The Altercations With Distance

You've Got to be Kidding Me

Richards never wanted to kill anyone more than Casey before in his life. And he's been face to face with pedophiles, rapists, and murderers. That girl was right, she had them all wrapped around her finger and none of them could see her for who she truly was. He was going to show them that she was no innocent girl. She slipped up somewhere in the year that she was missing and he was going to find it. Even if it killed him. He grabbed his case file from his desk and went home for the day. He didn't want to be anywhere near his partner. Clark didn't even listen to his side of the story, all that mattered was keeping that girl happy. He would make sure that didn't happen. Richards got in his car and drove to his home, trying to think of ways to make Casey suffer without being arrested.

*********

Matt Maverick sat at his computer typing away at his next news story. The girl was a gold mine, she was the only survivor of whatever happened that year. He could see the headlines now: "Casey Cooke Talks About the Cult for the First Time Since her Escape." Or whatever she was kept in/ by. He just had to make sure she didn't talk to any other reporters and that she didn't become scared and close up. He made national news for the first time in his career and wasn't about to let that up. Today Baltimore News, tomorrow CNN.

Matt called the number that Casey gave him and waited for her to answer. "Hello?" She asked hesitantly. "Casey! It's Matt. Listen, I have a couple of questions about the story for tonight." The line was quiet for a couple of seconds before she answered.

 "What story? You promised me that it would be my choice when we did another story again." Matt rolled his eyes and put on his calm, persuasive voice. 

"Casey, I know you're scared, but you have to work with me. Do you really think the media is just going to let you off the hook so easily? We need to get the word out there before someone else lies about you."

He knew she would believe him and end of helping him in the end. Her dislike of cops would push her to trust him. "Okay." She said. "I have a story for you." Matt Maverick put the phone on speaker and began typing as fast as he could.

*********

The room was dark and cold. The windows were covered, so there was no natural light. There was no noise, not even the sound of water dripping or cars outside. There was just silence. The lumpy mattress was torn up and damp with a sticky substance. The smell of blood filled the air. His own? He wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of much these days.
He knew he should probably get up off the mattress, but he couldn't bring his legs to move. What was the point? What would change if he moved from the mattress to the door? 

"Get up." A female voice whispered to him. He closed his eyes and ignored her. Sleeping usually passed the time, but his dreams were all haunted by her. The thought of her. The smell of her. The feel of her. She haunted his every waking moment and there was no escape from that. 

"Get up." The female whispered again. He opened his eyes and looked in the general direction of where the voice was coming from.

"Okay, Patricia. I'm up."
*************

Clark sat outside on his patio drinking a beer. He wore a plain grey robe but nothing under it. He tried to set aside any thoughts of work, but they just came floating back in his mind. It had been two days since the last murder. Clark should feel relieved, but it just made him uneasy. What happened? Was something big going to happen or was the killer just cooling off? Was he shocked by Casey's news?