel. "And it's not just your dishes that needs cleaning either." He counters easily. "When's the last time you did anything but add more rubbish in here."

I shrug, not remembering exactly.

He's quiet awhile before changing the subject, "What are you gonna do with me?"

I lean back on an opposing wall and just stare at him seriously thinking about his question. Truthfully, I still have no clue. I've been alone for too long. The worst is that I hadn't even realized I was lonely until he came home with me. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, "Go take a shower, I'll wash your clothes in the meantime."

He nods, looking relieved at finally being able to rid himself of the grim covering him. It makes me frown and wonder why he didn't just went ahead and take one already. He was clearly waiting for me to tell him to. At this point I doubt he even tried to find any food.

He's still standing there looking unsure when I realize he doesn't know where the bathroom is. I jerk my thumb behind me, "First door on the left."

He finally starts moving, "Thank you."

I turn my head around to look at him when he walks pass me, "Leave your dirty shit outside the room before you lock yourself in." He doesn't answer but he heard me.

He goes in and starts throwing his stuff in the hallway, not even bothering to close the door when he's done. And he says he's not a kid. If I didn't know better I'd say he's trying to provoke me. On second thought, he most likely is.

I sigh, aggravated and pick up his things making a disgusted face. Yuck, don't know how he could wear that. Not that he had much of a choice but fuck that's nasty.

He stays in there a good solid hour like I expected him to. I put his as clean as they can get clothes on the small counter in the bathroom near the toilet, telling him where they are to which he answers by writting an OK in the fog covered glass door. I guess I'm lucky that's all he did. I don't put it pass him to moon me through the door or something.

I'm beyond stunned when he finally comes out. I smirk, "Didn't know you were blond, kid." He sticks his tongue out at me again but doesn't say anything back at my statement. His hair looked some kind of knotted gray mess earlier but now it's a soft blond hanging straight down a bit below his ears on the sides and just reaching the base of his neck in the back. He looks even younger than before.

He snaps me out of my curious inspection by asking, "What's next?" With his stomach growling loudly at the end of his question, I think it's obvious. He lightly puts a hand on his mouth while the other hand goes to press against his stomach. His cheeks turn red and he looks frozen on the spot, totally embarrassed.

I chuckle and put one hand on top of his head to ruffle his hair. "How about a hamburger first?"

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He moans rubbing his head against the window beside him in the car, eyes slightly glazed over.

"I ate too much."

I laugh, "Don't say I didn't warn you. And you better not puke in my car, it's already dirty enough. I don't need to be scrubbing off food remains that aren't mine too."

I decide to park the car at the corner of Mane and Oak and just walk around from there. Having the kid with me is gonna make it a lot less suspicious. He looks at me questionly a couple of times but still follows me around like a good boy. I keep an eye on him all the while half afraid he might decide to run away from me.

I spot a few guys here and there that look definitely in the shady business one way or the other but nobody that really bothers me. As soon as I finish that train of thought my eyes fall on a slender man rather well dressed and that appears to be looking cautiously among the crowd for something...Or someone.

I immediatly stop walking and grab the kid's arm making him spin around so he's facing a shop window with me. "What?" He asks softly so nobody hear, figuring something is up and I'm not just admiring the ugly shoes sales in the window in front of us. Smart boy.

I jerk my head at the reflection of the people in the window before whispering, "The suit. You seen him before lurking around?" He blinks, turning to take a look at the reflection.

One quick look and he turns back to look at me confused, "I definitely saw him with Bobby."

My intention to frown at his quick observation and affirmative answer is promptly forgotten. I tighten my hold on his arm and he winces. "Who's Bobby?"

He hisses still as quietly as he can, "Another guy on the streets like me. Except he really sells for real and I don't."

I slowly release his arm. I can tell the kid's looking at me funny but I ignore him and keep my attention on the man in the window. I wanna bring him in, to question him if nothing else but it's not like I can just go up to the guy and tell him you look suspicious so you're coming with me. Tch'. I clench my teeth trying to think of something, anything, before he goes away.

My eyes suddenly go wide and my mouth practically drops open. I quickly whip my head to my right sharply to note that the kid is indeed not besides me anymore before I completely turn around to face the people passing in the streets. Adam is slowly making his way toward the suit guy, pretending to be looking around.

I cannot believe the stupidity-- I blink when he bumps into him head-on, obviously on purpose. The man looks at who he hit and puts his hands around the stagering kid from...Falling, I guess... Adam's face suddenly changes and he looks up at him smilling sweetly, seductively even. The man looks a bit surprised at first but doesn't take his hands off him and finally smiles back at the kid.

God I'm gonna strangle that brat.

Adam then just as suddenly opens his mouth and lets out the loudest shriek he can manage, "Help! Pervert!! Somebody help me! Call the police!!"

It takes a few second for it to sink in exactly what he was doing but when it does, I put a hand on my eyes laughing to myself. I can't help it, that kid is really something. I walk over to them, pushing the people who stopped to gawk at the scene. Once I'm in view of them, I flash out my badge before stating, "I'm a cop. I'll take care of him."

The man had let go as soon as Adam had started screaming, probably out of surprise but now he looks really angry, his face is all red. "You're going to have to come with me, sir." I say while I cuff the guy and nod to Adam to follow me back to the car.

Gotta remember to thank the kid later.

-xxx-

Adam POV

I'm waiting near the car outside the police station again. At least this time Jack only growled at me to stay put and that I better be here when he comes back. Thankfully he either forgot or didn't have the time to tie me to the steering or something. I doubt it was because he suddenly decided to trust me though, it's more like because his handcuffs were presently occupied by someone else. I let out a long sigh.

That's good and all but it's been over an hour and I'm bored already. I decide to go walk maybe around the building a bit at least. I won't go too far. There's a small alley near the back of the building that's suppose to be used as an emergency exit. Guess they don't use any of these a lot cuz it's got a pretty sturdy wired fence blocking the exit to the street. Looks like I can't go any further here.

I'm about to turn back from where I came from when I hear some kind of shuffling noise from behind the fence close to the building. The sun is blocked out from here so I can't really make out anything. I take a few small steps closer to the fence until I'm completely leaning on it. I squint my eyes as hard as I can to try and see something. I don't know what but there is someone there and whoever it is, is dragging something.

The figure stops walking directly in front of some kind of furnace maybe? He squats down slowly near what he was dragging. It looks like he's whispering something that I can't hear. With my heart pounding in my chest I take a deep breath and hold it in an attempt to catch what he's saying.

"...bad, bad...pretty...trick...lies...showed you..."

I gasps out loud, the sound making me put a hand on my mouth immediatly to stiffle anything else. Shocked, I step back until I hit the wall on the side. That something was someone!

The person in the shadow snaps his head in my direction. He heard me! I clamp my second hand on top of the other already on my mouth. I'm frozen on the spot until the person gets back up on his feet, still staring at where I know I should be hidden by the darkness of the alley and the shadow casted by the dumpster in front of me on the other side of the wall. Not waiting around to see what's gonna happen to me when he gets to the fence, I finally force my legs to run back full speed the way I came from.

My plans of locking myself tight in the car are cut short when I suddenly run into Jack halfway there.

"Wha-"

As soon as I realize it is him, I practically jumps in his arms, clinging to him as hard as my arms can squeeze him, "Please, please, please." Seeing how panicked I am he immediatly hugs me up in his arms and place a comforting hand at the back of my head. Knowing I'm safe now, I manage to whimper, "He's going to kill me!"

He tenses up and try to extract me from himself so he can see my face and talk to me, "Who? What happened? Damnit talk to me kid!"

I sob the tears falling out freely by now. I tell him slighty shaky, "A-At the back."

He opens the door of the car one-handed and puts me in the back seat. He grabs my face and make me look at him, "Listen to me, I want you to lock yourself in here, you hear me? Nobody gets in that doesn't have a key and you don't get out until I come back."

I nod a couple of times and jump on the lock as soon as the door is closed. I see Jack nod at me and whips his gun out, taking his cellphone with his free hand before he turns the corner of the building and disappears from my view in the alley.

-xxx-

I'm talking as soon as my cell connects, "Baker! Get me some backup! Possible suspect, west wing emergency exit!"

I hang up, knowing he heard me and any kind of answer is really not necessary. I walk slowly longing the building wall, gun before me and ready. I pause behind the dumpster against the wall in front of the right side of the fence. That stupid fence is gonna keep me from getting any kind of clear shot. I don't have anymore time to hesitate so I quickly pull myself up on the dumpster gun pointed towards the staircase. At the same time, Baker kicks the emergency door open from the inside of the building. We stare at each other from the distance, adrenaline pumping high.

There's nothing here.

I lower my gun and shout to Baker, "Did you see anyone go in?"

I hear him yell back at me, "No. This door locks from the inside."

Well shit! Where did he go?

"Call the chief, we need to get a team out here and see what they can find."

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We're back inside the building but this time, I brought the kid with me.

The chief frowns looking at him then turns back to ask me, "Who's the kid?"

"My nephew. I'm babysitting him for awhile."

It's not like I can tell him he's an underaged street thief pretending to be a whore I picked up. That would look swell on my report.

Not losing his frown, "Didn't know your brother had kids."

I shrug, "He's from my sister."

He grunts apparently buying it, "He the witness?" I nod.

He moves to stand closer to Adam who's sitting in a chair, "Are you sure you didn't just see a cat or something, it's pretty hard to see in them alleys."

The kid must be tired of answering that by now. His face gets red and he hisses, eyes narrowed, "There was SOMEONE!"

The chief sighs running a hand over his neck before he tells me, "Team didn't find nothing there at all, Brewster."

I figured as much but I was hoping getting caught would have forced the guy to make a mistake. I know the chief doesn't believe whatever the kid saw but I saw how freaked he was, you don't live on the street for more than a year to get scared of a rumaging animal picking on garbage cans. He saw someone there, I believe that.

"Take him home, Brewster. We'll call if we find anything though that ain't likely."

"Yeah, fine."

I put a hand on the kid's back and lead him out of the building and into the car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Do you want something to eat?"

I look at Adam that's been standing dazed near the doorway since we got home. He shakes his head.

"I'm not going back out there."

He raises his eyes to look in mine, "Take me to the center or whatever but I'm not going back on the streets. He'll find me."

I already came to that conclusion earlier so I wasn't planning on dumping him back out. I'm not gonna give him to the SS either though. He's the only person that saw some part of this guy. So right now, he's the only lead I got. But I know he's not gonna stay here willingly either.

"Whatever happened to saving your little brother?"

He grits his teeth and snarl at me, "Yeah well I can't do that if I'm freakin' dead!"

"I got a deal for you, kid." He frowns a bit uncertain. "I need someone to clean up my place and tidy up after me," He blinks and look around with a raised eyebrow.

I huff, "Obviously. And your brother needs a good doctor. I'll get your brother the best doctor there is and you pay me back with housework until we catch that guy."

The first thing out of his mouth is of course, "Am I gonna get paid too?"

"Without pay of course but I'll feed you and buy you some clothes in exchange. That way we'll all get what we want: your brother will be treated, my house is gonna clean and you'll be safe with me."

"And what exactly is it that I have to do? Do I get to sleep in your bed too?"

I laugh, "No way, kiddo! Cleaning, laundry, cooking and that kind of stuff only. I'll clean out my storage room and you can have it too."

He stares at me cautiously, weighting his options. Finally he nods, "Okay. I'll be your little maid if you help my brother but you better catch that guy."

Here he goes, underestimating me again.

-End of ch3-