September 21, Late Morning
Bushfield Police Station
Franny studied the ring that had been in Chief Pritchet’s pocket, turning it around and over in the sun that beamed through the windows of the car. It was mesmerizing, a pleasant distraction from Doubting Thomas-Billy and the nightmare of her life now. It looked like an engagement ring. Nothing fancy, just a small promise of love that didn’t appear to be doing anything but sitting in his pocket. She wondered why. She knew he’d been in love once, a long time ago. Had this been hers?
As they pulled into the parking lot of the police station, she tucked the small gold band back into its pocket on the jacket and prepared to get out, hanging the jacket over her arm, careful she didn’t let the ring fall out. The jacket was made of thick, finely woven material, straining towards the ground as she pushed open the car door and stood tall. The car she’d spotted last night was either back or had never left but no one stood outside of it smoking this time. Billy didn’t even have the car turned off before she was out of it and strolling towards the building’s doors. It appeared solemn and quiet here as she tugged on them before Billy could reach it to open it for her. Last night she’d been rattled, but today she was prepared to stand her ground, despite how exhaustion pulled at her limbs.
Her square heels tapped on the floor with each step as she entered the police station and glanced around. There were a couple desks up front, papers strewn across one, neatly stacked on another. The warm aroma of coffee lingered in the room. Immediately, three officers were rising to their feet and one spoke to her, “Miss Rose? Can I help you?”
“Yes, I’m looking—”
“Franny hold on a minute,” Billy came barreling in behind her, bumping into her. “You need to slow down.”
“I’m looking for Chief Pritchet. I’m here to see my brother.”
The officer looked uncertain, “Miss Rose, uh…”
One of the others spoke, “Just have a seat, Miss, the chief is busy.” It was Officer Smith. She didn’t know him well, though Bushfield was so small everyone knew everyone by name if not in person. All of these officers had been there last night after the attack, turning up in the woods. Had they seen the body when Chief Pritchet checked it? The man that attacked her had been motionless after she stood up and smacked him again, her face bruised and throbbing. She was almost certain she’d hit him several times in the head, but he’d still been moving when Jordy stood up and kicked him in the face. He didn’t move again.
The memories were still vague and loose in her mind. She couldn’t track one down without another one barging in the way. She couldn’t make herself stop seeing hands wrapped around Jordy’s throat.
Undeterred by Officer Stiff, she said, “Then why don’t you take me to see my brother?”
The other officer said, “We can’t do that without Chief’s permission, ma’am.”
“Where is Chief Pritchet then? Is he out?”
“He’s just in his office—hey!”
The three of them gasped as she started into the station. “Chief?” She called as she stepped into the labyrinth of halls. She recognized the main hall from last night and the door she’d come out of when she left. Pritchet had gone straight down this main hall while an officer had led her back to the front. Last night was a mess in her head, but she at least remembered that much, so she began walking the hallway. She hoped the door at the end was his office. “Chief Pritchet?”
A door yanked open and he poked his head out, “Franny?” His whole face scrunched up in a perplexed expression and he stepped outside, pulling the door closed quickly. The now wrinkled shirt was the same one from the night before. “What are you doing here?”
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Roses
Historical Fiction[Complete] Ever since the second world war ended, Franny has been lost. She returned to a broken home and left behind her career as a nurse to take care of her wayward brother. When his dealings with a small-town mafia land them both in the middle o...
