Seer: The Blessed Child

Smiling Faces

"Why the hell won't she answer the damn phone!" Wolf said hanging up when the automated voice mail activated.

He speed-dialed the house number. "Hello, Lars. Did I wake you? I've been trying to reach Seer since yesterday and this morning. She's not picking up. She's not home. Where is she? With Kael? She spent the night?" He screeched, bug-eyed.

He took the phone away from his ear to keep himself from criticizing Lars lax parenting skills. Inhaling and exhaling a sharp breath, he brought it back to his ear. "Yeah. I'm here. How's Inoue? I'm glad to hear that. Well, sorry for waking you. Talk to you later. Okay. Bye."

Ending the call, he stewed in his agitation and disappointment. In his mind, his goddaughter was shucking her responsibilities in assisting him in favor of spending time with her boyfriend. He had nothing against Kael. In fact, he thought the kid was well mannered with a level head. The Copycat murder, however, is a top priority. While Sachi is away doing God knows what, the killer is out there targeting his next victim.

He would tell her those exact words face-to-face when next he saw her. For now, all he could do was go over his notes again.

The sound of light snoring roused Sachi from her deep sleep. Rolling to her side, she pondered Kael sleeping beside her. He looked peaceful. She wondered what was he dreaming about to look so serene.

Her face upturned to his, she planted a kiss on his cheek eliciting a soft groan in response. She lay back on the pillow, her thoughts racing with the memories of last night.

Kael proved himself to be a gentle and patient lover. When she felt anxious from lack of experience, he reassured her with words of adoration until she felt comfortable.

Her confidence growing she took the initiative in touching and exploring the handsome boy's physique. Kael loved seeing this adventurous side of Sachi as though she was a butterfly emerging from her cocoon of insecurity and self-doubt.

After several attempts—and there were many—-they fell in sync in the fluidity of their movements. The sensations it created were incredible.

Her cheeks flushed, she snuggled against him. He stirred awake. "Sachi," he mumbled rubbing his eyes. "Good morning," she said smiling at his tousled hair knowing she was the reason for it.

In a state of sleepiness, he pulled her close. "How are you feeling," he said in a mid-yawn. "Good," she said. "You?" He hummed. "Happy," he said. "I'm so happy." "Me too," she said reveling in the warmth of his body and tranquil atmosphere. All that was missing was the crackling of a wood-burning fireplace to complete the romantic mood. Light snoring filled the quietness in the room. She chuckled.

Nuzzling against his bare chest, Sachi drifted off to sleep lulled by the rhythmic beating of his heart.

Flies buzzed around a dumpster with a putrid odor. 

Tick tock. 

A fluorescent light flickered in a graffiti-riddled restroom. 

Tick tock. 

On a coffee-stained desk lay a crumpled dirt-smudged piece of paper with the Starlet address scrawled on it. 

Tick tock.

Sachi shot up from her sleep, a sheen of sweat coating her face. 

"Sachi," Kael said startled awake. "What's...," He froze when he saw the panic in her eyes. "We need to get back," she said.

On his way to the vending machine, Wolf jiggled the change in his pocket to see if he had enough for a bag of potato chips when in passing he glimpsed a new face sitting behind the receptionist's desk. 

He stopped, backtracked, and approached the casually dressed young man typing away on the keyboard. "Hey," he said.

Peering over the computer monitor, the young man stopped typing. "Yes," he said, his face a mixture of curiosity and befuddlement. 

"I haven't seen you before," Wolf said. "Are you new?"

The young man flicked a lock of his blond hair off his brown eyes. "I guess you could say that I am. I started two weeks ago and usually am off on the weekend. Gia asked me to fill in for her today because she's out sick with the flu."

Wrinkling his brow, Wolf nodded. "I'm Wolf McCoy by the way." 

"I heard about you from the Time Clock Killer case in the news," the young man replied with a sideways smile.

He stood and extended his hand. "I'm Chad." Wolf shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Chad." "How do you enjoy working in the Homicide Unit?" the young man asked. 

"It's not like what you see on those glitzy TV shows," Wolf replied.

His phone rang in his coat pocket. "Excuse me," he said stepping away to take the call. "This is McCoy." He made a grim face. "I'll be right there." "Well Chad," he said shoving his phone back in his pocket. "I have to cut this conversation short." 

"It was nice talking with you," Chad said.

Watching the officer exit out the door, the young man sat down and resumed typing, the corners of his mouth turned upward in a smile while pounding the buttons with fervor.   In the search engine, it read, The timeline for the Time Clock Killer Murders.