Overkill

Seven

Peeking into the room, she cleared her throat to gain their attention. In unison, the three men turned towards her.

"I'm going up to talk to the witness." Scott nodded, turning his attention back to the corner he was in. He already knew her routine and that she'd ask any and all questions he would ask. Mark and Grey were looking over the body, Grey waved her off dismissively while Mark smiled with a slight nod. Being dismissed by each of them, she pulled out the small notepad and pen she keeps in her jacket and headed up to the witness.

When Sarah walked into the kitchen she was stunned, the witness was just a young girl. "Hello, Carrie, is it?" smiling warmly, she sat down next to the petit girl. Carrie looked terrified, her eyes wide, arms folded around her middle, and she kept her eyes down on the counter not looking at anyone. They sat at the kitchen bar; Carrie was shaking. "Are you cold?"

Silent, she shook her head no.

"Carrie, I'm Agent Bennet, but you can call me Sarah. How old are you?"

The girl swallowed, not looking up from the spot she was staring at on the marble counter, "Seventeen." her voice was quiet and scared.

Sarah began writing notes in her notebook, "Were you here alone?"

"Yes. I was walking by when I noticed someone carrying bags out of the house and putting them into the trunk of a car."

"What kind of bags?"

"Duffle bags. I only found it weird because I knew this house was empty. No one was supposed to be in it."

"Do you know what kind of car this was?"

She shook her head no, "Just dark. Blue or black, maybe?"

"Did you see what this man looked like?"

"Only the back of him. He seemed tall, but the driveway is on a hill so, I'm not sure. He wore a hood over his head." Carried began fidgeting with her fingers, picking at her nails.

Sarah watched as the girl slowly looked up at her with fear in her eyes. "I already told the officers this stuff, can I go now?"

"Is there anything else you can tell me? Why were you out here alone?" Sarah kept her voice soft, without authority. She didn't want to give her the impression that she was being interrogated.

Carried slumped forward with a sigh, resting her arms on the counter and continued picked at her nails. "I was meeting a friend out here. We sneak out here at night sometimes, he brings beer and we just hang out, enjoying the stars and seclusion."

"He brings you beer? Who is this guy?"

"Listen, I know what you're thinking, underage drinking and all that, but we don't do anything wrong. He didn't even get the chance to show up tonight because I told him I called the police. Once I saw the weird things that man was doing, I ran away as quietly as I could. No one was supposed to be at this house."

Sarah studied her, she watched Carrie speak, how her voice was steady and her body was slumped but relaxed. She was positive this girl had nothing to do with what was going on. "I won't ask your friends name, but you have to tell me how you knew this house was vacant."

Glancing at Sarah with sad eyes, Carrie answered, "It was my grandmother's house. She died a few months ago, Mom doesn't want to sell it."

So, Sarah can cross trespassing off of the list, as well, for Carrie. She wrote her cell number down on a blank sheet of paper and tore it out of her notebook. "Here, this is my personal cell number. If you think of anything else that could help me, call me, no matter the time."