The Rabbit Hole

Chapter 25

The law enforcement duo arrive at the semi-crowded theme park. The only people around are mainly workers, adding some last minute changes to some of the rides. The stalls being set up, a shooting range, the strongman game tower flashing its lights and also a kissing booth. Looking all around is the all noticeable roamers, other eager people who can't wait for the grand opening, catching the early sight of the new theme park. Watching as the employee's set up for the coming weekend. Moira's already in the zone, specifically searching for a young woman, potentially good enough to be the target that's being stalked unknowingly. So far she finds nothing, sees no one who might be a potential target for the killer. All the people around are mostly men and parents with their eager young ones. "You see anyone who's a potential target?" Edwards asks her.

"No. I could say her," she says pointing with her chin at a teenage girl walking with -what seems to be-her boyfriend, "but she's a brunette. She doesn't fit his required taste." She says after noticing her hair colour.

"What do we do?"

"I'd say ask around for now. Maybe someone might have noticed something." She says as they walk further into the theme park. Edwards goes from person to person, employee or otherwise, flashing his badge and as well as the sketch of the suspect. No one around has noticed or ever seen the man on the sketch. After almost two hours of asking questions, he trails back to his parked vehicle, where his partner for the case is waiting with her back against the door of the passenger side of the car, smoking a freshly lit cigarette. "Any luck?" She turns and asks with smoke escaping out of her mouth. Edwards sighs and shakes his head. She offers a smoke to him and he obliges by taking one from her pack. He lights it and puffs out his first smoke cloud of the day. They remain like that, standing with their backs against either side of the car, not facing one another, just smoking. "What made you become a cop?" She asks while facing the opposite side.

"Same ol' thing," he starts, "Following my old man's footsteps." He says with the cigarette hanging from his lip.

"Your father was a cop?"

"Yep. For twenty years, before death happened."

"On-the-job?" she asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Cancer." He states while blowing out some smoke.

"Shit," she sighs, "Now you're making me feel guilty about offering you a smoke." She says.

"Don't be. I was gonna ask for one anyway." He says. "and you? What led you to this path?" He asks with his head slightly turned to her direction.

"I was fascinated by the criminal's mind, so I took criminology as my second major." She blows out some smoke, "I changed it to my first major when I found out my older brother was a serial murderer." She bluntly admits. "Jesus." He blows out smoke with the word. "Yeah. I kind of wanted to know why he turned out like he did." She says.

"And did you?" He asks curiously. She drops her cigarette bud to the ground and whips around to look at Edwards over the car, "Not even the least." She says with a smile.

The grand opening of the theme park amasses a great tide of people. Families taking a restful trip to the amusement park's opening, jam packed with animated smiles from the clowns with exaggerated make-up. Gaming music sounding loudly, and the children's eyes gleaming with awe and excitement. Rennik and Edwards drive around for quite a while before claiming a parking spot. Agent Rennik anxiously jumps out of the car as it comes to a slow moving pace, "I'm going on ahead, join me after you have a parking spot." She says into the open window of the passenger seat. Edwards gives a thumbs-up for the go-ahead and she begins her search of the park for the potential victim. Edwards goes on to circle around for a parking space, he drives around for an extra fifteen minutes until finally, an open spot appears before him in a form of a black 1967 buick reversing out of the spot. He waits for the driver to back out slowly. Edwards indicator ticking its blinking light, showcasing his claim for the parking spot. His fingers drumming on the steering wheel in a sense of impatience. The buick drives off and he slides his car right in. Parked between a silver minivan and a dirty-old white pickup truck with a busted tail light. Edwards quickly dashes into the amusement park to catch up to Moira Rennik.