Fatal Attractions

Chapter Eighteen

     "So how've you been enjoying your stay so far?" Grace asked, sitting across from me at her desk. It was a large black varnished desk, and she sat in a black high backed leather chair behind it. Her office was about the size of my bedroom, with thick white carpet and white marble walls, accented with black moulding throughout the room. Most of the walls were lined with black varnished bookcases, filled with different romance novels, science fiction books, dictionaries, and other educational books. It was like a mini personal library.

     Behind her was a large bay window, thick black curtains pulled aside to reveal a gleaming, star-filled night sky. It almost took actual effort to focus on her rather than the marvelous view.

     "Aside from being a vampire's personal punching bag, it hasn't been too bad," I responded. Grace scrunched her lips as if what I said caused her discomfort.

     "I'll do my best to get to the bottom of Alex's behavior. Believe it or not, he isn't usually like this," she said, laying one arm on the desk and wiggling the mouse of a Mac desktop computer that sat on one side of her desk. She grabbed a pair of slim glasses from a small drawer and slipped them on, scrolling with the mouse and typing fast on the keyboard. Before I could ask what she was doing, she crossed her legs and placed her folded hands on her knees, smiling at me.

     "You're quite popular in the circulars, Helena. Did you know about this?" she asked. I thought back to the newspaper article Andrew showed me, and nodded my head.

     "Yeah, Andrew showed me one of them. Everyone's searching for me back in Washington."

     "Oh, not just in Washington. Not anymore, at least. Here," she said, and motioned for me to come to the other side of the desk. I did and she pointed at the computer screen. The first thing I saw was a picture of me and my mother from a month ago, and then I noticed the heading of a news article. Search for Washington teen expands to Oregon. I inched closer to the screen and Grace stood from the chair, allowing me to sit and read.

     The search for 18 year old Helena Bennett continues, and the search has now expanded to Oregon and surrounding areas. The teen, who recently resides in Lynnwood, Washington, was last seen last Friday, June 14 at a house party around 6 o'clock PM. Witnesses from the party stated that they saw her leaving with an unidentified man. The man has not been identified yet, but police are still searching for anyone who can give a name to the man.

     Several witnesses were asked to help create a police sketch of the man (pictured below). If anyone can identify the police sketch, call the Lynnwood Police Department at 802-556-9271. 

     After a week-long search with no results, the Bennett family now believes the disappearance may be linked to a recent tragedy in the family. In March of this year, Joseph Bennett, father of Helena Bennett, was in a fatal car crash miles away from their previous household in Lakeview, Oregon. Helena's mother, Patricia Bennett, believes that the disappearance of her daughter just months after her husband's sudden death is more than a coincidence. The family has asked that the search be brought to the city of Lakeview, Oregon and surrounding areas.

     Lakeview residents are asked to keep an eye out for the teen, and to contact the Lynwood Police Department if they see anything that can be linked to the missing person case. For now, the Bennett family is struggling to have any piece of mind, especially with Helena's nineteenth birthday just a month away. All hope is for Helena to be found, safe, and brought home to her family.

     If you have seen Helena Bennet, or know of her whereabouts, please contact the Lynnwood Police Department at 802-556-9271.

     My pulse quickened as I scrolled down the page, looking at the police sketch. There, in black and white, was a drawing of Alex.