Cate's Neighbor

Say Cheese!

Cate's pov

It's been two weeks since she's been missing and the police have come up with nothing. Everyone rushed filming for me because we couldn't just pause it and they were all so nice about it too. I'm so glad no one was upset; the directors were probably happy cause they would allocate some of the budget to something else. I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out anything I can possibly do to correct this somehow. I sent the kids to my mom's house cause I know they were tired of their dad and she's the closest thing to me.

I was sitting on my bed with a pile of tissues after finally calming down. This is the 4th time I've cried today and it's exhausting. I didn't know I had so many tears in my body. Jeremy brought up a Gatorade and some food for me to eat, I thanked him and looked at the footage for the millionth time trying to make anything out. I got a message saying I have an email so I grabbed my laptop thinking it might be good to get my mind off it for a moment. As soon as I logged in Sarah called so I answered and put her on speaker. "Hi sweetie, how are you holding up?" she asked and I almost started crying again.

"I'm alive. As good as I possibly can be" I replied logging into my email and letting it load. "Have you eaten?" she asked, "yeah Jeremy just brought something up for me" I said sighing as my old ass computer still hasn't loaded. You'd think I'd just buy another one, but I barely have the time to wipe my ass let alone select a laptop to buy. "That's good. They're going to find her Catie I just know it" she says, I love her optimism, but I just want her NOW. My email finally loads and I see the most recent one is from someone I don't know and there's no subject either. It's probably just spam or someone who found my email somehow.

I open it anyway and good thing I did because it appears to be a video of Catalina. She's tied to a chair and there's a big play button, I stop breathing for a moment as my clicker hovers over it. "Catherine" Sarah says bringing me back down to earth, "sorry I just got sent an email with a video of Catalina" I say quietly. "Did you open it?" she asks nervously, "not yet" I say shakily. It's silent until I finally click on it and the audio starts to play softly, "god damn it how do I turn it up?" I say frustratedly and then I find it. She looks off behind the camera defiantly, gosh I l love her, but she better cooperate because if she dies, I'll bring her back to life then kill her again.

"They want 2 million dollars for me, don't give it to them" she says dryly, she looks so tired. She looks behind the camera again and rolls her eyes, "They'll send you another email in 2 days' time and you can get all the information you need to wire the money. Estoy en un edificio azul claro cerca del mar por la carretera, es grande y creo que es un astillero. Ellos no hablan español, no te preocupes. Te amo mi amor" she says with a straight face, I fucking love her. I'm giving her my oscar when she gets back because that was literally a lifetime performance. "What? Her first language is Spanish, it's just easier for her to understand" she says, and I chuckle at her being like this even now.

"You're telling me you know her better than me?" she asks cockily, "fine fine" she takes a deep breath and turns back to the camera. She looks right into my eyes and smirks a little bit before she starts. "Don't send anyone for me because they'll kill them and if they find out you called the police, they'll kill me" I put my hand over my mouth. Clearly she's not worried so I shouldn't be either right? The video ends after that I just stare at the screen. My screen glitches and the email and video just disappear. "Catie..." Sarah says, "yeah" I say absently, still staring at the screen. "Was she speaking Spanish? Why did she say it was your first language?" she asks and then everything comes flooding back.

I grab my notebook closest to me and quickly flip to an empty page writing down everything she said before I forget. I read it over and realize she was describing where she was, I fucking love that woman. "Sarah I gotta call you back I think I know where she is" I say not giving her a chance to answer. I hang up and phone the police telling the description of the place and where I think it might be. I put my hand on my head ready to pull my hair out, I got on my knees and prayed for the first time in I don't know how long.

"Listen I don't know if you're there but if you are I really need your help. Just please bring her back to me... Amen" I get up feeling a bit foolish but it calmed my nerves oddly. I just sit and wait by the phone, it lights up with a message from Sarah and since I hung up on her I check it.

I love you Catie, let me know when you find her

I adore her. I text her back saying I will and then just stare at my phone again. It takes a few hours but they respond saying they know where she is. I'm convinced they were only so quick because they know I will sue their asses off if they fuck with me but I'm happy either way. "Where is she?" I ask the officer on the phone, "ma'am I don't think-" she starts but I stop her. "I know what you think but I need to be there when you find her" I insist, and they oblige saying I can ride over in an ambulance. I drive to the hospital, and we set off to go finally get her back.