The 10

38

Frankie comes to on the bed, her head pounding and unsure of what had happened. Sitting up slowly, eyes squeezed shut as her head remains on the blanket below her, she jumps at the shadowy figure in front of her.

"Who are you?"
"Shh." he hushes.
"Who. Are. You." Frankie demands.
Christopher walks to the front of the bed with a smirk on his face. "Well, what do you think?" he jokes.
Frankie's face drops. "What the fuck? Kate's in the next room, asshole."
"I know, but," Christopher leans his hands on the wood. "I'm not here for her," he pauses. "This time."
"What do you want?"
"I need you out of the way."
"Excuse me?"
"See, you're getting too close to Kate, which I can't have, now can I?" Frankie stares at him. "I need Kate all to myself, so therefore she won't have anyone else to go to."
"So, what, you're going to kill her mother, too?"
"If I have to," Christopher admits.
"Jesus Christ, you really are insane."
"Guess so." Christopher chuckles.
    Walking towards the side of the bed, Frankie squirms away as Christopher straddles her and puts his hands around her throat.
    Squeezing until Frankie's legs stop kicking Christopher, he releases his hands from her throat and takes a deep breath, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Leaning down, pressing his ear towards her parted lips, insuring Frankie didn't survive, he makes his way from the house.

                                                                                              ❥

6:45 AM

"Frankie?" Kate knocks on the door. "Frankie, we're going to be late." Opening the door, Kate checks her watch. "Frankie," she pauses, looking at Frankie under the covers, walking closer. "Frankie, are you not feeling well?" Shaking her, Kate's breath hitches. "Frankie?" Kate removes the blanket and sees the handprints on Frankie's throat.
    Letting out a scream, Kate leans down and places her hands on Frankie's cheeks.
"No, no," she repeats. "Frankie, please, breathe, please." she cries.

                                                                                              ❥

7:23 AM

"First off," Sherman says. "I'm sorry for your loss. But," he says, sitting on the chair. "Is there anyone that you think might've wanted to hurt Ms. Young?"
Kate ponders. "Yeah, uh, she was mentioning this guy."
"Who?"
"Uh, Paulo. Paulo something." Kate looks down. "Fuck, what's his name?" she mumbles.
"Anything you can tell us about this Paulo character that could help us find him?"
"Frankie came to us a couple of days ago," Laura chimes in. "She was battered and bruised something fierce."
"Yeah, the Paulo guy, he was in her house with her mom, and he beat her for stealing his money," Kate remembers. "She mentioned to me that her mother just stood there and let it happen."
"Why would she do that?" Sherman raises a brow.
"Frankie said that she abandoned Frankie and chose men and drugs over her."
"So this Paulo guy is drug-related?"
"I guess so."
"Do you think he might've hurt Frankie? Y'know came and finished the job?" Laura asks.
Kate looks at her mother. "Probably. I mean, that makes more sense, right, Sherman?"
"Okay," Sherman tucks his notebook in his coat. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go upstairs."
Sherman trails up the stairs, pausing and turning back to Kate and looking down at her. "Don't you find it pretty ironic how all of my victims are related to you somehow?"
Kate, becoming enraged, stands. "Excuse me? One of my friends just died. The third friend I've lost this month, and you're bringing it back on me again? Don't you think I've thought about this? Well, yes, I have. And it's killing me every day."
Sherman looks down, blinking slowly, before nodding and disappearing up the stairs.

Sherman enters Frankie's room, eyeing the scene, as his head shoots up to avoid looking at the victim.
"So?" he asks the coroner.
"Cause of death was asphyxiation." she rises slightly. Using her pen, she motions to the bruises. "Guy wasn't smart and didn't wear gloves. I may be able to lift prints if we're lucky."
"Time of death?"
"I'd say anywhere between eleven and one."
Sherman nods. "Alright. I have to track down a suspect."
    The coroner nods as Sherman exits.