The Pursuit

Nine

It was the light beam that struck her first in the face. Maggie put her arm up to deflect the light from her eyes. She stood there in the driveway, feet dirty, hair disheveled, in her yoga pants and t-shirt. Sam looked like Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. His white undershirt dirty and covered in his sweat. His pants scuffed from all their movement. Sam's faced scrunched together and he slanted his eyes. The car pulled forward. When the driver pulled  in and exited in haste.

It was Brandon. He exited the car, with a box, and slammed his door shut with unnecessary force. He walked towards them and nodded at Maggie, "Mags" and shook his free hand with Sam's. He looked at Sam and then back to Maggie, "You ready? Cause once we start we can't go back", he stated suspiciously.

Maggie watched Brandon follow Sam into the house. Why is Brandon involved? Did he know this whole time? Maggie fumed and stomped her foot like a toddler. "This is fucking ridiculous!" she hollered into the night air.

When she got into the house the men were sitting at the dining room table. She heard the coffee pot roar to life. Make yourselves at home boys!, she growled quietly to herself. Spread out in front of them were folders and papers. Every inch covered.  Irritation became a volatile feeling throughout Maggie's body. How dare Brandon know about everything and not tell me! "Excuse me Benson and Stabler but could someone fill me in on the late night investigation", she said sarcastically and looked at the both of them and surrendered to the chair at the head of table. Is dad okay?, she closed her eyes and said a silent prayer.

Brandon looked at Sam to allow him to narrate the explanation. "Brandon has been helping me investigate and build evidence against my mom and sister for the past two years", Sam unemotionally explained. This is about his family, why isn't he trying to protect them?, she questioned. 

Sam continued, "After I set out on my mission persay and found the idea of killing you horrifying", he smirked and winked at her. "I chose to enlist the help of the local police to help me keep an eye on you. Brandon here has been helping me make sure no harm comes to you". He smacked Brandon on the back in a brotherly manner. Am I even in control of my own decisions? Has he been guiding me around for the past three  years.  Anger start to rear its ugly head again. Maggie leaned forward on the table. Her elbows shoving a folder out of the way.

"Mags, don't think of it as me helping a stalker stalk you", Brandon reassured her. Maggie felt her hands smack herself in the forehead. How could you have been so unaware of what was happening around you? You damn near foolish girl! "We had to build up a case against the Bryants in order to press charges", he said matter of factly.

Sam moved to kitchen and filled two cups of coffee. Maggie let herself settle into the chair and her eye caught the photograph coming out of one of the folders. She reached for it. Brandon reached for it at the same time, as if to stop her. She yanked it away with all her might and held it to her chest.

"Don't look in there Mags, you won't be able to unsee it", he warned.

Maggie thumbed through the folder to the edge of the photograph that caught her attention. She opened the folder and saw Jane Doe, eyes closed, bruised skin, pale, the corpse she was. Maggie's hand made its way to her mouth. 

"Maggie!" Sam shouted as he entered the room.He dropped the mugs on the table with force and  lurched forward to grab the picture from her. She pulled it closer and stood up from the chair. Her hand still over her mouth, shaking uncontrollably. 

She stared at Jane Doe, in her forever slumber. The autopsy photos detailed her blonde hair, caked in blood, as if she was hit with an object, her scalp was split in two. The dried blood collected around an engraving in the skin on Jane's forehead.

Maggie looked at the letters scratched into the innocent girl's head. Bastard  scored into her alabaster skin with jagged edges. Maggie put the folder on the table and moved her hand down to touch the picture. You poor, poor soul. Who would do this to her? She asked herself and then met the gaze of Brandon and Sam who watched her carefully from the other side of the table.

"Who did this? Who is she? And why does she have bastard carved into her head?", Maggie whined impatiently. She flipped the picture to find the rest of the contents on Jane Doe. She found the police report.

"Maggie, you're not ready to know everything yet", Sam stated as he sat down across from her. He ran his hands through his hair.

Peering into the police report she found the girl's real name. Meredith Bennett. Maggie felt her body weight push her further as her hands and arms outreached to the table for support. "Who was she?!", Maggie cried and shot a glare at Sam and Brandon.  Brandon came around to her and pulled her up to his chest. She could hear Sam verbalize his dislike for their close embrace.

Brandon pulled her in tightly, like a protective brother, and whispered into her ear, "She was your half-sister". Maggie felt her legs give out and then the blackness covered her eyes.