Invisible Strings

by Aj Estelliam

  ‘Yeah…it looks like she was murdered and then dumped in the water-probably last night apparently.’

  ‘How awful,’ I said softly, my voice disappearing into the air.

  ‘It was pretty grim,’ she said, looking over at me. ‘Water does awful things to a body.’

  ‘It does, yes. It’s not a nice sight at all.’

  ‘No,’ she said on a heavy sigh, clearly bothered by the scene she had witnessed. ‘Look-they’re still clearing it now.’

  ‘Oh yeah! Wow, so not far at all from Avon Cove.’

  ‘No, that’s just it…she could have been dumped in the water anywhere along here-even at my parent’s beach!’

  ‘What a horrible thought,’ I muttered as we approached the group of people watching on which the body was loaded into the waiting ambulance.

  ‘I don’t know why people stand around watching this kind of thing,’ she said quietly, ‘I mean I’m here because I have to report it. I don’t understand the public’s fascination with death.’

  ‘I do,’ I replied, glancing at her.

  She frowned at me in confusion.

  ‘It’s the final unknown, Eve. No-one knows what happens when we die and that makes it intriguing for us. All people are naturally curious and especially so when there’s a dead body around. People want to see that-it doesn’t help that our TV is littered with images and programs detailing death in all its gory.’

  ‘I suppose not…everyone loves that though.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I said, watching the paramedics shut the back doors of the ambulance. ‘I like a good film as much as the next person but I don’t enjoy violence and death that’s gratuitous.’

  ‘I agree,’ she said, turning away.

  ‘Where are you going? Do you have to go into work now to do the story?’ I asked.

  ‘No,’ she told me, glancing back. ‘I’ve already done it.’

  ‘What? How?’

  ‘I phoned it in and it was dictated down.’

  ‘No way! Modern technology is amazing,’ I said, smiling.

  ‘Well, you have to be quick with the news-otherwise we get scooped. If I call it in and dictate the article ready to be edited and made ready for copy, it saves time.’

  ‘Wow. So, where are you going?’ I asked, frowning.

  ‘Come on,’ she said, with a light touch on my arm.

  ‘Where are we going though?’

  ‘Just come on, Annie!’ she chuckled. ‘Live a little!’

  ‘Okay,’ I replied smiling, and fell into step with her.

  She led me down the beach and we walked without talking, enjoying the breeze and sea air which swirled around us.

  ‘Is it too cold for you?’ Eve asked after a while.

  ‘No, not at all.’

  ‘Shall we sit here for a while then?’ she questioned, pointing to the rocks that lay facing the sea.

  ‘Okay,’ I replied, sitting down beside her. I watched as she turned to the sea and a look of serenity passed over her face. She looked almost ethereal in the winter sunlight and I couldn’t help watching her as she watched the sea.

  ‘I love it here,’ she murmured.

  ‘I can see why.’

  ‘It makes me feel so peaceful…’

  I watched her as she looked at the sea, ebbing and flowing in soft motion. ‘Can I ask you something, Eve?’

  ‘Sure,’ she replied, turning back towards me.

  ‘Do you think I’m going mad?’ I questioned.

  ‘Mad? Of course not! What makes you say that?’

  ‘Because I feel weird,’ I said slowly. ‘I feel…like my mind is out of my control. It’s very disconcerting.’

  ‘Why-because you doubt yourself?’

  ‘I…I know what I’m seeing, Eve-but it doesn’t help my rational mind deal with the fact that it’s all a bit ‘out there’ and ‘crazy,’ I said, lifting my fingers to indicate the words as quotes.

  Eve sighed. ‘Psychic ability is just one of those things that is always going to be debatable while we know little about the brain. I’m sure one day in the future scientists will figure out how we tap into our psychic mind and we’ll all be doing it!’

  ‘You think?’

  ‘I do, yes. We only use a small percentage of our brain, right?’ she questioned.

  I nodded slowly. ‘That’s right.’

  ‘So maybe you’ve just tapped into something that most of us are unable to!’

  ‘I guess so…so, you don’t think I’m a crazy lady? I mean, I did turn up at your house and start searching for intruders.’

  ‘Yes, because you were concerned about me. I don’t think you’re crazy and I’m actually flattered you cared about me enough to come over in the dead of night!’

  ‘He could have killed you,’ I said, quietly and seriously, meeting her eyes with intensity.

  She met my gaze and a long moment passed between us and our eyes held. ‘About that kiss…’ she began softly.

  I dropped my gaze and felt myself swallow involuntarily. ‘Eve, I…’

  She lifted a hand to stop me but then froze. We both turned as sirens in their multitude began to sound loudly nearby. She looked back and me and frowned. ‘What the…?’

  ‘Come on,’ I said, getting to my feet and heading down the sand. There were certainly several fire engines and perhaps ambulances too. Whatever had happened, it was serious.

  Eve and I ran down the beach towards the sound of the commotion. A crowd had gathered where the scene had occurred and as it came into view, it was horrific and worrying.

  The ambulance which had only just left the beach was on its side. Fire was pluming from the petrol tank and firefighters fought to put out the blaze. The coroners van behind it had crashed into the back of it and emergency services were cutting the door open to get the people inside out. The man who I had watched work on the dead body earlier had clearly been shot and as they moved him swiftly to the stretcher on the floor, the paramedics worked swiftly to try and save him.

  I couldn’t help myself. I was a doctor and it was my duty of care to help in situations like this. I could see the coroner was dying and I needed to do what I could to help him along with the other medical professionals.

  ‘I’m a doctor,’ I said, rushing to their side and fighting my way in to get to the man to assess him swiftly.

  My training took over instantly and I worked alongside the paramedics to check the airways, breathing and then try and stop the bleeding. The gunshot wound was to the chest though and it was clear to me that this was almost impossible. The bleeding was just too immense and I knew we wouldn’t get him to the hospital before he bled out.

  ‘Annie!’ I heard her call from the crowd as cries and screams echoed around us from people who were unused to seeing such scenes of carnage.

  As an explosion sounded, we all ducked our heads in an effort to protect ourselves. The petrol tank had exploded and flying debris covered the area. Shouts and screams filled the area as the emergency services fought to control the fire.

  As I lifted my head, I looked down at the coroner before me and realised he was gone. The man had died. I sighed in defeat and looked up to meet the eyes of the two paramedics I worked alongside.

  ‘Time of death?’ I murmured softly.

  One man looked at his watch. ‘Eleven fifteen,’ he said in a sombre tone.

  I nodded and then looked around. There were several people who needed our help-the debris from the ambulance had hit one passer-by in the head and someone else was lying down clutching their stomach. ‘We need to help the others now.’

  ‘Let’s get him in the ambulance and then move on,’ the female paramedic said.

  I helped move the dead coroner onto the stretcher and he was then put into the back of the ambulance so that onlookers couldn’t stare at the bloody scene. We then swiftly moved to the others who needed assistance.

  I went to the woman with the head wound and quickly assessed her. After removing the piece of metal in her forehead and sti
tching the wound, I dressed it and then moved on. I helped the paramedics with the others whilst the fire department dealt with the blaze.

  Everything happened in a blur and a daze. Before I knew it everything suddenly stopped and went still. The fire was out, the patients were dealt with and the crowd was quiet. I stood in place, staring at the carnage of the scene. The ambulance lay on its side, black and burnt from the fire. The concrete before me was littered with debris and blood. People stood around looking shocked and stunned by what had just happened. I searched the crowd for her, realising who it was I needed and found her quickly. She stood watching me, her incredulous expression a sight to behold.

  I left the scene and headed towards her. She began walking my way and met me half way. When she reached me, she stepped straight into my arms and held me close against her chest. Her warm, supportive arms felt wonderful, encircling me in her protection.

  ‘I’m covered in blood,’ I murmured against her shoulder.

  ‘I don’t care.’

  ‘He died, Eve.’

  ‘I know. I know,’ she said softly against my shoulder.

  I breathed deeply, trying to steady myself against the turmoil all around me. I hadn’t stopped for the past half an hour and suddenly the scene was taking its toll on me.

  ‘Excuse me?’

  I stepped back from Eve and turned. It was the chief of the police who had been on the scene since I had started helping.

  ‘Hey Taylor,’ Eve nodded, as if she knew the man.

  ‘Hey Eve. Hello,’ he then said, turning to me.

  ‘Hello,’ I replied.

  ‘I’m Chief Garrett Taylor. I wanted to come and thank you for your help,’ he said, lifting his hat off. His face was blackened and sweating.

  ‘Doctor Annie Lane,’ I told him, ‘it was no problem. I’m a doctor so I couldn’t not help, if you know what I mean,’ I said, with an embarrassed expression.

  ‘You were very helpful,’ he said quietly. ‘Thank you very much for your involvement today.’

  I nodded. ‘I’m just sorry I couldn’t save the coroner.’

  He dropped his gaze, gravely. ‘He was a good man.’

  ‘What was his name?’ I asked.

  ‘James Franklinson,’ he told me.

  I sighed. ‘Do you know why he was shot?’

  It was his turn to sigh. ‘It’s going to be my aim to find out…’

  I nodded.

  ‘Thanks again,’ he said, extending his hand to me.

  I took it and swallowed hard as our skin touched and I was afforded a brief glimpse into the man’s life who stood before me.

  ‘I better get on,’ he said excusing himself.

  ‘Of course.’

  I watched him walk away and frowned to myself. As scenes went, this was pretty horrific, but it didn’t even compare to some of the scenes he had dealt with as the chief of police. I saw the image of the child who haunted him flash before my eyes and shuddered.

  ‘Are you alright?’ Eve asked me from behind.

  I turned and nodded. ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Did you see something when you shook his hand?’ she questioned.

  I nodded, but said nothing.

  ‘What was it?’ she asked.

  ‘It, uh…a child…’

  ‘His child?’

  ‘No,’ I said, shaking my head.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘A victim…a little girl who haunts him,’ I said softly, gazing off into the distance and thinking of the horror of the scene that he had been through.

  ‘What do you mean she ‘haunts him?’ Eve asked frowning.

  ‘I mean it was his worst case…back when he was young and new to the job. It destroyed him for a while and he can never shift the image from his head-even after marrying, having his own children and seeing them grow up.’

  She looked at me with a grave expression.

  ‘I need to get cleaned up…’ I said softly.

  She seemed to be battling an internal debate.

  ‘You go ahead and do the story…I’m going to go home and get bathed.’

  ‘I should come with you…’ she murmured, but her frown told me she was torn between her job and me.

  ‘No, you go and get the story in-this is going to be big news.’

  ‘It is, yeah-but I don’t want to leave you alone after what’s just happened,’ she said.

  I sighed and turned. ‘Call me later,’ I told her, and walked away.

  Chapter 12

  It was less than ten seconds later that Eve caught up with me.

  ‘Annie! Hold on!’

  ‘Just go and do your story, Eve. I’m fine!’ I replied, without looking back at her.

  ‘Annie!’ she exclaimed, pulling me by my arm and swirling me around.

  I stopped at last and stared up at her, breathing fast and hard. In an instant I was reminded of the last time she had grabbed me by the arm, and arousal hit me hard and fast. My eyes dropped to her mouth and I felt drawn to her in an inexplicable way.

  ‘Stop,’ she said in a low, calm voice-her breathing erratic and unsteady.

  ‘Eve, I’m fine. Just go,’ I said, feeling the chemistry between us arcing with electric force.

  ‘I don’t want to go.’

  ‘But you have to…’

  ‘No, I don’t. A simple phone call and I’m free. I don’t want to leave you alone right now-I can work from anywhere,’ she told me. ‘Let me stay with you. I don’t want to be alone, even if you do.’

  ‘You don’t?’ I questioned.

  ‘No, I don’t,’ she replied, her eyes dropping to my mouth briefly before returning to my eyes. ‘Let me walk you home. I can phone in the story on the way.’

  I swallowed, feeling tense. ‘I haven’t ever had anyone come back to my house since I moved in,’ I admitted.

  She gazed at me for a long moment. ‘Will you let me come back, Annie?’

  I nodded, without talking and then looked down at my hands for some reason. They were covered with blood, as were my clothes. ‘Let’s go,’ I said, quietly, turning to begin walking back towards the beach which led to my home.

  As we walked, we didn’t talk. Eve spent the first ten minutes on the phone, dictating the news article to her colleagues as she detailed what had occurred. It was fascinating to me to hear her work as she was very professional, very articulate and clearly had a way with words. She dictated the story well, with detail and captivating language which would intrigue the reader. When she was done, she told them that she would send her photographs of the scene to go with her words. She hung up and fiddled with her phone as she walked, obviously sending photos in of what had happened.

  ‘You didn’t photograph…’ I murmured, letting my words trail off.

  ‘No,’ she replied gravely. ‘I have more respect than that, Annie. I’m just sending photos of the burnt out ambulance and the bloodied concrete. I wouldn’t send pictures of the coroner. That wouldn’t be appropriate.’

  ‘I imagine some news people are less concerned about being appropriate in the press.’

  ‘Oh, I assure you-they’re not. The more gratuitous the better in most journalists’ opinion.’

  I mumbled my disgust at that.

  As we walked up along the road, a honking horn sounded and alerted us to the police car which had rolled up alongside us. Inside I saw the chief I had met earlier in the driving seat.

  ‘Excuse me ladies!’ he called.

  ‘Chief Taylor?’ Eve said, turning.

  He stopped the car and got out, walking towards us.

  ‘Is everything okay?’ Eve asked him, frowning.

  ‘Yes, however I was wondering if you can come down the station?’ he said, turning to me.

  ‘Me?’ I questioned.

  ‘Yes. As you were involved with the scene, I need to ask you to write a statement and have you detailed on the write-up of what happened today.’

  ‘I’m happy to do that,’ I said, agreeing readily. I knew he would have important re
ports to write about the awful situation which had occurred today and wanted to help in any way I could. ‘I was just going to go home and change.’

  ‘We better take your clothes too as part of the evidence,’ he said. ‘I can find you some new clothes at the station.’

  I swallowed, feeling trapped. ‘Fine,’ I nodded.

  ‘I’m coming with her,’ Eve told Chief Taylor.

  ‘I thought you might say that,’ he grinned.

  We all headed to the car and Eve and I climbed in the back.

  As we drove, my mind ran back through everything which had happened at the scene. I knew that this was standard procedure but I still felt nervous about sitting in a room with the police and giving my statement to them.

  When we reached the police station, I was escorted to a room to give my statement while Eve waited elsewhere for me. Inside, I gave detailed accounts of who I was and why I had stepped in to help. I informed them of the medical procedures I had conducted and why for each patient I had dealt with. When I was done, the police men thanked me and I was shown out.

  I met with Eve outside, who was standing chatting to Chief Garrett Taylor.

  ‘All done?’ Eve asked.

  I nodded. ‘Yeah,’ I told her.

  ‘Can I have five minutes of your time before you leave?’ Chief Taylor asked me unexpectedly.

  ‘I…yes, of course,’ I said, glancing at Eve in confusion.

  ‘I’ll wait for you here,’ she told me, smiling slightly as if she knew something I didn’t.

  I frowned at her slightly and then followed the Chief towards his office.

  Inside, he gestured to the sofa which looked plush and comfy. I sat down and he sat in the chair across from me.

  ‘So!’ he said, as way of introduction, ‘you’re a doctor.’

  ‘I am, yes.’

  ‘Eve says you’re between roles right now,’ he commented.

  ‘I, uh…yes,’ I said evasively, unwilling to disclose my current situation to a near-stranger.

  ‘You’re a GP, aren’t you? Looking to change doctoring roles?’ he asked.

  I frowned over at him. ‘Why are you asking me all this? I thought you just need me to give my statement about what happened today…’

  ‘I did-but then I began chatting to Eve about you.’