Marriage and Mental Illness (Sequel to Tall Buildings and Pill Bottles)

Gone

John's POV

Three days later, we were all called in for more questioning. Alice was brought back with Jack, her eyes unseeing, numb. She barely registered anyone's presence as she was sent in for questioning. We were to go one at a time, try to glean as much information as possible from everyone.

Jack was slumped into his chair, barely awake. Mycroft had already offered to pay for any loss in sales that occurred because of his absence. He'd taken it gratefully, barely more than a kid himself. Forced to grow up quickly in his environment and circumstances.

Nneoma thumbed at the beads around her neck, muttering prayers. Afiba sat next to her, staring at the floor. He put a hand under his chin, his graying beard jutting out. The air was as heavy as our hearts, all dealing with the death of a loved one. Some more so than others. Afiba opened his mouth and closed it several times, not quite sure what to say.

"I am sorry, Mr. Watson-Holmes." His voice was quiet, yet we all knew what he was referring to. He'd tackled Sherlock to the ground yesterday, bellowing how it was all his fault. How Olivia was only dead because of him.

Sherlock shrugged, raising his eyes to meet the elder mans'. "It's quite alright." He turned his head, scratching his nose. "It's understandable." Afiba nodded and braced his hands on his knees.

All of us waited in silence before Alice came back out, eyes red and puffy. She collapsed into the chair beside Jack. She had come in her sleepwear, clearly not motivated enough to change. She was running a finger over her bracelet over and over again. It was the bracelet that Olivia had gotten her for Christmas, she'd worn it nearly every day since.

Jack went in next, and more silence ensued. No one knew what to say, no one wanted to speak. Everyone was just as stuck in their own minds as everyone else. Jack eventually came back, pale as he sat back down next to his sister. He opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind and sat back in the chair.

Sherlock was next. When he came back out, his face had gone stark white, same as Jack. He sat down slowly, glancing nervously over to Alice. I raised an eyebrow at him. He leaned in, whispering hoarsely, "You'll see. I can't explain it, but you'll see." I pulled away to look at him, still confused.

So much pain laced his eyes, so much guilt. My name was called, and I stood. I followed Greg back into a room with Mycroft, Sofia, and a couple other agents. I took a seat at the questioning table, waiting for them to start. Greg looked at Mycroft, who nodded once. Greg sighed, turning back to me.

"As you know, neither of the girls had their phones at the safe house. We had them," he grabbed a small bucket, revealing two laptops and a pair of smartphones. I nodded, it had been part of the plan. The Skinheads wouldn't have been able to track them through the internet.

"As it turns out, a call was made to Alice's phone last night. From a payphone." My stomach dropped, there had been a payphone in the front of the gas station. "Would you like to hear the voicemail?" I nodded, a wave nausea rolling over me.

Mycroft hit play on the phone, and set it down. Olivia's voice came through clearly and I had to grab the table to keep from sliding to the ground at the sound.

"I hope you find this, Alice. I hope they all find this and find him." Her voice was terrified, cracking. "I can see him, he's coming out of his car. I am going to die. I know that." I heard a sniff before she continued shakily.

"I shouldn't have left you, sweetie. I really shouldn't have. But it's okay," she was crying, trying desperately to keep it together as her killer surely came closer.

"I don't have a lot of time left, so here goes. The face tattoo. It's a red swastika, with white outline. He drives a blue Opel Adam with four stickers that are all racist. The plate number is 1K3RT4. That's all the information I can give you from what I see." She took a deep breath, shaky as it was. My skin broke out in goosebumps at her next words.