Sadie's Nightmare

Chapter Twenty: Police Arrival

A police unit was in the nearby vicinity and they had arrived swiftly.

There was a knock on the front door, to which Steven answered and let in two uniformed officers. However, they had hesitated at first when they beheld Steven.

They'd looked him up and down before sharing a look.

Steven looked down at himself. His chest tightened and his eyed widened.

He hadn't even realized; his clothes were still bloodstained.

Everyone stood in the living room. There was an awkwardness about the atmosphere.

The two male officers wasted no time getting straight to the point. They looked to Steven. The blond-haired officer spoke first. "I'm officer Sloan. This is officer Janssen." He gestured to his fellow officer before continuing, "Who phoned in the incident?"

"I did." Stated Steven.

Officer Sloan then took Steven aside-near the bottom of the stairs.

"Dispatch mentioned the state of your wife. Where is she?" Sloan didn't know how to sugar-coat things.

"Um-" Steven cleared his throat, "-upstairs. In her bedroom at the end of the hall"

"Show me."

Steven lead the officer up the stairs and over to Patricia's closed door. He reached for the doorhandle but stopped when the officer spoke from behind him, grabbing his attention.

"This one?" Asked Sloan as he gestured to Patricia's door with a nod.

"Mhmm." Steven replied.

"Just stand aside so I can go in first, okay?"

Steven nodded and stepped out of the way.

Sloan grasped the doorhandle, but before turning it, he looked over his shoulder at Steven and said, "If it's too much for you. You can wait by the stairs."

He didn't have to tell Steven twice. Steven gave a quick nod and walked to the top of the staircase.

Sloan opened the door and immediately had to bring a hand up to cover his nose. He turned his face away from the stench and his eyes narrowed.

He urged himself onward. Peering about the bloody mess before him.

~~~

Officer Janssen forced a tight-lipped smile at Sadie just trying to be friendly, but Sadie did not return his smile. In fact, she didn't even blink as she studied the policeman.

Janssen cleared his throat and swallowed before he spoke. "And what's your name, sweety?" He asked.

Sadie took a step closer to her grandmother.

"Her name is Sadie," Rosemary answered on her behalf, "and I'm Rosemary. Sadie isn't a big talker."

"I see. Would you both like to take a seat on the couch? There are some questions I'd like to ask you, if that's okay?" Janssen's voice was manly, but gentle at the same time.

"Yes, that's fine." Rosemary nodded and ushered Sadie to the couch to sit down.

Janssen pulled out a little notepad and pen as he followed. But, before he could begin his questioning, Sloan called his name.

"Janssen?!"

Janssen stepped out of the living room. His partner stood at the top of the stairs looking down to him.

Sloan waved-gesturing for Janssen to join him-as he said, "You'll want to take a look at this."

Janssen then looked to Rosemary and Sadie. "Excuse me a moment." He said politely before heading up the stairs.

He followed his partner to Patricia's room and frowned as the stench invaded his nostrils.

"What the hell?!" Said Janssen. "Is this-"

"His wife?" Sloan finished Janssen's question.

Janssen nodded and the two officers glanced down the hall at Steven.

"Yup." Said Sloan; his voice low, his tone accusing.