It was very hard for Eleanor to grasp what was really going on. But she knew hiding inside a janitor's closet wasn't going to help the situation.
A few days earlier...
"The police are saying the horrific event happened just minutes after a dark-hooded figure left the park. Investigators are still trying to figure out where the man behind the shooting of 5 young boys and a 21 year old woman is and if he's still in New York. More news wil be reported as soon as possible." the front news anchor said as Eleanor paced the floor while on the phone with her new boss. She had just landed a job at the New York Journal and thought this story would be a perfect kick-start for her new career. Even though she was only a columnist, her passion was investigative journalism.
"Please, please, PLEASE!" she pleaded.
"You're a columnist... who's still rough around the edges, if I may add. Not an investigative journalist," Danielle, the woman on the other end of the call, pointed out.
"I know... but... PLEASE!" Eleanor pried even further.
"Okay, you know what, you can write the story but if you get killed I won't say I told you so," Danielle finally gave in after her constant begging.
"Ah, yay! I won't let you down!" she said as she hung up the phone. It was 11:30 p.m. so she started her snooping and investigating in the moring.
The next day, in the office, it seemed like everyone knew she was working on the murder story. She thought to herself, Okay, in some ways this was good. I'm branching out of the cubical, getting help from other journalists and investigators. But the bad part is the murderer could know who I am and that I was looking for him. With that he could probably come to this very office and ask around to find out where I live. The thought sent chills up her spine but she shrugged it off for now. She had some clue finding to do.
She went to the police station around noon and to her surprise (there being a murder case going on) it was pretty dead. Only her friend Liam and a few other officers were there. She approached them.
"Liam," she said before pulling her old high school friend into a hug.
"Hey Elle, what're ya doin' here?" he asked.
"Oh, haven't you heard," after no response she continued, "I've moved up in life. I'm now working on the murder-in-the-park story."
"But you said you got a job as a columnist," he stated.
"I know, but after pleading and begging Danielle finally said I could move to this story," she said back to him. "So what've you got on this? Where's the clues? Fingerprints? Security camera footage?"
"We were just talking about the footage," he said, gesturing to the two others beside him. "We caught a look at him as he was leaving the scene, gun in hand." The screen at the desk flashed with the visual of a man with chiseled features and eyes that seemed to be as cold and lifeless as stone. "We have everyone on the force out to find him. His name is Gus Waters but his friends call him 'Mr.X.'" Liam said as the image zoomed in.
"I've heard of him," Eleanor said as she wondered where she knew the name from.
"Two years ago he beat and killed his girlfriend, Perrie, but he covered his tracks pretty well seeing as we didn't find any evidence. He was put on parol and got off 3 weeks ago," the officer at the comptuer said.
"Where's he live?" she asked.
"On floor 23 of the apartment building on London Drive," the other man said.
"But Elle, you don't just go home after shooting six people," Liam started to say but he was too late. Eleanor was already walking out the door, determined to find the man who killed her best friend two years ago.
Sure enough, the next day when Eleanor went to the apartment he wasn't there but she didn't need him to be. All she needed was the Google history on his laptop to know that he was or was going to be at the Red Hotel on the other side of New York. As soon as she acquired this information someone came bursting through the door. Her blood ran cold. It was Gus Waters. She quickly hid in the corner of his kitchen as he went to the fridge, his back facing her. She knew even the slightest move and he'd know she was there. As she thought this, it just so happened that her elbow slipped from its position on the wall and a loud thud sounded throughout the room. The man immediantly turned around and chased Eleanor out of the building and into the street. Her feet were like feathers as she ran around the corner. As she looked back she was surprised to see he wasn't there anymore. Breathless, she searched the streets for any sign of him. When she was sure he wasn't there, she returned to her car. She wrote down the name of the hotel and called Liam.
"Let me guess, he wasn't there?" he said jokingly.
"Oh no, he was there as soon as I found out what I needed to know and then he promptly chased me two blocks away from my car," she replied.
"What's your information?"
"He's going to be staying at the Red Hotel."
"That's 300 miles away; what if he isn't there and you're wrong?" he stated.
"Well then, you better be ready in the morning to take a road trip with your buddies and I to find out." she replied.
"But-" he started but couldn't finsh, she had already hung up the phone.
The Red Hotel looked just as it sonded. Red. But as soon as you walk through the door you were captivated by a shockingly white lobby with a black front desk and attendants all around. Your sences were overwelmed by all that was happening around you. The sweet smell of pomegranate radiated throughout the scene of people checking in and out, attendants talking amongst themselves and to guests. There were people literally everywhere. It was the queen bee of all hotels.
"Can I help you?" a blonde woman asked sounding rehearsed.
"We're looking for Gus Waters," Eleanor said.
"Oh, I need to know who's asking." the woman said waiting for them to identify themselves.
"I'm an old friend," Liam stated with confidence.
"Right. Right this way," she smiled. She walked them to the elevator where she instucted them to go to the 5th floor and he should be in room 21B. They got outside the door and Liam and the two collegues took out there guns and Liam pounded on the door.The look on his face said he was not happy. But he surprised Eleanor by running inside his room. They follow him into the blue themed room and searched for him. He came out with his gun and two shots were fired, one missing Eleanor, the other going to Liam in the stomache. Eleanor disregarded her heart telling her to aid her friend and instead ran out the door with the man close on her tracks and the other officers on his tracks. She found the closest room and ran into it, locking the door behind her. It was very hard for Eleanor to grasp what was really going on. But she knew hiding inside a janitor's closet wasn't going to help the situation.
After waiting for what seemed like hours, she left the tight space full of mops and brooms when she heard the sirens outside. She crept out of the building and was filled with relief when she saw Gus Waters in the back of a cop car handcuffed with a scowl spread across his face.
"Liam!" she whispered at first, then repeated with excitement. "I thought you were dead."
"Well, you don't really die when you get shot at with a bullet proof vest," he said.
"So we got our guy," she said as she sat down next to him.
"Yes we did."
The next day Eleanor wrote about the events that had taken place and took her story to Danielle. She sat nervously as Danielle read through the story.
"This..." Danielle started and Eleanor's heart was about to burst. "This is amazing! Did you really hide in a janitor's closet though?" Eleanor nodded her head sheepishly. Her story was put on the cover the next Sunday.
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Author's note: My first story, sorry if it stinks XD
