Silent Boy [ENGLISH]

12.

The clock struck four o'clock after midnight, and she was still restless, trying to bring sleep to her eyes. She realized how much this case sucked the life out of her and did not allow her to think about anything else. She wondered if it was because of the very nature of the case or because of Sebastian. Her stomach tightened in a knot at the thought of him and the inexplicable heat overwhelmed her. It's funny how warning signs can feel the same as butterflies in your stomach.

The last conversation she had with Sebastian went through her head again. She could see before her eyes in that complete darkness of her room the outline of his pale complexion, cobalt oxide-black hair and blue glassy eyes. His gaze was angry, but he wasn't angry with her. He was angry at his childhood memories. She remembered him telling her that his father was to blame for what had happened to his mother. That the night before her accident he returned home dead drunk and had beaten her with everything that fell under his hand. Sebastian watched it all, hiding at the top of the stairs that led to his room. Her leg was injured from all the beating, and she probably lost her balance when she went down the stairs. That's when his father started taking antidepressants. He could not get over the death of his wife. He was a wuss, Sebastian said. He could not fight the demons from the war, so he brought them to his home, disturbing our peace and destroying his family. She shuddered at the thought. She couldn't even imagine what a burden it was for a boy at that age.

The ringing of the phone tore her from her mind and she jumped. Felix, who was sleeping at her feet, meowed reluctantly. She wandered with her hand through the darkness to light the lamp that stood on the bedside table. She saw Thomas's name on the phone screen. Why would he call her in the middle of the night unless something was important?

Terrified, she pressed the green circle and answered tremblingly.

"Scarlett, I'm sorry I woke you up," he said immediately, his voice very tired and hoarse. "But I wouldn't do it if it wasn't something serious."

''Something has happened?''

"Yes," he sighed. "We received a call about half an hour ago from a young man who was camping with friends at Emerald Bay State Park. One of them stumbled upon something as they were returning from a night walk. It was a femur. "

"Oh God," she pinched the root of her nose. "You think it's--"

"Yes," he warned her. "We found another victim.''

Within an hour and a half, she found herself at the entrance to Emerald Bay and could already see the flashing lights of police cars. The sun was just starting to wake up, it was still a bit dark, and the air was freezing her bare cheeks and hands. She approached the yellow fluorescent tape that always marked something sinister, and then a young police officer stopped her.

"You cannot go through here, miss; this is a crime scene'' he said remotely and authoritatively. His gaze was tired and his eyes red. Just as she parted her lips to say something, out of nowhere Thomas emerged and put his hand over the police officer's shoulder.

''It's okay, Bill. She is with me, " he gave her a look that could melt away at any moment, even in the cold wind that froze her. Officer Bill nodded obediently and lifted the yellow ribbon so it could slip under it.

"How are you feeling?" Thomas asked her as they walked toward the crime scene. She could see a dozen uniformed people buzzing around the field like bees. In the corner near the spruce tree were three young men and two girls who were staring in horror at one point. The fear in their eyes was so palpable that it froze the blood in her veins. She swallowed a lump that stuck painfully in her throat.