dS flashfic for ds_snippets: "Our Pasts Following," PG-13

[hsavinien]

Title: Our Pasts Following

Author: H. Savinien

Disclaimer: due South and characters are the property of the Pauls and Callum.

Rating: PG-13

Wordcount: 327

Prompt: “You find yourself under a microscope, under the influence, or under oath.”  Written for the ds_snippets  amnesty contest.

 

***

 

“You know what happens? Do you know, Frase? I can tell you. One of three things, if you're lucky. You find yourself under a microscope, under the influence, or under oath.” Ray prods him in the chest. “If you are lucky. If you're not, it's all three. That's what happens when a cop gets involved in a celebrity case. So I don't care how much the nice movie star acts like he needs your help. He is an actor. It's like being a con, only it doesn't usually pay quite as well and it's legal. It is his job to look needy and pathetic on demand. Do not fall for it.”

Fraser does that thing where he seems like he's rolling his eyes without actually doing it. “Really, Ray, I think I understand Mr. Hebbard's motivations well enough. His sister appears to have packed up her life and disappeared; he simply wants to know whether she was compelled in any way.”

“Yeah, well, maybe. But Fraser, families sometimes suck. You know that. You walk the same streets I do. There's zero evidence of foul play, no ransom note. Maybe there's some reason she'd rather not have her brother know where she is.” Ray can think of a couple reasons without even trying, most of which make him wince and shy away mentally and that's before he gets to being a cop called to his first DD. Janey from his sophomore English class had sort of cowered whenever her brother Tom, the 6'3” football-playing shiny-smiled valedictorian prom king, was in the room.

“And if that's the case, then we will, of course, respect her wishes. There's no reason not to find out for certain, if only to reassure him that she's safe.”

Ray shakes his head. “Yeah. Yeah, we'll see.”

Fraser looks a little lost behind the Mountie mask. “Ray, she's his family. His only family.”

“...yeah. Yeah, okay.”