From the Shadows | PETER PARKER [2]

| 31 |

It's six in the morning on a Tuesday when Eloise falls asleep at her desk. Two hours later at eight o'clock, there's a sharp knock on her front door. Her eyes snap open as soon as she hears the knuckles rasp against the wooden door the first time and jolts awake, alert. When she realizes it's only someone at her door, her heart rate calms and she rubs her tired eyes.

With both parents at work, Eloise is the only one home to answer the door. She considers staying in her room and waiting for the person to give up and go away, but decides against the thought. She pulls herself out of the chair she fell asleep in and drags herself across the apartment. When she reaches the front door, she doesn't bother peering through the peep hole to see who is on the other side before unlocking it.

She pulls open the door. On the other side is the female officer who questioned her about Cliff's murder.

"Officer Janko?" Eloise asks, suddenly not so exhausted anymore. "What are you doing here so early?"

The officer smiles politely, but Eloise can see past the action. Officer Janko takes off her hat and shuffles her feet slightly. "It's about your friend, Cliff Howard."

Eloise's heart stops. "W-What? Did you guys catch who did it?"

"No, not exactly," Janko replies, not wanting to disappoint the girl who has been losing sleep over this case. "But we think we have a solid suspect."

"Who?" Eloise immediately asks, wasting no time.

Janko shifts her weight to her left foot. "A witness came forward and said it was that new super villain, Dark Menace, and her claim checks out."

A cold wave washes over Eloise's body. She stands there, frozen. At first anger fills her and all she sees is red, but it quickly morphs into calculating thoughts. She connects dots in her mind and gasps in shock when she comes to—what she thinks is—a realization.

"Holy shit."

Janko frowns. "What is it?"

Eloise remembers the officer's presence and looks up at her. "Um, nothing. Thanks for keeping me updated!" She ignores Janko's questioning look and slams the door on her. Eloise turns and presses her back against the door, her heart beating ten miles a minute.

Although she doesn't have any solid proof, she thinks she has figured out who Cliff's killer, AKA the Dark Menace, is.

All she has to do now is convince everyone else without sounding crazy.

🕸

The phone in Eloise's leg pocket of her elastic suit vibrates for the fourth time in two minutes. She sighs and leans away from the edge of the building she's perched on, pulling the device out and glancing at the screen. She moves to decline the call, but her finger slips and she accidentally accepts the call.

"So you're not dead after all."

Eloise internally groans and holds the phone up to her ear. In a perky voice, she says, "Hey, Bucky. What's up?"

"I have barely seen you lately, what are you up to?" Bucky asks with a hint of suspicion lacing his tone.

"Not much."