The Elements

[Gifted]

There were no accidents, but there was the reporting of a homicide in a home nearby. A man had been found dead in his home mere hours ago, but it wasn't a relative of the Riley family or anything. The Riley's weren't in the phone book.

[Raven]

Simply due to his worry about Angel, Freddy looked closer into it. He clicked on the first search result, and went to read it.

[Gifted]

There wasn't much info yet, as this had just happened, but it was mentioned that the person who'd found the body had been taken in for questioning.

[Raven]

Freddy sighed and shut down the computer again, going out to think and garden. He hoped Lauren was alright.

[Gifted]

He wouldn't find out until the following day. His paper was delivered on Sunday, but the person who came was not Lauren and the kid who did just tossed it on the porch without stopping his bike. But at around four that evening, there was a timid knock at the door. "Fredrick? It's Lauren."

[Raven]

Frederick opened the door just a moment later, though his hands were covered in dirt, and his forehead was smeared with the same. He smiled warmly. "Are you okay? Where have you been?"

[Gifted]

Lauren looked terrible. there were circles around her eyes like she hadn't slept all night, and her makeup was patchy like she hadn't washed her face or redone it since yesterday, either. There were streaks down her face like she'd been crying fairly recently, and she was wearing regular street clothes - in this case a maroon t-shirt that was practically long enough to be a dress, jeans and a black blazer jacket - instead of her uniform. "Police station." She answered. "I'm sorry about interrupting your gardening. I can come back at a more convenient time, if you'd rather..."

[Raven]

"No, no, come in, Lauren. What happened?" Freddy asked, gently leading her his kitchen table.

[Gifted]

"I've been up all night." She told him. She sat down at the kitchen table wearily and rubbed her face in her hands. "I was walking my route yesterday to deliver mail and stuff, same as every day and... and I noticed one house still had a weeks worth of newspapers in front of it." Her voice shook. "I knew the guy lived alone, and the car had been in the driveway every time I'd gone by, so I didn't get why he wouldn't tae the papers in... I was worried about him... so I tried the door handle.. it was unlocked, so I went in the house and..."

[Raven]

Frederick understood perfectly. The pieces all fit together. "They kept you all night?" She must have been hysterical.

[Gifted]

She nodded. "They thought I had something to do with it. I told them my story over and over again, but they just kept yelling at me. I was just trying to help..."

[Raven]

"Didn't your parents stop them?" Frederick asked, frowning.

[Gifted]

"I don't even think my parents much notice when I'm at the house and when I'm not."

[Raven]

"They aren't allowed to talk to you without your parents there, you're still a minor," Frederick said, sighing. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"

[Gifted]

"No I'm okay. I don't know what happened outside the room." She answered. "And then I lost my job today."