Bryan looks at their face that shows no sign of laughter. The smile instantly vanishes from his face.
''w-w-what! Are you two serious right now? No, she is in her room! With that damn earphone stuck in her ears!'' He springs up and starts to march up the stairs. Jayla moves to stop him when Miles cuts her off.
''Leave him.''
A few moments after, they could hear Bryan's voice shouting for his daughter. She closes her eyes; she didn't know Sasha but seeing all her smiling photos and awards bring back the memories of her blank face and pale body, no more smiling Sasha, or award-winning Sasha. No one deserves to lose their child like that.
''I told you not to get too personal with cases, are you crying?'' Miles asks her, he had been through this process before, so it didn't affect him as much but seeing Jayla crying makes him feel uncomfortable.
''No, I'm leaking!'' She snaps and quickly swipes the stray tear.
Tear-stained Bryan stumbles down the stairs holding a portrait of Sasha-Gaye. His face is red from crying. His glasses are no longer on his face. He clutches a photo of Sasha to his chest.
''I-i she r-really d-d-dead? Is m-my baby dead?''
''Yes, Mr. Royce, and the more time you spend crying, the lesser time we have at catching the killer, we need your assistance.''
''o-o-kay, but what about S-sophy, Sophia? You have to tell her. I don't know how she is going to take it. She is our only one.''
''Who is Sophia, sir?''
''My w-wife, her mother,'' he ducks his head in his hands and starts to cry again as he takes a seat on the couch, Jayla rubs her hand on his back reassuringly. ''Where is your wife, Mr. Royce?''
''s-she is at... clinic for animals... She is a vet.'' It is hard to hear what he has to say through his cracking voice. Jayla takes out her notepad and takes out her pen as Miles starts to question Bryan.
''A vet, where is this clinic?''
''i-it's a couple of minutes here on Lovelane... It's the only vet clinic, a blue door.''
''Do you have a number? When was the last time you both saw your daughter?''
''No, I lost the clinic's number, t-there was an argument between the two, but my wife would never-''
''An argument over what?''
''W-well, Sasha wanted to be like her mother. Back when Sophia was her age, she was a great baseball player. She even received a lot of scholarships and a chance to play for the national team. Her heart was in saving animals so she eventually gives up playing. S-she sometimes overwork herself you know, Sasha. Because she wants to be like her mother, even training at nights and not doing her school work and Sophia wasn't having that, so this morning S-Sasha asked to go to her team's training today. Sophy told her no and that she should focus on her school work,'' Bryan stares out in the space as he recalls his memory.
''They both had a small argument then she left after that to go to work. Sasha got angry and went into her room and closed her door. After that, I went to the gas station for some beer. That's the last time I s-saw her.''
''Did she say anything to you after her mother left?''
''n-no, her room door was closed so I knocked on her door and I told her that I was leaving, she didn't reply so I assumed that she was just listening to music, something she always does after an argument with Sophy.''
''So, they always have arguments?''
''y-yeah, about baseball.''
''Do you play baseball?''
''No, I wish I did so I could've helped her, she loved-d baseball, s-she is now dead, I c-can't.'' Bryan buries his head in his hands and starts to cry again.
''You mention something about a rascal.''
''Yes, if I remember correctly, they call her Talia. They constantly get into fights, nothing serious, well most of the time.''
''Is it okay if we check her room?''
''No, please go ahead. It's the first door on the left.''
Bryan takes up a different cup of coffee and starts to sip the cold coffee with a blank face. Both Detectives stand and walk towards the stairs. As they ascend the stairs, Miles spares a glance back at Bryan, but he wasn't there nor the cups of coffees. He stops as he hears the sound of plastic ruffling coming from the kitchen.
''Myers! What's taking you so long?'''Jayla says from the top of the stairs.
''Just go in, I'll be there in a few minutes, take photos if you can.''
''Sure.''
With his hands on his holster, he amble towards the kitchen then stops at the doorway as he spots Bryan taking up a large black garbage bag.
''Do you mind if I search that?'' Bryan jumps at the sound of the Mile's voice.
''u-uh, sure but it has weeks of garbage- I was supposed to take it out today but I went out and forgot, I shoul-''
''Just get me some gloves,'' he cuts off his rambling.
Bryan quickly starts to search through the cupboards. He finds a pair of rubber gloves. He tosses them to Miles. Catching them effortlessly, he quickly pulls up his shirt sleeves and slips the gloves on. As he was about to open the garbage bag, he pauses.
''You are too close to the knives, get in front of me.''
''w-what I wouldn't,'' Bryan face screws up in confusion and shock. One look at Miles' face, Bryan realizes that the detective is serious.
He quickly moves in front of Miles and places his hands flat on the counter in front of him. When Miles is satisfied with the distance between them, he starts to search through the pungent garbage bag.
He searches through the garbage. The stench is almost unbearable, it smells like stale milk, rotten fruits, and garbage water hit his nose. After searching through the garbage and not seeing anything valuable he almost gives up when he spots a small spot of blue. He brushes away some rotten food and pulls out a very dirty ripped up blue shirt. He lifts the shirt towards Bryan.
'' What's this? how was is ripped?''
''My dog Rex, he hates b-blue.''
''Does he now? where is this Rex?''
''Miles!? oh there you are, I didn't find anything valuable, only this blue jersey, wait what the fu-what are doing in that?'' She scrunches her nose as the scent hits her, she stares incredulously at the detective stooping over a garbage bag waving a blue piece of cloth in front of a tired and broken looking Bryan. She couldn't help but look at how his veins in his hands stand out as he grips the cloth.
''It's called collecting evidence Ms. Glasgow, it is a part of a detective's job.''
She opens her mouth to answer when she hears a loud ripping noise, looking down she sees a puppy gripping the jersey in his mouth.
Grrrrrrrrgrrr
''Hey, Stop that! Bad doggie spit it out!'' She tries pulling the jersey from the dog's mouth causing it to split in half. The dog races out of the kitchen with a piece of the cloth clutch tightly between his teeth.
''Told you, Rex hates blue.'' She looks over to Bryan, confused.
''Do you not teach your pets.''
''Ms. Glasgow, could you please retrieve two evidence bags from my car; they are in the back.'' He says with a dismissing motion of his hands that tends to annoy Jayla. She walks off with a huff placing the ripped jersey on the counter. He ties back the garbage bag and throws it at Bryan's feet.
''Thank you for your patience and assistance. Don't leave the country so we can contact you if we want to ask you any other question,'' then staring right into Bryan's eyes he says ''I will find whoever is responsible for this.'' It's the line he always uses, and he never once fails. Bryan nods frantically as fresh tears streams down his face, he still didn't remove his hands from the counter. It is a small gesture, but it irks Miles. He went over by the sink and washes his hands while staring down a frightful Bryan, he dries his hands as Jayla walks in with a frown on her face as she hands him the evidence bags.
''Here, anything else you would like... sir?''
''No, that would be all.''
[*]^*^[*]
As they exit Royce's household, a few neighbors are secretly peeking through their windows. Some are on their porch looking over at them. The crime scene investigators pull up in front of the residence. Miles exchange words with the police then they go inside the house. The car in Bryan's garage catch Miles' attention, he walks over to it.
''It's an SUV Miles''
''No shit Sherlock,'' he replies and takes a picture of the back of the car.
''Hello there, is everything over there alright?'' A frail voice calls to them from the porch of Royce's neighbor.
Both of their heads whip around to look at the old lady that is now peering at them over the white picket fence. She offers them a small smile.
''Actually, no....do you have a minute?''
''Sure sweethearts! come on over. I'll get some tea.''