Silence In The Trees

Chapter 12

   "You can be honest with me." William stared me in the eyes. I felt the power of his gaze.

   "Later. Just give me time. I'll tell you everything, okay?" He only nodded.

   I gripped the railing of the staircase. My knuckles turned white and I think I bit my bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.

   I was antsy as I waited for the cop to show. The last thing I really wanted to do was talk to one, of course I knew I would have to. Too many cops, too many questions. I hate investigations.

   I guess there's a better way to put that statement; I hate being in the middle of them.

   Will walked over to me and grabbed my hand sending a warm feeling of support throughout my body. He leaned against the rail standing next to me, his body against my side.

   "It's going to be okay."

   "I'm so sick of hearing that."

   He looked down at the ground and shook his head.

   "Aren't we all?"

   I nodded.

   It was a matter of a few more minutes before I finally heard a knock at the door. Caden opened it, and I could hear the deep voice of the officer from downstairs.

   I sighed.

   "Best I go down and join the conversation, as I was the one to notice her room." Will nodded and released my hand. I felt uneasy and I wanted him to grab it back.

      I slowly walked down the stairs, the sound of my feet brushing against the carpet and slight squeaks of the staircase seemed to be loud enough to be heard for miles.

"Hello, I'm officer Vanes. I got a call about a break in, I was just discussing it with your brother. Would you mind describing what happened to me in detail?"

I nodded slowly and recounted all the events that led up to finding the room and the events that happened after.

"I got home from taking some pictures for a school project. I was going to change clothes because I got them dirty. I was in my bathroom when I heard my friend Will ask who's room that was," Will started down the stairs to stand next to me at the mention of his name, "and I went to look. It was my little sisters room he was talking about. When I looked inside I noticed the room was completely trashed. It had been absolutely torn apart."

He nodded as he scribbled down everything I was saying on a notepad. "What did you do when you noticed?"

"I believe the first thing I did was step into the room and pick up a paper, which I set back down. I didn't want to tamper with anything. Then I called Caden immediately to ask him what happened."

He now looked to Caden. "And you said you have no idea what happened?"

"That's correct. I've been home all day as well, I only left earlier this morning to drop Corrine off at the school so she could get her car."

   He nodded.

   "Can you maybe give me some time stamps, like how long it took you to take her, when you left, when you got back?"

   Caden agreed and tried his best to recount the times.

   "And as far as we can tell, there's no signs of break and entry?"

   I looked to Caden and we both nodded.

   "Could you have left the door unlocked?"

   I nodded. It seemed likely that's probably what happened.