Hello Darkness

Chapter Seven

"Lipstick," Breccan reports. The flash of a camera outside the window glints off of Breccan's badge. I glance at the officers standing outside and the words on the window—too bright and thick to be blood.

The words etch into my mind. I'm not sure if I'll ever be rid of them. Hello again...this has to be a sign—this is related to my parents. Not hello, or I see you. Hello again...as in we've met before.

My stomach drops and I curl deeper into my knees. He'd been so close to me—so close to Alma. Only glass separated us. My eyes swell. "Are they almost done?" Officer Silvano and his team arrived over an hour ago.

The bed bows a bit as Breccan sits next to me. If I thought I could contain the contents of my stomach, I might have curled up next to him. I could use one of his hugs right now. "They'll need to talk to you again."

"I've already told them everything. Can't you just do it?" I know there are things that I need to do myself, but I don't want to speak to them—to anyone for that matter.

He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasps his hands together. "You know I would if I could." Breccan's soft honey eyes shift from me to the window, a snarl curling on his lips. "I should have listened to you."

I sit up straighter. "It's not—"

"It is. If I would have listened, this all could have been avoided."

He will never forgive himself for not believing me last night. "Breccan, it's not your fault. He would have done this anyways."

He sucks on his cheek. "But it could have been so much worse. He could have—"

"He didn't." I lean forward, placing my hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine. Alma's fine. You did everything you could."

He jerks from under my hand and stands, his arms flying out in front of him. "But he did it right under my nose. I was here. I could have stopped him. Instead he's still out there, and who knows when he's going to stop. When one of you is dead?"

My gaze falls onto my grey striped comforter, and I swallow. I've considered that possibility too, but I didn't want someone to confirm it. My eyes fly across the stripes. One. Two. Three...

"I swear to you, I won't stop until I find who did this. And if he hurts either one of you. It will be the last time he sees daylight." His gaze is no longer made of sweet and melty caramel, but of jagged, sharp citrine.

My chest swells. It doesn't make me cower, like I'm certain it makes some. "Who says he needs daylight to survive? Vampires thrive at night." I say it, the thing that has pricked my mind, clawing to escape, since the moment I found Melissa.

Breccan doesn't blink, just runs his hand over his hair. He's the one that looks away now. He would never call me out, but he wouldn't entertain the conversation either. "We'll talk about it later," he says coolly.

We won't discuss it later. Everyone is too afraid to let me speak about them—vampires. Like I might go spiraling back and lose myself again. Perhaps, they aren't wrong. Just entertaining the thought draws up the eagerness to begin the search again, but that's how obsessions work, isn't it? But talking about it or not, if it were going to happen, surely this would be the time.

Breccan moves in front of the window, his broad body blocking my view. "I'm going to go see if they'll give me any more information."

I nod and stand, holding my sides, afraid if I let go the contents of my stomach will go with it. "I'll come with you."

I follow Breccan outside and watch from the porch as he crosses the yard. I know better than to get too close.

Breccan stands back with his hands on his hips, nodding and exchanging words with the other officers. For several heartbeats he doesn't turn back, and when he does, Detective Silvano follows.

"Miss Beckett, may I have a word?" Silvano stops in front of me. His eyes trace my face, seeming to pause on every freckle. Was I just supposed to trust that these men were here to protect me? They've had fifteen years to catch my parents' killer, and they couldn't even do that. My stomach twists again, but I push the acid back down. As of right now, they are my only shot.

Breccan gives me a reassuring smile before stepping around me and retreating into the house, where Alma watches

"They've already talked to me." I gestured towards the officers standing in a huddle.

"Well unfortunately—or fortunately, we've found another piece of evidence." There's a clear bag coiled in his hand. "Do you recognize this?" He holds the bag up near his face and allows it to uncoil from his palm.

I examine the shiny black tube resting at the bottom of the bag. My heartbeat is heavy against my ribs. I lean closer to read the label on the bottom: Devil.

No.

No.

No.

My mouth falls open. I'd pulled it from my makeup bag and slipped it into my purse before the concert. It's the exact color I'd worn. "That's... mine," I choke.

Breccan said my purse wasn't in the interview room. Whoever did this, whoever killed that woman, now has my bag. That must have been how they found me so easily. "That was in my bag last night."

"That's what I suspected," Officer Silvano says. His eyebrows raise and he looks to the side, nodding his head.

I fold my arms across my chest. "What is that supposed to mean?" My tone sharp.

"You were wearing it yesterday," he says as if that was the obvious reason. There's a heavy pulse of silence between us. Is it strange that he noticed my lipstick? "The victim was wearing pink," he says quickly, like an afterthought.

Victim. He says it so casually, like life means nothing to him. Her cold eyes play in my mind—blood dripping down her neck.

Officer Silvano clears his throat and gestures to the stairs. "Why don't we have a seat?" It feels too informal, like he's hoping I'll let my guard down, but I have nothing to hide. So, I sit.

He slips onto the steps beside me, his rough navy pants swipe my thigh as he sits and scoots away to put a few inches between us. "I read in your file—"

"My file?" I lean away from him. "Don't you mean my parents' file?"

"No, Miss Beckett. And please let me finish." His dark brows flatten. "I read in your file. Your grandmother filed a police report stating that you were being harassed. You received threatening letters during that time, correct?"

A tingle sweeps up my neck and rushes across my cheeks. "Yeah."

"There were no charges brought at that time, but several juveniles were questioned. Have you seen anyone recently that seemed suspicious? Maybe someone from the past that you've run into on more than one occasion, or have you received any other threats?"

I shake my head. Life was just starting to feel good—for once. "No."

Officer Silvano hums and nods again staring into the grass. I can nearly see his thoughts turning as he searches for the answers. His blue eyes trail from the grass to meet mine, and they soften. "I know this is a difficult subject, and I want you to take your time, but it would really help me if you told me what happened the night of your parents' death. I would like to hear it myself."

My stomach swirls. I've fought so hard not to think back to that day—so incredibly hard. "I'll try."