Finding Mercedes.

Next Morning.

I woke up and sighed, as soon as I opened my eyes I felt wide awake. The room was still dark and usually the light peaked through the curtains but this morning it didn't. The more I lay in my bed the more inpatient I grew so I stood up and opened the curtains. In the distance you could just see the sun rising above the houses in the next street. The money was still glued to the tissue in my bag and I began slowly unpeeling the £20 notes from the tissue. I shoved the £600 under my pillow, all I could think about was who has this much money to give away to a stupid girl? My phone was charging on Mercedes side of the room and I always got an chill down my spine whenever I went into her side. Her bed was still made how it was the day she left, all her clothes were still hanging in the same place. When someone dies, they either get rid of their stuff imedietly or hang onto it for as long as possible, I wanted to hang onto it. I pressed the lock button on my phone and checked the time, it was 6:07 am and I had no messages since I checked my phone last night. I opened the bedroom door and closed it behind me, also I avoided the creeky floor boards at the top of the stairs and made my way downstairs so nobody could hear. I walked straight into the kitchen and flicked the light switch on, the curtains were closed and the laptop was open beside the kettle. I switched the laptop on and pressed the button on the kettle. It boiled quickly and the laptop buzzed, I had a new E-mail.

The kettle boiled awfully quick, don't you think? Sorry I forgot to tidy my cup away, my bad.
- Mercy

I turned around and looked at the cup which was on the table, I picked the mug up amd the little bit left in the bottom was still warm. I ran into the hallway and pushed the door handle down, it was locked. We had a patio door in the living room, I headed in there and pushed the door handle down, again it was locked. I heard a smash in the kitchen and turned around, at the top of the stairs I noticed Celine.
"What are you doing up so early?" She yawned, wearing her work uniform but I ignored her and ran through into the kitchen. The cup was gone and the back door was wide open, I walked out and looked around.
"Hello?" I shouted and nobody replied.
"Ellie-Anna, come inside. You'll wake everyone up," Celine whispered, taking my hand and walking inside. I double triple checked she locked the back door behind her.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" She asked, sitting me at the table and holding my hand.
"Everything's fine," I lied.
"I know you're lying, I found this it was on the table," She told me, passing me a neatly cut square bit of paper. On it, it read:

Didn't mean to give you a fright, next time I'll be more careful.
- Mercy.

"Who's Mercy?" She whispered.
"I think Mercy is our Mercedes," I whispered, stuttering my words.
"What?" She smirked.
"Please don't say anything," I begged, knowing we needed the money.
"I have to Ellie, we're not safe, whoever this is has acess to our home," Celine told me.
"Whoever this is, is helping. They're giving me money, yesterday I got £600 to pay for a decent boiler man," I explained. Celine looked at me with great disapointment in her eyes.
"Where's the money?" Celine asked.
"Upstairs," I whispered.
"Go and get it," She demanded and I walked up the stairs and opened the bedroom door. Mercedes belongings seem to look at me when I walked in, I ignored the feeling that I was being watched and grabbed the money from the bedside draw, there was extra money in there, wrapped up in a little elastic band. I untied the money and unrolled it, there was an extra £100 with a note folded up in the middle.

Sorry for any inconvinience
- Mercy x

I shut the draw and walked quickly out the room and into the kitchen again.
"I just found this," I gasped, shocked I passed the note to Celine along with the money.
"Ellie-Anna," She whispered. "I swear to god, if anything else like this happens I'm going stright to the police," She hissed, shaking her head.
"What are you going to do with the money?" I asked.
"Going to get a decent boiler man, like you said, now go and get changed you're coming with me," She forced me up the stairs and I opened my wardrobe and put on my blue jeans and a white top, with my trainers and a jacket. I turned to the mirror to put a bit of makeup on when I noticed something on Mercedes pillow that wasn't there before. I picked it up, it was a tiny white envilope which looked like one of those ones you get at christmas that has a little chirstmas card inside. I slowly opened it and inside was a photo, dated 20th November. I turned it around, this photo was taken two days after Mercedes disapeared. It was her. Mercedes was in the photo, wearing a black top with a red and black jacket with a floral skirt on. Also in the envilope was a little note.

You wanted a new jacket? I have kindly given mine up for you, look under your bed
- Mercy

I turned around and looked under the bed, surely enough it was there. I grabbed it and pulled it from under the bed, it was warm and that creeped me out more than I already was. I placed it over my shoulders, replacing my old scruffy one. It even smelt of her. I walekd back down the stairs and Celine was already waiting to go, I knew as soon as I saw her she recognised the jacket but she didn't say anything.

Celine took me to the bank, where she put all of the £700 on Nana's debit card, eventhough it was Nana's we all used it however all the money on it was Nana's, I guess living with three grandaughters and a grandson-in-law was an expensive thing. As soon as we were outside she looked at me.
"As soon as this plummers opens, ring up and demand they come around as soon as possible," She instructed.
"Okay," I nodded since she seem to know what she was talking about.
"Alright, I'll see you later," She smiled, walking away from me to work.
"Celine," I shouted, running back up to her as she turned around.
"Please don't tell anyone," I begged once more.
"I wont, I promise," She smiled and I turned back around.
"Thanks," I whispered, I knew the only reason she wasn't going to tell was because she knew as much as I did that we needed every penny we could get our hands on.