Ominous

F O U R

Matt

Police walk around my entire house, analyzing anything and everything that could be used to find Annie.

I can't believe this is happening. Where is my Annie? The love of my life?

I hold the ring box in my hand. Why did this have to happen on this night? Not that I want it to happen at all, but it would be much easier on a night I wasn't going to propose to her.

How could I let this happen?

"Well, we are just about finished here for tonight. But, you can't stay here until the investigation is finished." An officer, the one in charge here, informs me.

"Okay, okay-" I shake my head. "Screw the house. Do you know where Annie is?" I ask. That is all I need to know right now. I can find a hotel or someone else to live with for the time being. I can't find another Annie.

"I'm sorry sir. We don't have any leads at this time." He frowns and places his hands behind his back. "We have the blood samples found on the tile but that is about all the evidence we have right now."

"Well why don't you have more evidence?!" I question. This house was a mess. How do they not have a fingerprint or a hair or something?! How do they not have anything to lead them to Annie?! I don't understand. Are they even good cops?

"We can only collect evidence left at the scene. They left nothing but the blood on the floor. The suspect must have wiped this place clean. That or they didn't touch anything and it was all her that made the mess.

I don't doubt Annie made the mess. If she was in the middle of an attack, of course she would break things and throw them in his way to stop him.

"Tell me what happened please. At least try to explain to me how this could have happened in the 20 minutes between the text and me getting here."

"Well, it appears there was forced entry in the front door. Then a struggle upstairs between them. It appears they left through the way they came in." He points as he explains.

I shake my head. I can't even begin to believe this. How is this possible?

"So," he shifts his hands and pulls out a notebook. "Where were you when this all went down? Were you with anyone?"

"Really?!" I scoff and cross my arms over my chest. "You are going to question me about this? My girlfriend is missing and you want to play 20 questions?"

"If you want us to find your girlfriend, we need to question anyone and everyone who may be involved in any way. And quite frankly, it is a little suspicious you were home nearly ten minutes before you called us. Just answer my questions and I will be glad to clear you as a suspect if your story checks out."

I nod. He is right. He is just trying to do his job. I do not need to make it any harder on him than it already is.

"Well, I was coming home from work and I stopped at the grocery story really quick to get things for dinner. I got home and saw things looking strange. Things were thrown around and such. So I looked around for Annie. When I couldn't find her, I called the police." I explain.

"And what took you so long to call us?" He asks, scribbling my story down on his notepad.

I sigh. "Annie struggles with anxiety. She has these- these sort of, freak outs often. She just trashes the house and goes to hide under the bed. She thinks someone is after her all the time." The officer nods and continues writing down what I am saying.

"And then?"

"So then when I saw the house trashed, I assumed she had one of her panic attacks and trashed the house. So I went about it as I usually did. I grabbed her meds and went upstairs. Only this time, she wasn't hiding under the bed. So I called the police." I finish explaining.

"Well," he shoves the pad of paper back in his pocket. "You are cleared. Not officially of course because I still have to verify your timeline with your boss and cameras. But, for what it's worth, I believe you."

"Thank you." I nod slowly. I needed to hear him say that.

"We will be in touch." He pays his hand on my arm.