Safe House

Chapter 16

She goes out, grabs her bags, and brings them to the front door. She drops them just inside when she remembers to get her dress that's laid out on the back seat. She opens one of the back doors, and then she gets hit in the back of the head with something. She tries to yell for Jay, but his name comes out as more of a whisper. Her vision becomes blurred as she struggles to stay standing, and she soon falls back. The light from inside the car shows the hooded figure just before everything goes black.

XXXXXX

Jay puts the pizza in the oven, sets the timer, and then goes to the living room. He sees her bring her bags in before muttering something, and dropping them just to the side of the door. He goes to pick them up, and takes them to his room. While there, he decides to change into something more comfortable. He takes off his shirt, and jeans; throwing them into the hamper. He puts on a pair of sweatpants, and goes back out to the living room where he hears, and soon sees Chance scratching and whining at the door. It takes two large steps to the door, and opens it; trying but failing to keep Chance inside. The ninety pound dog ducks his head, and runs through Jay's legs; running after the car speeding off Jay's driveway. Jay goes to turn the oven off, before grabbing his keys, and phone off the table next to the door, and running to his truck. He turns in the same direction as the car, and sees taillights in the distance he speeds up, and catches up to it, but the lights are not the same as the ones that he saw in his driveway. He calls his uncle as he continues to drive around aimlessly, telling himself to look out for Chance as well. The phone rings twice before Al picks up. Jay quickly rambles off what happened.

"Go back to the cabin. I'll call Antonio, and Kevin and we'll meet you there." Al says to his nephew, before hanging up. Jay does as he says, and goes back. Antonio actually beats him to the cabin; already walking around with his flashlight. Jay gets out of his truck; grabbing his flashlight from the glovebox, and joins Antonio. Neither of them says anything as they search the ground, that is until Antonio finds a pack of cigarettes hidden in the grass a few feet away from Erin's truck.

"Jay, does Erin smoke?" Antonio says, and Jay lifts his gaze to look at his partner before walking over to him. He puts on a glove, and picks up the white and red box.

"No." Jay says as he comes to stand next to him.

"There's only one missing." Antonio says as he opens the top. Al and Kevin get there a few minutes later.

"Did you get anything?" Al asks as they approach them.

"Just a pack of cigarettes." Antonio says, and Jay scuffs as he continues to look for something more.

"Atwater take that back to the precinct, see if there's any prints."

"We don't have time for that." Jay yells

"We don't have time for you to argue about this Jay, go Atwater." Al says, and Kevin leaves.

"Jay how bout we go inside, and discuss what exactly happened" Al says.

"No I'd rather keep looking for evidence."

"It wasn't a question Jay." Al scolds, and Jay sighs before turning towards his house. Once they get inside Jay goes over the minutes leading up to seeing the car drive off.

"Did you see the plate? Make or model of the vehicle?"

"No." He answers, putting his shoes on.

"Are you sure? Take a minute to think about it." Al says, and Jay feels his frustration continue to bubble inside him.

"I'm sure, now can-"

"Jay you need to come outside, he won't let me near him."

"Who?" Jay asks as he rushes out the door, and then he sees Chance. He's laying on the porch licking his back paw. The crimson color of blood stains the back of the dog's neck can be seen clearly even in the soft glow of the porch light.