“LISSA!” I screamed as I saw white smoke zip by her head. We were both appalled and amazed at what had happened, but she more than I.

“Jesus,” She exclaimed. “Did you have to tell in my ear?”

“Well, I was trying to save you.” I retorted.

“Screaming LISSA doesn't do anything to protect me,” Lissa scowled. “A simple old-fashioned tackle works best!”

“Well, maybe I will next time.” I muttered under my breath.

She can be really baited at times, but Lissa was right.

I had panicked.

But as it turns out, justly. We heard a gun cock behind our heads.

“What are you two doing here?” A strange voice questioned as we slowly raised our hands.

I didn't know what to say, but Lissa's eyes hardened as shep started to reply. Then she turned like a flash and gripped our assailant by the wrist and twisted their arm until they fell to the ground. “Heads up!” She cried out as the gun went off. Twice.

I ducked. “And that was any better than my warning?” I asked incredulously.

“You ducked, didn't you?” Lissa smirked before turning to the figure on the floor. “So, what are you doing in this house?”

The girl got up from the floor, slowly, as Lissa trained the gun on her. “I live here!” She replied.

I rolled my eyes. “Nonsense. Nobody's lived here for years!”

“Well this 'nobody' has lived here a long time.” She brushed away the gun. “It was my father's house. I grew up here.“

I was completely baffled, and backed up in a corner to sit down. As I was contemplating what had transpired, Lissa was engaging her. I continued looking around the kitchen and dining area, then moved on up to the bedrooms and bathroom. Sure enough, the beds were made and the bathrooms moderate. A walk-in closest was full of clothing, but on closer inspection, there were guy clothes first. Then I heard footsteps from above the ceiling.

I walked back into the crime scene. ”Who else do you have living here?“ I broke in.

”Whaddaya mean?“ She answered sheepishly.

”I mean,“ I pushed, ”Who's staying with you?“

She looked genuinely shocked at the question. ”Seriously, no one lives here but me.“

”Then who's clothes are in the closet?“

She smiled. ”Oh, that? Those have been here since I moved in! Most don't even fit.“

”Come on,“ Lissa said to me with a half-wink. ”Let's head back to the office. We've seen enough.“

In the car, I just couldn't help but feel there was something different about our mysterious squatter. As if she were hiding something from us. After a while, we decided to go for a bite to eat and then comb over the evidence we had gathered so far.


Lissa's Pov

I slid into a booth at a local diner. Caleb seated himself across from me, his eyes glazed like he was deep in thought. We ordered our food. As soon as the waitress had walked away, Caleb's gaze settled on me. ”So, do you think she was telling the truth?“

”Oh, she was lying, for sure.“ I replied. ”But I don't think she had anything to do with the murder.“

”How so?“

I rolled my eyes. ”Caleb, I know you had covid a few months ago, but you seriously still can't smell? The place reeked of heroin.“

”It did?“ His forehead creased.

”Yes, It did. She was probably just a drug dealer or something, and saw the house as a hideout. But we'll look into it, just to be sure.“

The waitress brought us our food. As she laid our platters on the table, I noticed Caleb wasn't looking at his food. He was looking at me. Or, more accurately, the small tear in the shoulder of my shirt, still crisp with blood.

I could see the wheels spinning in his mind, and I spoke before he spiraled into panic mode. ”I'm fine, Caleb. The first bullet just grazed me a little, that's all.“

”It what?!“

”Calm down,“ I leaned forward and pulled my sleeve up to reveal the small cut. ”See? Barely cut the skin. I'm fine.“

His shoulders relaxed, and he started eating. ”Hey, Lissa?“

”Yeah?“

”Something tells me this case just got a whole lot more dangerous.“

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. ”I know.“


© Shelby Pryor
@I_Am_Michael