The Blossom of Rose

18 • Heartfelt

"Hello," I groggily answer the call.

"Hi Rose, sorry to wake you. It's Annalise," she seems a bit quiet, "I erm set Josh's car on fire and they arrested me for arson. I couldn't call my parents because they'd kill me so-"

"That's okay," I yawn, sitting up. "Give the phone to Lance Neilson, please."

She repeats the name asking the question to whoever is in the background. There's muffled conversation in the back before a male's voice speaks, "Sheriff Neilson speaking."

"Sheriff? Wow, Luca does really have people everywhere," I laugh. When I hacked the flash drive, his was the only name I didn't recognise in the category for Luca's inner circle. But, his file did say that he was an officer at the station and Luca did mention earlier that he got some information from him.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" He clears his throat, feigning innocence and confusion. "Oh right, my bad. It's Rose Romano. We haven't actually met yet."

The call falls silent before he shouts. "Everyone get out. Now!"

In the back, I hear scurrying and doors closing. There is also a chair creaking before he finally speaks up. "Miss Romano, you have been a very popular topic recently."

"I figured," I sigh and deflect the conversation. "How's Anna?"

"She's fine. She's currently having breakfast with one of the officers," I hear the chair recline and I check the time to see it's 8:44 am.

"She's a smart girl with a bright future ahead of her. Don't let this go on her record," I tell him.

"I've got it covered. Don't worry about it," he reassures me with a sense of certainty laced in his gruff voice.

"Can one of your officers give her a lift home?"

"I'll do it." Lance says and I reply, "thanks."

"It was nice speaking to you, Miss Romano," his voice takes on a lighter tone than the gruff one he introduced himself with.

"You too," I tell him and hang up just as bile works its way up my throat causing me to dash to the toilet. God, I hate morning sickness.

When I've freshened up, I throw on a pair of white rabbit slippers and walk out the bedroom in the cabin to the kitchen not before making sure to grab my medication from my bag. I take them, except the anti-depressants, and fix a bowl of cereals for myself. As I turn, I almost drop the box when I see someone there.

Oakley is looking at me intently from behind the computer screens in the conjoined sitting room. "What are you doing here?"

I hold a hand to my racing heart. "Jesus, Oak. What are you doing here?!"

"Got a lead. You?" He raises his eyebrows. "Is there anyone else here?" I look around and Oakley shakes his head so I hold up the box and he shakes his head again.

I get him a drink and sit in the chair next to him, he sends me a stern look and I sigh, "I don't like sleeping at my house. Brings back too many memories." Oakley's eyes shift and I shove the drink in his hand.

"What's your lead?" I lean back and say with a mouthful of cereal. He scrunches his face up at me then explains. "I was going over everything that's happened since you got attacked to see if we've missed anything. Then, I remembered the pictures."

"We never even analysed them," I add and then realising, "the stalker could've left a clue."

"Exactly," he perks up, "do you have them?" Luca has the physical copy but I saved a copy to my account before I deleted them. Taking over from him, I get the pictures up and immediately cringe.