All The Same (kellic)

15. Suspect number one

It's been days and I haven't gotten any word from the police about Tyler. I've been to the Josephs a few times in the past couple of days, but they too are in the dark. They're doing worse than I am though. Mrs. Joseph hasn't been eating and Mr. Joseph can't bring himself to go to work. Jay and Zack have been doing things in the house, but I think they're just as dismal as the rest of the family.

This week is over. Today is Friday and I have a shift at work, but I barely made it out of bed this morning to go to school. Once today is over, as well as tomorrow, we'll only have two weeks to find Tyler. That isn't enough time.

I'm trying to wing my eyeliner, and usually I get it right off the bat, but it isn't working today. My hand is too shaky and my eyes aren't focusing properly. I can hardly pay attention to what I'm doing.

Frustrated, I put my eyeliner away and start washing off the makeup I managed to put on. What a waste. I spent my time on my face only to have it wash down the drain.

I shouldn't be caring about makeup though, especially not now. All I want is for Tyler to come back. I'm so mad at this Vincent guy for thinking he has the audacity to walk into my life and steal my best friend. Tyler could die for gods sake. This is all my fault.

I'm drying my face off as these words float through my head. What if we never find Tyler and he dies all alone and Vincent stays in my life? What if he keeps tormenting me and what if he starts killing off everyone I love one by one? Is this his revenge? Was that what he meant or is there something I'm missing?

I'm starting to find it hard to breathe now. My lungs constrict and the only way I can get oxygen into my blood is by hyperventilating. Everything is my fault. If we don't find Tyler soon, he's going to die.

I can't stop this panic attack from happening because it's already started. I can't breathe and now I'm crying. All of this has been too much and I'm so afraid the police aren't going to do their job. My mom could die as well and I can't afford to lose her. Why is this happening to me? Why is this happening to Tyler?

I sit down in the bathtub because that's the only thing I can think of doing. I draw my legs up to my chest and try to catch my breath. I end up sitting in the bathroom for an hour crying.

***

After I had calmed down, I phoned work and told them I wouldn't be able to make it. I'm afraid they're going to fire me, I haven't been able to make it for work ever since this whole Tenvin C fiasco started. If they do fire me, then I suppose that's alright. I'll just have to search for another job.

Mom is home making food, and I venture up the stairs into the kitchen. She doesn't looked surprised to see me at home still.

"Are you doing okay honey?" Mom asks as she throws a few potatoes into a pot.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lie. I don't want to distract my mom with my emotions, even though she always tells me she'll be here for me no matter what.

Mom turns towards me, hands on her hips, and says, "You're not okay Kellin. What's going on?"

You know what's going on Mom, I think. Tyler is still missing and life is a mess. I don't say these things though since she does already know. "I'm worried is all," I end up telling her.

"I know sweetie," Mom says as she comes over to wrap me in a hug, "But the police should solve this. You just need to have hope."

I open my mouth to say something, but the doorbell rings shrilly. Mom stops hugging me and gives me an apologetic look before leaving the kitchen to answer the door. I stay put and listen to the sound of the front door opening and my mom's voice.

"Oh hello Officer Martin," She says to the person on the other side of the door, who is no doubt Officer Martin. "What brings you to my home today?"

"I need to speak to you and your son," I hear him say.

Mom says, "Yes come in then."

The officer says, "Thank you."

I sit down at the table, wondering what he needs to tell us. I wonder why he just didn't go to the Josephs. Did they find Tyler? I immediately get excited, but from the expression on Officer Martin's face as he enters the kitchen after my mom, I can tell that that's not what he came to tell us.

Officer Martin takes a seat and so does my mother. He reorganizes the salt and pepper shakers so that he can put down a few documents that he brought with him. I wonder what is inside these documents. I have no idea if he plans on showing us.

"So," the officer starts, "You remember the warehouse you mentioned?"

I nod, remembering all too well the disturbing message and the eerily dark building.

"My officers and I managed to get a warrant. We scoped out the place, finding nothing else but what you told us," He tells us, "But here's where it gets interesting. We had a few people analyze the photos and they're from a crime scene."

"Which one?" My mother asks.

"The one a Mr. Vic Fuentes was involved in." Officer Martin says, shocking me. Does that mean the mutilated body in the photos was Mike's, Vic's brother's? But why? Vic is a good guy, he couldn't have done any of this.

Could he?

"Do you know him?" The officer asks.

I numbly nod my head, "Yes, but we're friends. It wasn't his fault."

"Maybe so. But we had our specialist analyze the writing on the letters and the writing from the notes Mr. Fuentes used to write in juvie to see if they were a match," Officer Martin pauses, as if wanting to create an air of suspense, "They were a match."

My stomach drops into my stomach. This has to be a mistake. Vic can't be Vincent, his name is Victor. That's not possible. "Are you sure? It could have been a mistake," I say, but even as the words leave my mouth, I know they're not true.

"It definitely was not a mistake," Officer Martin says, "His middle name is also Vincent, and apparently he was known in juvie for being notoriously organized and clean. All signs are pointing to him."

I open my mouth to retort, but close it again. Vic's room was extremely organized and clean. The wires that were neatly wrapped up in the school could have only been done by someone with knowledge on how to wrap mic wires. Vic knows how. It's all making sense.

"Kellin, you're going pale," Mom points out, voice filled with concern. I shake my head, trying to swallow past the lump in my throat.

"I'm okay," I manage to choke out. I trusted Vic. I liked him. Now all of this is happening.

Officer Martin waits a few moments, eyes searching my face, before saying, "Can you call him?"

I nod, not saying a word. I grab my phone, but I can barely feel my fingers as I type in my passcode and find Vic's number. I hit the call button and wait for an answer. Instead, it goes straight to voice mail.

"He's not answering," I say to Officer Martin.

"Then we're just going to need to go to the Fuentes house," He announces.