Finding Jack

Chapter 2: Sorry to disturb you sir

John Marlow POV

January 6th, 2010
12:03am

"Hey um, sorry to call so late but Mark have you seen or are you with my wife?" I ask Krystals bestfriend of 17 years. Although he's grown to be more like family for all of us.

"I haven't seen Krystal since I left the shop around 9:00pm I left early." He says through a groggy tone.

"Well, she hasn't come home from work, and she isn't answering any of my calls, not even the jobs phone." I say becoming more worried just thinking and saying it out loud.

    Hearing Mark quickly sit up. "MOTHERFUCKER YOU SAID WHAT?!" Mark says as I hear him shuffle around in the bed.

    Now for some, they may say we are overreacting, but that are those that don't know Krystal. She's done nothing but work, and come home to her family. For her, that was enough. So for her not to be here with her family, where she'd rather be, was a bit alarming for us both.

"One second Mark I'm getting another call" I say not giving him a chance to respond before I just click over.

  "Hello?" I say without second thought.

"May I speak with Mr. Marlow please?" The unfamiliar female voice asked.

  "This is he.." My breath stiffening from the cold chill I receive.

    "I'm so sorry to disturb you sir, I am officer Mayfield, I was wondering  have you seen or heard from your wife within the past few hours ?" She asks like she's trying to piece something together.

   "I haven't spoken to my wife since we departed this morning from home" I say following with "What is this about ma'am?"

  "I'm sorry to inform you the we found your wife shot and killed at her pharmacy. We suspect it was a robbery gone bad but we are still searching the place."

  I zoned out while hearing her words turn into mush and mumbling. I stopped functioning after hearing the words "killed". I wanted to say something, but nothing would come out, I could hardly move. feeling my eyes fill with tears before the officer's voice brought me back

  "Mr. Marlow? Are you still there Mr. Marlow?"

  "I uh- I - yeah I'm-I'm still here." The only words I could muster up, but I wasn't here. How could I be when my wife wasn't.

   "You have my deepest sympathy Mr. Marlow, I am so sorry to have called you with such burdening news, but we'd like for you to come down to identify the body and maybe answer a few questions only if you're up to doing it." Officer Mayfield says as she tries to sympathize while following the normal procedures.

   "Thank you, officer Mayfield, I'll be up there soon". I say soon hanging up not giving her a chance to say much, I need to get myself together.

   Like clockwork interrupting my thoughts was Beyoncé's song "Flawless" indicating Mark was calling. He'd forced Krystal and I to change his ring tone to that in our phones. Says that it's a "perfect description of him" I remember while rolling my eyes.

   "Have you heard anything ?! What's going on?! I almost pulled up on you boy!" Mark rambles all in one breath. Each question bringing me back to my now reality.

*silence*

   "Please say something brother". Mark says almost knowingly.

   ".. She's gone Mark.." The first tear since I've heard the news managed to escape.