These Streaks of Blood

4

"Is she familiar with Olivia Garrett of 232 Rosebud Avenue?"

Emily pinches the bridge of her nose. Ever since she woke up, her heart has been beating out of her chest. All she wants to do is panic, but she knows that she needs to keep a straight head if she wants there to be any chance of her sister being found. This is now the fourth call she's made to the police department, already having dealt with the 9-1-1 operators earlier that morning and wanting to get more information and assistance from the department as a whole.

"Not that I know of," she replies into the phone, more sharply than she intended. After a deep breath, she continues, "Look, could you please just start looking for her?"

"Of course, ma'am. I just need all the information you can give. You see, if this is the work of the same person who killed all of those girls, it raises more questions for us."

Emily frowns, though she knows the officer can't see her. "Because he didn't kill Natalee? I'm not going to complain about that!"

"I wasn't going to ask you to, ma'am. When did you notice your sister was gone?"

"When I woke up this morning; so it must have been some time during the night. Can you please just start a search for her? We were going to leave town this morning, and she knew it."

A brief hesitation comes from the other end of the call; then, "Could it be possible," he begins calmly, "That your sister ran away so that she wouldn't have to move?" 

Emily grits her teeth. "Of course not! She wouldn't do that; she's not stupid. She didn't want to take the chance of being killed. Besides, why did you just ask about that Olivia girl? Did she disappear too? You can't call these things coincidences, not after all of those murders, and not with this lunatic prowling around our town!"

There's a short silence, then the cop says, "Olivia Garrett has been discovered missing as well, yes, though as of right now we're not sure if she just got nervous and left town without notifying anybody, or if she was kidnapped... or..."

The officer trails off and Emily shuts her eyes. She refuses to think of that alternative, just like the cop is reluctant to say it. If they find Olivia's body somewhere, it's just as possible that the next one to pop up could be Natalee's. 

"Just..." Emily's voice fades as her throat constricts with emotion. She swallows past the lump and murmurs, "Do all you can to find Natalee. Please."

His voice is gentle as he responds. "We will, ma'am, and we'll keep you informed on our progress."

"Thank you," Emily breathes, her heart lifting with slight relief. As long as there's some sort of action being undertaken for Natalee, she'll be able to breathe slightly easier.

"You do realize, though, that if her disappearance is indeed the work of the killer or an accomplice, that we probably won't find her until we find him."

Exhilaration shoots through Emily's bones. "I understand. Just do me a favor," she proposes.

"What favor, Ma'am?"

Emily's lips curl up into a humorless smile, a challenge to an unknown observer. "When you find the bastard, kill him."

*                                                                                             *                                                                       *

Olivia walks around the large room with interest. Elegantly furnished, with a red and wooden theme... the whole place has the feel of a medieval castle. She flips - literally flips - over the back of a red velvet couch and sinks into it when she lands.