Chapter 1

Alexia Clarke whistled to herself as she strolled into the police station. She was part of the small crime scene investigation team that was in West Chester. She wasn’t from America, she was British and had grown up in the midlands, halfway between the countryside and the city. But her excellent grades and Government award for her research into biological evidence from crime scenes had put her over the top and she had been offered the job in the US.

Her boss, David, was handing out the assignments for today and he beckoned for her to follow him into his office. Alexia was confused but followed all the same. “Alexia, I’ve chosen you for this assignment for one reason,” he said, “You’re very good on sensitive cases. And we need sensitivity on this one.”
“What’s the deal?” asked Alexia, now curious.
“Local celebrity had a break in, suspected ex-girlfriend, out for revenge,” said David, “At least that’s what he told the cops. He’s refusing to let them onto the property until you get there.”
“Who’s the celebrity? Anyone I heard of?” asked Alexia as she took the slip of paper from David. “Err,” he started, taking in Alexia’s Element Skateboards t-shirt, “I think you may have heard of him.” Alexia shrugged and left the office.

Alexia pulled up outside the house, Murderdolls blaring, and got out of her car. She whipped her sunglasses off and stared. A tall fence ran round the property and there was a large gate leading to the driveway. Two police cars were parked outside the gate. “Oh my god,” she said.
“Hey Alexia,” said Johnny, one of the cops stood outside, “Guess who lives here?”
“Johnny Depp?” joked Alexia. Johnny just laughed. Alexia walked up to the gate and saw a small com system on the side. She pressed the button and heard a buzzer. A second later, she heard a receiver being picked up. “Hello?” It was a man’s voice and he seemed more than a little shaken. ‘Poor thing, he sounds so helpless,’ she thought.
“Hello sir?” she said, “My name’s Alexia Clarke, I’m with the crime lab. I was told someone broke into your house. Please let me in.”
“Hang on, I’m gonna come down and…and check your ID,” he said, his voice still shaking.
“That’s understandable, sir,” said Alexia to the speaker. She heard the receiver being put down. She sighed and put her sunglasses back on. The bright sunshine was reflecting off her car and the two police cars. She didn’t see the man come down to the gate and jumped when he spoke. “Let’s see ya ID then,” he said. Alexia span round and took off her shades. Her mouth dropped. She instantly recognised him. Bam Margera. She blinked a couple of times, then shut her mouth and reached down her shirt for her ID. She showed it to him. He took hold of it through the bars of the gate and pulled it closer, dragging Alexia with it. His baby blue eyes flicked from her to her ID. “How olds this picture?” he asked.
“About two years,” said Alexia. Her hair in the picture was short, straight and medium brown, now she had long blonde curls. “You really ought to get a new one,” he muttered. He took a card out his pocket and swiped it through the machine on the other side of the fence. The gate opened and Alexia slipped in before he changed his mind.

She looked at him and he looked at her. He was wearing his trademark clothing. Black pants, t-shirt and a red blazer, despite the summer heat. His hair fell into his baby blue eyes. Alexia wore a grey Element Skateboards t-shirt that fitted her nicely, a grey zip-up hoodie, black jeans and her pink Converse All Stars. Bam took one hand out his pockets and pointed it towards the house. “After you,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Alexia. She had never expected him to be such a gentleman. ‘Hmm, Ape and Phil must have got something right with him,’ she thought. She had watched Jackass and a few episodes of Viva la Bam but quite frankly Dico was her favourite. She thought Bam was nothing more than an arrogant prick. But now he was a victim and she had to focus on finding out who had broken in. Bam was well known at the moment for having a long string of girlfriends recently, many of whom had overlapped. ‘Great, a hundred suspects,’ thought Alexia as she walked up the infamous driveway, ‘Way to start a case.’ What she didn’t realise was that Bam had kept his eyes fixed on her all the way up. More specifically, he’d been watching her ass. The way it moved from side to side with her hips made him grin. It was a nice ass in his opinion.

Alexia stopped when they got to the door. She couldn’t resist, she bent her neck to get a look at the ‘Fat Boy Phil’ sign. She’d enjoyed that episode. “You seen the show?” asked Bam suddenly, making her jump.
“Err, only the last two seasons, I prefer Jackass to be honest,” she said.
“That’s ok, I like your honesty,” he said.
“Thank you, Mr. Margera,” she replied.
“Your welcome, and it’s Bam if you don’t mind.”

Alexia nearly dropped her kit when she saw Bam’s open plan living room-dining room. It was completely trashed, in fact the only place that didn’t seem touched was the hall. “Someone really doesn’t like you,” she said, “You have to stay here in the hall. Have you been in the living room since you discovered the break-in?”
“Nah, I’ve seen enough episodes of CSI to know better,” he said. Alexia nodded and pulled on a pair of latex gloves. “You ok staying out here while I work?” she asked. Bam nodded.

Alexia wiped her sweat off on her sleeve and pulled off her hoodie. It was boiling inside the house. She stood up and looked round for a thermostat. She saw it next to one of the few remaining intact skateboards. She looked at it. “Ninety degrees!” she said, “Jesus, no wonder I’m sweating like a pig!” She tapped the thermostat. It was busted. “Ah great, huge house, bright sunlight and no AC!” she said, “Bam! Mr. Margera!” Bam’s face appeared round the side, careful not to pass over the crime scene tape. “Your heating’s busted, it’s stuck on ninety,” she said.
“Oh man!” he said, “You ok? You want anything, I’ll give Dunn a call, get his lazy ass off my parent’s couch.”
“Yeah about that, this may take a few days so would you be ok to stay somewhere else?” she asked.
“Sure, I still have my room at my parent’s,” said Bam.
“Good, well, I better get dusting,” said Alexia, wiping more sweat off her forehead, “Finger prints are moisture and won’t last long in this heat. Speaking of moisture, can I get some water?” Bam nodded.

When Bam finally returned to the house having been passed some bottles of water through the gate by Dunn and minus his shirt and jacket, Alexia was checking around his table. She was actually under it and he had the perfect view of her ass once again. “Hey, I’m back,” he said. Alexia looked back at him then turned back to the table.
“Did you know that you have graffiti under your table?” she said.
“What does it say?” asked Bam.
“‘Hey dipshit, thanks for the awesome party, I totally got laid on your table, rock on, Steve-o’,” said Alexia.
“Oh man, I eat off that!” whined Bam

It was almost five in the afternoon by the time Alexia decided to call it a day. Bam was still sat in the hall, waiting for her. “You going?” he asked as she ducked under the tape. Alexia nodded. “I’m going to come back tomorrow to do downstairs,” she said, “It’s still an active crime scene so…”
“I’m not allowed in,” said Bam, “I get it. I’ll give a set of keys to one of the cops outside.”
“Cheers man,” said Alexia, tightening her grip on her kit and bags of evidence. Bam showed some more manners and walked her down the driveway and let her out. Alexia noted that the police cars had vanished. ‘Typical,’ she thought. She put her kit and evidence in the back of her car then got in and tried to start it. Nothing happened. She tried again, still nothing. She looked at the gas gauge. Empty! “No way! It was half full when I got here!” she shouted, “Some bastards stolen my gas!” She got out the car just as Bam was pulling out the drive in his Lamborghini. He stopped and rolled down his window. “Something up?” he asked.
“Someone stole my gas! Car’s dead,” she said.
“Get your stuff and hop in,” he said, “I gotta go by the crime lab anyway, it’s on the way to my parents.”
“What about my car?” asked Alexia.
“I’ll call Glomb; he’ll tow it for ya, get it filled up and have it back to you tonight,” said Bam.
“You’re a life saver, man,” said Alexia.
“Well, you can’t find out who did this if you can’t get to my house,” said Bam shrugging. Alexia grinned and grabbed her evidence and kit out the back of her car. Most of it was fingerprints so it wasn’t too bulky. It fit nicely on her lap except for her kit case and a crow bar Bam had said definitely didn’t belong to him. He didn’t keep stuff like that in the house anymore. Not since his niece Ava had been born. He kept all the dangerous stuff locked away in a small tool shed. Alexia tried not to laugh as he babbled on about all the cute little things Ava did. He seemed completely besotted by his brother’s little girl.

Alexia felt very embarrassed when Bam pulled up. It was shift change so there were people going in and out of the lab. People were staring at the car, some of them recognising it as the ‘Bam-borghini’. Alexia quickly put her shades on and opened the door. Once she got out, she noticed David stood waiting for her. “Ah crap, I’m in trouble,” she muttered as she made her way to the front door.
“Alexia,” said David, “I thought I said sensitivity on this case.”
“I know but the cops watching the crime scene had disappeared,” said Alexia, “Someone came along and stole my gas. I had no way of getting back. Mr. Margera offered me a lift because he had to come here anyway to drop off the keys to his house and give his statement.” David stared at her for a second then shrugged.

“Hey, hey, Alexia Cee!” said Charlie, a CSI from the night shift, as he walked into the evidence locker where Alexia was logging in the evidence she had collected from Bam’s place. “What do you want Charlie?” she asked.
“I heard a little rumour that someone came back from their crime scene in a certain ‘Bam-borghini’,” said Charlie.
“My car was dead, he had to come here anyway and he offered me a ride,” said Alexia as she logged in the crow bar. “And you weren’t charmed by those…dazzling baby blues,” suggested Charlie.
“No, because Charlie, I’m not allowed to get emotionally involved with him,” said Alexia, “Now if you don’t mind, I have to go sit in on his statement.”

Alexia dropped down in the chair next to David and Inspector Moore. Bam was sat on the other side of the table. Inspector Moore pressed the recording button on the machine. “This is Inspector Phil Moore, interviewing Bam Margera, birth name Brandon Cole regarding a break in at his property,” said Moore, “Also present David Evans, manager of the day shift, and Alexia Clarke, the CSI assigned to this case.” Bam looked a bit scared so Alexia tried to give him an encouraging smile. “Please state your name for the record, Mr. Margera,” said Moore. Bam swallowed.
“Bam Margera,” he said.
“And your birth name?”
“Brandon Cole.”

The interview didn’t take long, only about forty-five minutes. Bam strolled out with Alexia. “What a day!” said Alexia. Bam nodded.
“You want a ride to your place?” he asked.
“No, it’s ok, I’ll get a cab,” said Alexia.
“No, I insist,” said Bam, “Besides, I gotta know where you live so I can get Glomb to drop your car off.”