Masquerade - The Complete First Novel

- 3 -

(Dakota)

The knocks echoed three times on my door. The goosebumps still covered my arms as I wrapped my trembling fingers around the golden knob, twisting and pulling the wooden slab open. "Are you Dakota Lockwood?" A woman and two men stood in front of me. The two men were officers but seemed like bodyguards for the women. The man that spoke to me had short black hair and a small mustache across his upper lip. A small hint of a Hispanic accent was intertwined in his words. The other was different, he was smaller with brown hair and a clean-shaven face. He looked younger, they both seemed to be in their thirties.

The woman was different. Her bleached blonde hair was almost white, and it makes her dark brown eyes enhance in color. Her lips were full, and her body seemed to have muscle. She was short, but I was still scared of her all the same. My voice shook as I spoke, "Uh, yes. That's me." Now the woman's dark eyes connected with mine. The chocolate orbs seemed to pierce through my soul. She walked, letting my feet move to the side in response, letting herself in. She turned facing me.

"You don't even know if I'm a cop, and you just let me waltz into your home unannounced? What if I was a murderer? Serial killer? You would already be dead just by that one mistake," I tried to gulp, but my fear blocked the entrance. "Well luckily, I am a real cop." She pulled out a badge from inside of her jacket and showed me the golden symbols. In a quick motion, she put the badge back and placed her hand on her hip, on her gun holster. She turned, facing the rest of my house and started to scan my living room with her dark eyes. "Detective Westbay, so where is this evidence you were blabbering about?" I opened my mouth, letting my voice show my fear.

"Um, in the kitchen," I pointed to the table, where the box of dust and memories rests. Detective Westbay walked to where my finger led. "What's your first name? If you don't mind me-" her words overlapped mine as she answered.

"That does not concern you, Dakota." I let confusion wash over my face.

"Then can you call-"

"Again, where is the rest of the evidence?" Her words ignored mine as I could see she did not want to be here so early.

"Well, some of it is here and the other is in the attic." Her orbs landed on me again, seeing right through my fragile body. She let a thick eyebrow rise. Does she not believe me?

"How come you just discovered this 'evidence'? Is there something, or someone, you're hiding?" I shook my head. She glared at me, showing an emotion that is unreadable. "I'm gonna search the attic. Officers, watch her. Don't let her get up from that couch." She says, without breaking eye contact with me. She walked down the hallway as I fell on my couch behind me.

- - -

The light from the sun peeked through the windows as the woman finally returned empty-handed. "Any luck, detective Westbay?" The smaller one asks.  She shook her head, placing her hands back on her hips.

"No, I searched the house and found nothing. But I did find this," she raised my letter to my mother that I left on my dresser. "Apparently, Dakota just moved in, so she just found this stuff. But it's all junk, it won't help us with this lost cause." I sprung up from my place on the couch.

"Lost cause? This is a lost child, it's never a lost cause. Are you sure you went through it all?" Her chocolate eyes didn't seem to scare me any longer.
"Are you implying something, Dakota Lockwood?" She took a step towards me, looking up as she spoke.