Chapter 3.
We had given the picture to the police, answered the rest of the questions they asked us, and watched in angst as they left, the sirens on the police cars on.The women officer had stayed behind to talk to Jen and I about the men that had chased us.
"There really wasn't much to look at." I started. I was shaking, and cold, even though it was the middle of the summer and we were sitting on the back porch. My mom had her arm around me, and my dad was making coffee. He had gotten home from work, and coffee was his only way of letting his stress out. What happened hit him hard.
"They were all wearing all black. Black tee shirts, black shorts. Oh yeah, they were all caucasian. Umm, yeah, black shirts and shorts, black and white sneakers, black sunglasses."
Jennie added, "Yankees. Two of them were wearing yankees baseball caps. The ones that chased me and Ally. The one that chased Kate wasn't wearing a hat. He had short short brown/blonde hair, like it had been shaved."
"Anything else? Anything could help. Anything. " The officer said in a calm, soothing voice.
"The one that chased me was average build. Short. My height, maybe. 5'7. The one that went after kate was real skinny, with long grey hair pulled back in a ponytail."
"Okay, thank you girls, I know this is very hard for you. We are going to try as hard as we can to find your friend. If you think of anything, I want you to call me." She handed me and jennie both a buisness card.
Kayla Holden. 302-857-9278. KAHolden@capd.com
I carefully slipped the card in my pocket. I won't lose this, I think to myself.
"Hey mom, can me and Jennie go up to my room? We need to just talk this out."
"Sure, hon. Do you want some coffee?"
"No thanks, mom." Jenne and I slowly stood up and walked up to my room. We sat down on my bed. "Jennie." I said hoarsly. "There must have been something in that box Kate found. I bet it was drugs. Maybe money, or something stolen. They could've gotten busted for it, so they had to catch her before she turned them in."
"Then why did they try to catch me and you too?"
"The man chasing you disapeared too, right?" She nodded. "Probably just so we couldn't fight for her. They knew we were going to split up if we thought they were trying to get all of us. We're such idiots!"
Jennie cussed under her breath. "Why did we do that?! Now Kate is gonna die! Because of our stupid choice to split up! Man, I don't..." Her voice trailes off, and she looked blank. She no longer looked scared, just blank. I didn't know what to do.
At just the right time, my mom came upstairs. "Girls, is there anything we can do? We know this is hard. Why don't you two come downstairs and have some coffee, turn on one of those silly reality tv shows y'all like. It will help take your mind off of what has happened today.
We both get up slowly and shakily, and mom guides us downstairs. Collapsing on the couch yet again, my dad brings us some coffee and mom turns the tv on for us. She says that Jennie's parents had gone home and that she'd drop her off later.
"Mom, dad, its okay, we're shocked, not broken. You don't need to do everything for us, we can do it!
"We're sorry honey, we just can't even imagine how hard this must be for you two and just want to make it easier. We aren't trying to bother you. We just love you. You too, Jennie." My mom smiles weakly, and Jennie smiles back. I try to, but I'm not sure what comes out on my face.
* * *
Watching Survivor helps a little, but I still can't get Kate out of my mind. And the box. We gotta find that box. It could help. Officer Holden's words replay in my head. Anything could help. Anything.
Aside from the 58 million other thoughts that run through my mind at a trillion miles per hour, I make one decision. We have to find that box.
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