- - it's darkest before dawn. [tally]

[jenna]

{desc=tally & aiden}

your heart beats in double time - - - - -
another kiss & you'll be mine - - - - -

Sunlight just started to creep over the horizon, illuminating the little town of Cedar Creek once more with its beautiful light. A slight wind ruffled the leaves in the trees and took with it the cold air that the night had brought in. Aiden could hardly believe how beautiful it was to see. He had been a city boy for so long that the simpleness of the country's beauty never failed to amaze him. He had been living in Cedar Creek for a while now, but he had been so busy with work that he never really had a chance to just stop everything and take a good hard look at everything around him. God, the murder case had been keeping him on his feet for days. In a small town, everyone knew what was going on with everyone else's lives. It just didn't make sense that this case was so impossible for him to solve.

As the head detective of the Cedar Creep Police Department, he was stumped. He had searched for evidence and clues, asked townspeople for tips, checked all over and yet nothing showed up. The leading suspect in the case, of course, was the main subject of his searches. What could he find about the Montgomery family? David had to be the killer. No one else fit the mold. But he was the perfect match. It was frustrating how incredibly difficult this small town case was becoming. Even in the city, he solved tons of murder cases. People out in the country apparently went about things a little differently. Regardless as to how tiring the case was, Aiden was glad he came to Cedar Creek.

He had finally made it through the entire week, but even though it was Saturday morning, he had to be up for work yet again. Detectives did not get days off. He had made plans to visit the Montgomery house to search for clues and he intended to find something while he was there. There had to be something. Or maybe even someone to answer questions he had. The family hadn't exactly been friendly toward him, so they were probably all off the table. Maybe they had a maid? Aiden sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he climbed into the driver's seat of his F-350. He had a tedious project ahead of him. It was only 9 AM and he was already tired of the day.

To get him in a cheery mood, Aiden turned on some good music to sing along to as he made the short drive to New Hope. The equine rescue center was one of the few places he really enjoyed being, but it was also one of the few places where he was not exactly welcome. He was great with horses (at least his), but his own farm did keep him pretty busy on top of the whole detective job. He turned his radio down as he pulled into the parking lot for the equestrian center and, soon enough, he found himself knocking on the door in the entranceway to the Montgomery house. Though the family didn't like him much, Aiden did enjoy them. They had spunk. And an exceptionally beautiful family member. Aiden smiled at the thought of her, then turned his back to the door to look over at the barn.

TEMPLATE BY VIKA OF CAUTION.

[tallulah grace montgomery]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: f9f9f9; border: #d96a70 solid 10px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] there's a drumming noise inside my head It had been another sleepless night. This time it was more in part to a storm that had rolled through the area. It had hardly rained at all, but the thunder and lightening had been enough to keep Tally up for a good portion of the night. She's even run outside to check on the horses, because some of them got really spooked during storms, so the young woman felt duty bound to check on them. But it was okay. Lack of sleep was something that had become normal as of late. Tally was in the kitchen watching the sunrise bright and early. Nobody else was in the house at the moment, they all had their own things to do if they were already up. Her mother had run to the next town over to visit her sister for the weekend and would be back later. She liked the alone time, for now. Much longer without companionship in the house, though, and she'd go nuts. It could get lonely in the big brick home after a while. After Tally ate her breakfast, she headed out to the barn. A week ago they'd gotten a new rescue, a bay gelding named Gabe. An odd name for a horse, but whatever. He still hadn't been ridden, so she figured she'd do it and see what he was like. His new owner had sent him here to get him some help because he was "a bit nuts". Tally snickered. This would be fun. Once she entered the barn, she bumped into one of the stable hands, Jordan. "Hey, Jordan! Would you might helping me out this morning?" Tally explained the whole situation and stated that she wanted to have someone nearby in case things went awry. No sense in being stupid about this. Jordan agreed heartily and skittered off to get the horse. Once he was there, he gave them both hell about being tacked up. "He's certainly a pain." Jordan muttered and Tally had to chuckle in agreement. Once Gabe was ready, they brought him out to the ring. After a few tries, the gelding let her mount up and she sat tall in the saddle. "Finally. Alright, let's see what you can do." she murmured and took him to the rail. She ran him through the usual: walk, trot, canter, turns, switching leads, the usual. Jordan watched from the middle and told her the things he needed to have worked on. Tally walked the horse to the middle of the ring and furrowed her brow. "I'm beginning to think his owner's the crazy one, not him. He's a fine ride! A little stubborn but that's nothing unusual." Tally stated as she leaned back, stretching. "Maybe he's on his best behavior for you. Everyone seems to do that." Jordan joked, and Tally laughed. "Yeah, right!" The blond dismounted and stepped down, staring at the horse. "There must be something I just haven't been able to see." She stated as they made their way back to the barn. "Maybe when he's out in the open it's a different story." Jordan suggested. Tally shrugged. "I haven't got the energy to try that now. And before you ask, no. You're not going out with him by yourself." She said with a raised brow. The young stable hand said nothing, but nodded in agreement. As they approached the barn, she noticed a truck in the front. She knew that truck. "Damn it." Tally hissed as she noticed Detective Bates standing on her front porch. The trio stopped in front of the barn and Tally handed horse and helmet to Jordan. "Do you mind? I have to take care of this." She said apologetically. "Sure. Need any backup?" he asked. Tally thought for a moment, then chuckled. "Nah, I think I got this. Thanks." She turned and approached her house, trying not to look like she wanted to punch her hand through a wall. "What the hell are you doing here now?" The question left her lips before she could think. She felt her eyes widen. She was talking to a cop! Shut your mouth Tally. Shut it now. "Er.... if you're looking for my father, he isn't here at the moment. He ran into town." Tally stated, suddenly feeling really awkward. Maybe it's because she had just mouthed off to Bates. Woops. that starts when you're around tagged JENNA!words 721muse HIGH.notes SUPER LONG. SORRY. :[credits irisheyes of C.20

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[jenna]

your heart beats in double time - - - - -
another kiss & you'll be mine - - - - -

Aiden wasn't at the door for long when he finally saw people moving around near the barns. He was more curious about the horses, really, but other people were always nice. Maybe they knew where the Montgomery family happened to be? He was about to call out to ask when he noticed a certain shock of blonde hair moving toward him at a rapid pace. He couldn't help but smile, despite the fact that he knew she was absolutely furious. He kept her amused, which was something nearly impossible to come by with his job. Originally, he had been expecting some kind of irritated but friendly comment from her. The closer David's daughter got to him, the more he realized that was probably not going to happen.

Was it even worth it coming to the house if he had to deal with something like this? The look on her face was telling him to run for his life, but something was telling him that he would be better off sticking around. When she finally got close enough to speak, the words that came out of her mouth made him grin. If it had been anyone else he worked with standing at her door, they would have found some reason to arrest her. But he just thought she was brilliant. No one stood up to anyone on the force these days. Well, no one that had good intentions, anyway. And her reaction after she said it? Priceless. Aiden actually felt himself laugh, more at her reaction than anything else.

"You know, if you want me to leave you can just say so. You don't need to curse me away." His tone was entirely joking, hoping to lighten her mood a bit. "I was actually just hoping to run into anyone from your family. Do you mind if I look around your house for a bit? Trying to, er, find some solid evidence." Bates knew damn well he didn't need her permission to check out the house. One phone call and he could have a warrant to search the place. But he always found it polite to ask. And honestly, if she said no, he would probably come back with a partner at a later date. He liked Tally's spunk. And she seemed to be busy with one of the horses. If it had been him being barged in on, he wouldn't exactly be a happy camper either. "It won't be long, if you need to go ride or anything."

If anything, it could at least be said that Aiden was understanding. He tried not to be an asshole around the women that he came across in his line of work. Men, he didn't really care so much. His mother had always raised him to be a chivalrous kind of man and acting as though he was a dominant was just not his style. In fact, it bothered him when other men did so. He found himself looking down at Tally with interest in his eyes. She was interesting to him. He had questions he wanted to ask her that were completely irrelevant to the case and he actually wanted to talk to her. That being said, he still wasn't too pleased with the reluctance to put up with him being around all the time. It was a detective. He couldn't help his job after all.

TEMPLATE BY VIKA OF CAUTION.

[tallulah grace montgomery]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: f9f9f9; border: #d96a70 solid 10px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] there's a drumming noise inside my head Tally let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Her temper had gotten the better of her, thank God Bates could handle himself. Under any other circumstances, him laughing at her would have been another trigger, but it calmed her down a bit. However, now she was shaking slightly. From anger or fear she didn't really know. She'd been afraid of getting in trouble after her little outburst. "Glad you find that funny. You're lucky I have a little bit of respect for you, Detective." Tally said, raising a brow and trying not to smile. When the detective told Tally he wanted to come in her house, she frowned and furrowed her brow. She thought that this aspect of the investigation would be over for at least a little while, and that her family could have just a little bit of privacy. That proved to be wishful thinking, she supposed. But she wasn't dumb. The young woman knew that Bates could simply make a phone call and be back in a few hours with a court order to search the place. Why not just spare everyone some trouble? She could take this in stride. Or at least try. "Now, now, why would I want you to leave? This could be fun!" She remarked sarcastically. But once more, Tally found herself hesitating to go inside. Her mother wouldn't like it. Her father sure as hell wouldn't. But they weren't here. So she flashed the detective a smile and marched up the steps, brushing past him to open the big oak door into her home. She closed it behind Bates and turned back to look up at him. Damn he was tall. Overcoming her sudden feelings of dwarfism, she spoke again. "It's not like you'll find anything, but I'm going to be a nice person and let you look. We have nothing to hide." Tally said truthfully. The one thing she was most sure of in this world was her fathers innocence. She just wished the police could see that. Suddenly, she heard a loud clacking, one familiar to her. "Shit." Her overly affectionate and protective Golden Retriever was bounding over to them full force. "Bandit, where are your manners? Heel!" She snapped. The dog instead plopped down at his masters feet, tongue hanging out and looking like a scolded child. Close enough. "Bed." She pointed to the large dog bed in the family room and he skittered off, tail between his legs. "Sorry. He's a bit... protective." She muttered as her cheeks flushed, embarrassed. Stupid dog. Tally walked through the large foyer and into the old kitchen to get herself a glass of water. As she was filling the cup, she continued to speak. "Anyway, please, take your time. I just got back from a ride. I'm too tired to go on another one at the moment... not getting much sleep these days. But I'm sure you can understand that." She muttered, taking a sip of water. The blond was sure that Bates' hours were long. And since the police were taking this at the completely wrong angle, the hours would prove to be useless. She hoped. Tally leaned back against the counter, thinking for a moment. "Oops, where are my manners? You want anything?" She inquired, gesturing to her glass of water. "Also, can I tag along as you scour my house for evidence? I'd like to watch." that starts when you're around tagged JENNA!words 464muse HIGH.notes I'm havin' fun, hehe.credits irisheyes of C.20

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[jenna]

your heart beats in double time - - - - -
another kiss & you'll be mine - - - - -

Aiden almost felt bad for being around the house. He did know what it was like to have any kind of law enforcement officer around. He wasn't all about arresting people and whatnot, though. That was for the police. And besides that, he didn't really care how others treated him. As long as he could get what he was looking for, he was generally very lax about the way others acted. She said that she had some amount of respect for him, which was probably the biggest surprise he had come by in a while. Aiden couldn't help but smile at her. "Well, I'm glad that I've done something right to earn some respect."

At her next comment, Bates practically burst into laughter. She was funny! Who knew? He wasn't terrible to have around and he tried not to pry too much into personal business, but he could see how it was very unpleasant for whomever happened to be stuck in the middle of an investigation. He would have apologized had they been in any other situation. Aiden followed her into the house with his hands in his pockets, a smile playing on his lips. He was surprised by how honest the girl was, despite the situation. "As much as I'd like to believe you, and even if I did, it doesn't change the fact that things point to your father. With any luck, we'll find something leading to someone else," he said reassuringly. He didn't know David Montgomery, but he didn't dislike him. He seemed like a good man to produce a daughter with such a personality, really.

He was about to take another step toward the living room when he heard the loud clatter of paws and dog tags coming straight toward them. If there was one thing Aiden loved as much as he loved horses, it was dogs. And a Golden Retriever, as well! The poor thing looked dejected when she yelled at him, but then again, what man couldn't when being scolded by a woman? "I love dogs! How long have you had Bandit?" He was trying to make small talk to lighten the situation, but he was also genuinely curious.

Without asking whether or not he should stay in the foyer, Aiden followed Tally to the kitchen, stopping in the doorway to watch her with a quizzical expression. "How did your ride go?" He, himself, had not been getting much sleep lately so he knew how bad it could be. Keeping up with riding, work and everything else was just a pain in the butt. "And I'm fine, thank you. I'm kind of barging into your home - don't want to take anything I don't need to." He shot her a hopeful smile, trying to ease things over for at least a moment. "I'd love for you to come along, what with it being your house and all. A little company never hurts."

Aiden found himself getting into a better mood, though he knew he should probably avoid from doing so. Without saying anything, he turned to walk into the family room that Bandit disappeared off into. He doubted any evidence would be out in the open, but it was all part of the procedure. "You have a lovely house, miss." They weren't quite on a first name basis, but it never hurt to be polite. Aiden gave the Golden Retriever a pat on the head as he walked by, scanning over pictures for anyone not in the family or anything that appeared to be a weapon. "How have things been going with the horses?" he asked as he scanned the room. He was hoping not to annoy her for too long, but he didn't exactly know how to speed it up. And as an afterthought - "Oh, I uh, guess I should ask if you have seen anything suspicious going on lately?"

TEMPLATE BY VIKA OF CAUTION.

[tallulah grace montgomery]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: f9f9f9; border: #d96a70 solid 10px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] there's a drumming noise inside my head "Well, I'm glad that I've done something right to earn some respect." Tally smirked. "Good. Now don't push it." Her spirits were slowly but surely lifting. At least he was nice. She had run into some not so pleasant cops at the station before Bates had officially been stuck with the case. She scowled at the memory and stayed quiet for a moment, before realizing she probably looked like she wanted to punch her hand through a wall again. Tally blinked and replaced the expression with a smile again as she listened to the detective talk. "As much as I'd like to believe you, and even if I did, it doesn't change the fact that things point to your father. With any luck, we'll find something leading to someone else," Tally sighed. Even though this is almost exactly what she was expecting him to say, it still hurt. "Well, I hope that happens soon. This is really taking a toll on him, y'know?" Well, she didn't expect him to know. Her father had always been one who didn't handle stress well. And this was a stressful situation. But it wasn't something stupid like ordering the wrong type of feed or showing up late to a client meeting. He was being accused of murder, and that hit him and his family hard. Still, Bates' words gave her a tiny bit of hope. Tally grinned when the topic of conversation changed back to Bandit. "Me too. Second favorite animal, you can guess the first." She joked as she glanced back over at Bandit, who was obediently sitting on his bed, his eyes glued to her. "Well, he's five. We got him when he was just a puppy. He still acts like one, clearly. But I do love him." She heard Bandit thump his tail on the floor. People could say what they want, but Tally swore animals could understand them. When inquired about the ride, Tally sighed. "It was... confusing. There's supposedly something wrong with this horse we're working on because his owner says he goes nuts when she tries to go for a ride with him. But he was fine with me. I'm starting to think she's the one who's nuts." She muttered, finishing off her water and dumping the ice in the sink. "Alrighty. If you change your mind let me know; I think I can spare a glass of water." She teased. When he told her that he'd love for her to come along, she smiled. "Good. Thanks." Tally watched as he suddenly turned into the family room and furrowed her brow. She followed him in, trailing behind. She didn't want to seem like an overly attached dog. Speaking of which, Bandit got up and hesitantly walked over to her, sticking to her left side. Tally looked down and patted his head, silently forgiving him for his ill behavior before. The blond eyed the detective warily as he looked around. It was strange, having a near stranger looking at some of your most personal belongings with you standing right beside them. She looked around herself at the large room, with family pictures set up throughout. On top of the fireplace was a picture of Tally a few years ago after she'd just gotten Rags. She picked it up, staring at it. In the picture she looked a bit younger, so did her horse. Hearing Bates talk again, she broke out of her daydreaming and responded to him. "Why thank you, Detective. I quite like it myself." Noting that he called her 'Miss' She spoke again. "Please, call me Tally." Hopefully that wasn't overstepping her boundaries. All the formality was killing her. She sat down on the arm of the sofa, still keeping an eye on him. "Busy, as usual. The barn's nearly fully occupied. We've definitely got our hands full for the next few weeks." Tally stated, picking at a thread on the couch. She hardly had time for her own horse anymore. The young woman felt a pang of guilt as she thought of Rags, whom she hadn't ridden in a week. "If you have time after searching the house, you can come out and look if you'd like." She offered, trying to be friendly. "Oh, and no. Nothing out of the usual. Well. Let me rephrase that. Nothing suspicious." Most of what was going on now was out of the usual, to her chagrin. that starts when you're around tagged JENNA!words 730. LONG, SORRY! :[muse good brah.notes I'm still havin' fun, hehe.credits irisheyes of C.20

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[jenna]

your heart beats in double time - - - - -
another kiss & you'll be mine - - - - -

It was always slightly uncomfortable for the detective to be snooping around other people's homes. It was his job and his discomfort never distracted his search process, but... it was just awkward. That sense of 'oh hell no, you don't belong in here' was just everywhere. He couldn't really put to words how strange it was to be in his position, but he dealt with it every time like a trooper. It was one of those situations where morality came into play. Do you want to be the butthead that barges in and possibly finds evidence, or the idiot that leaves the house alone and lets a criminal run free?

Aiden found himself frowning as Tally mentioned the toll the investigation was taking on her father. Despite everything, he cared about most everyone he came in contact with. Her father seemed to be a good guy, but all signs pointed to him. He couldn't deny that. "I know I am a cause of stress for your father, but if I can do anything, just let me know. The guys wouldn't mind being called off for a few days to let him relax. Maybe it would open their minds up to some other people." Even he was getting irritated by only hounding the Montgomery household. Yeah, David was a top suspect. But there were other places to look.

As he picked up a vase and carefully placed it back down after determining nothing of interest was inside, he listened to the girl speak. She was interesting - her temper was evident, yet she handled herself well. She didn't really like him, but her tolerance showed a sort of friendliness. Tally was an enigma to him and he couldn't understand why she was so fascinating. "If there is one thing I have learned in this life, it's that people don't have horse problems. Horse's have people problems." He shrugged and put his hands in his pockets, walking over to a coffee table and observing what was on and around it. He doubted blood or murder weapons would be anywhere like this, but people had a way of being surprising.

Aiden grinned at the girl's words. Detective. Everyone called him that, wherever he went - the grocery store, the gas station and even the diner. But if he could call her by her name, she had better get used to using his. "If we're on a first name basis here, you'd better start calling me Aiden," he said jokingly. As he spoke, a sudden pang of regret hit him. He missed the city. There, he didn't get stared down wherever he went for his job. In the city, no one really noticed him. He had his friends and acquaintances, of course. But here it was different. He didn't really know anyone well, though his father and sister seemed to be getting along with everyone just fine. In a town where many loved or knew the Montgomery family, he was frowned upon for interfering with their lives.

Sighing, he walked past Tally and down a hallway, trying to figure out where everything was. He almost stopped in his tracks when she said that he would be welcome to come out to the barn. Turning to face her quickly, he smiled over his words. "I'd love to go look!" And, as an afterthought, "if you need help doing anything around the farm, just let me know. I promise there's more to me than just the detective side of things." Aiden glanced at the ground almost shyly, not really knowing what to do with her coming along through her house with him. "Would, er, you be willing to show me around?" Something was just weird to him about leading her through her own house when he didn't know where anything was.

A sudden thought overcame him. What was Nero up to? His horse was always getting into something. It was a new surprise every day for him. Oh, Nero. Cedar Creek was great because Nero loved it. As of yet, that was one of the only highlights of living in the small town. His horse had never been happier, honestly. "So, let me hear about your horse. The rescue has to keep you busy and I always hear about them, but what about yours?" That normally got people talking. He didn't even know how many she had.

TEMPLATE BY VIKA OF CAUTION.

[tallulah grace montgomery]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: f9f9f9; border: #d96a70 solid 10px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] there's a drumming noise inside my head Tally was quiet for a moment, listening to him talk and thinking about his offer. "Thanks, that's really nice of you. I'll talk to him about it. But knowing my father, he'll probably refuse. I think he just wants to get it over with." She laughed a bit because she was already sure that's what he would say. But it wouldn't hurt to ask. Maybe in some off chance he really would accept in order to take a breather for a bit. That would really be nice, but it wasn't up to her. Something Bates said resonated in her head: "I know I am a cause of stress..." She spoke again. "And I'd like to make something clear. It isn't you. I know it's not your fault; this is your job. And as badly as it sucks, things point to my father. I can't help it and you sure as hell can't. He and I both know that. So I'm sorry if I come off as... mean. Or rude. I don't mean it." Tally shut up then, feeling like she was babbling. But she realized that had been held inside her; she didn't want to be mean. Her temper just got the better of her when it came to protecting her family, unfortunately. And she didn't want Bates to think she disliked him, because she didn't. He was a pretty cool guy, despite the fact that his job kept him hounding her father. She laughed and nodded in agreement to his next comment. "True, very true. I have seen plenty of those situations in my lifetime." Tally made a face thinking back on all the idiots- putting it lightly- that had come in their door asking for help with a "problem" horse when they were the ones who were the problem. And it happened all the time. A lot more than it should, to her dismay. Tally grinned back at him. "Okay then, Aiden. You have a deal." she joked back. It felt weird calling him by his first name, but at least they were getting somewhere. Maybe now it wouldn't be so uncomfortable around him while he was doing his job. The blonde got up off the couch and followed Aiden into the hall and stopped when he turned to face her. He actually sounded pretty excited about her offer and she smiled back. "Great." Tally didn't really know what to say after that, but she was looking forward to it. She loved showing people what she did and how she did it. Especially when they seemed just as excited about it as she was. Tally found herself smiling again at his offer. "Wow, thanks! I might actually take you up on that offer sometime. But I'll try not to; I know you've got your own stuff to take care of." She was surprised by how generous he was being. As much as she would love the help, Tally wouldn't like pulling him away from his busy schedule. But if he offered, surely he must have some free time, right? She found herself hoping so and suddenly felt a bit awkward. "Oh, yeah. Follow me for the grand tour." She walked down the hall a bit and stopped at a large room on the left. "The living room. Not much living actually takes place here." she muttered in disgust as she grazed her finger along a table, picking up a fine layer of dust. Yeesh. "Had I known you were coming, I would have bothered cleaning up. It'll be better next time." she joked. Tally walked further into the room and looked around. She rarely came in here herself because there wasn't much in it. Some old period pieces and books lined on the walls, not much else. Tally grinned when the detective asked about her horse. "I only have one. Thank God. I couldn't handle more than him right now. His name is Rags. Danish Warmblood. I love him more than anything, except my parents of course." She added the last bit as a joke. There were times, however, when she felt her horse understood her better than her parents. Kind of sad, but true. "He's 10, I've had him for five years and he'll do anything. Mostly show jumping though, whenever I can find the time. But I can't drone on about him forever. You have a horse, I assume? What's he like?" She asked Aiden, genuinely curious. that starts when you're around tagged JENNA!words 737muse good, son.notes Next one will be better, sorry! D:credits irisheyes of C.20

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