Cat and Mouse

Chapter 6

Sydney frowned as she started to follow the car. Something seemed off about the driver's shirt. She replayed the scene in her head multiple times, and then it clicked. It was missing something. A pocket.

As the car and the pickup went further out into the country, they sped up. The Stratus was beginning to lose control. It was picking up speed, and the driver seemed inexperienced. Sydney pursued the Stratus, matching its speed but keeping control. This wasn't her first car chase.

Sydney couldn't believe her luck when she spotted what was up ahead. An irrigation system had soaked the road. There was no way the Stratus would be able to keep control at this speed. Sure enough, as soon as the tires hit the wet pavement, they spun, sending the Stratus spinning into the ditch faster than the speed of light.

Sydney dialed the police as she ran to the car. There were two people in the car. Both had been knocked unconscious. She stood nearby, making sure to keep an eye on the two men. The police arrived and handcuffed the driver, Jason Fellows, and the passenger, Tom Rahlin.

Sydney was puzzled. She had known who had committed the crime since she her conversation with Avery, yet something wasn't right. She had no idea what the motive for kidnapping young Lily Fellows was. The sound of sobbing suddenly met her ears, and Sydney snapped back into reality. Percy and Hannah had arrived, and both were unable to contain their tears. Sydney was unsure why until she was beckoned over by the police. In the trunk of the Stratus lay a young girl, short, skinny, and with a shock of blonde hair. Her skin was pale, nearly gray, and her body was lifeless. Dried blood covered the side of her head from a bullet to the temple. Lily Fellows was dead.

Sydney consoled Hannah and Percy, then made her way through the crowd to the police car. The crime scene was a zoo. She spoke to Tom through the open window.

"Why'd you do it Tom? Why'd you kill her?" Sydney inquired.

"I had to - we had kidnapped the wrong girl. She'd seen too much. Her brother told me not to, but I did it anyway. There's no room to be emotional in this job. It had to be done."

"The wrong girl? What do you mean the wrong girl?!"

"We were after that Jessie Lewis girl. Her and her lousy cats, they can always find my mice! My prize winning mice! I was tired of finding them dead, so I figured I'd get rid of her. One less annoying neighbor to live near, and no more cats eating my mice. I'd be able to win some money again. But when Jason was doing the kidnapping, he did a lousy job of it. Couldn't even tell his own sister from her best friend."

"How'd you get Jason to help you? Most brothers wouldn't willingly kidnap their own sister," Sydney prodded for answers.

"It was easy. I promised him money. Wasn't actually gonna give him any, but what 21 year old can turn down a couple thousand dollars?"

Sydney shook her head, disgusted, and walked away from the police car. She gave one last hug to Hannah and Percy, making them promise to keep in touch. She talked softly with the police chief, signed some papers, and got into her pickup truck. The sun was setting, and she prepared herself for the drive home.

It had been a long day.