by Aj Estelliam
‘The what?’ I exclaimed.
‘Yeah…press, huh? They do come up with some crap!’
I glanced over at him, frowning as I listened to his thoughts. ‘She was one of them, was she?’
‘What?’ he asked, sounding alarmed.
‘The ex!’ I laughed. ‘No wonder you don’t like the press!’
He made a sound of distaste. ‘Yeah, well…they’re annoying even without her being one of them.’
I grinned at him. ‘You remind me of Jess sometimes, Captain.’
‘I do?’ he said, looking at me out of the corner of his eyes.
‘Yeah,’ I laughed. ‘You’re two peas from the same pod…’ I chuckled.
The captain turned into the police station and parked in his designated spot. As we climbed out of the car, Jess walked over. She had clearly been waiting for us.
‘Everything okay?’ she asked, looking at me and then the Captain with concern.
‘Yes, everything’s fine,’ I told her, with a smile.
‘You better not have been talking or discussing me,’ she grumbled.
‘Oh yeah, we have…loads,’ I teased her, nudging her arm and laughing to myself.
‘What-really?’
‘No!’ I laughed. ‘I just need to talk to the Captain about…’
‘Alex!’ Captain Withers jumped in. ‘Privacy, right?’
‘Oh, of course,’ I said, lifting a hand to my lips and mimicking zipping them closed. ‘My lips are sealed!’
‘Good. Now come on, you two! There will be a room full of people waiting for us!’
We all fell into step and I knew Jess wanted to know what was going on. In fact, she was learning. She was asking me with her thoughts to tell her later. She repeated in her head three times, ‘Later on, tell me what that was all about!’
I looked over at her, met her gorgeous eyes and winked. She smiled back and squeezed my hand briefly.
As we walked into the police station, she dropped my hand once more. Once back in the building, she was all business. My girlfriend, the police detective.
Inside, there was literally a room-full of people waiting for us. I trailed behind the Captain and Jess and sidled into the nearest seat available. All eyes were focused on us and I wondered what gossip was going around since my arrival. I turned my attention to the Captain as he began to address the group.
‘Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for your patience,’ he began. ‘As you all know, we’re gathered together today because of the disappearance of this young woman-Rachel Yates,’ he said, pointing to the photo displayed on the board behind him. I looked up at the photograph and stared at her. Her eyes seemed to bore into mine as I watched her.
‘She went missing over twenty-four hours ago. Her boyfriend reported the crime and has been questioned. He has an alibi and we’re confident that he is not involved in this case. We have teams out searching but to date, we have nothing. What we have received is a note. It is typed and reads ‘D U D.’ please look to the board, once again,’ he said, pointing. ‘We have no idea what it’s meaning is…one suggestion is ‘death upon death’ from an expert but we’re unsure why this is significant.’
I glanced at him briefly as his eyes met mine.
‘We know nothing more than that. We are approaching critical time though. you all know the statistics…if it goes beyond forty-eight hours, she will more likely be found dead. We need to do everything possible to find this girl,’ he said seriously.
He clicked a clip on behind him, grimacing slightly as a woman came on screen and began to report on the disappearance.
‘To top it all off, the press have got a hold on the situation-I have no idea how! We need to pull out all the stops to find her now.’
Chapter 3
The screen was flickering brightly, and my eyes felt strained as I watched. As the photo of Rachel came onto the picture, I felt a darkness overcome me and I drifted.
Strong arms lifted me and I was laid into a wooden box. I was completely immobilised in position and I struggled against my bindings, even though I felt heavy and unable to function as normal.
The air around me was cold and as I looked upwards I could see trees, waving in the wind in the moonlight. All I could move was my eyes and I glanced around rapidly, anxiously trying to figure out where I was. I asked God for a sign and suddenly there it was. An old, looming building…but it was the symbol that was significant. The cross. It was a cross. I would have sighed in relief if I had been able to.
As the lid of the coffin covered me, I tried to scream. No-one heard my cries, as my cries were only in my head.
I shot to my feet; my chair screeching across the floor with a resounding groan. I looked at the Captain, and met his eyes before turning and hurrying out of the room. I knew he would follow. He knew what this meant.
Sure enough, seconds later the Captain emerged from the room with Jess behind him.
‘You got something?’ he asked urgently.
‘Yes…I know where she is. Come on…let’s get a car.’
‘Okay-let me grab my phone and then we’ll go. Do I need anything else?’ he asked anxiously.
‘Shovels are in your car…’ I murmured, remembering this from last time. ‘You may need…I don’t know the word for the tool…some tools.’
‘Tools to do what?’ Jess asked, frowning.
‘Tools to remove the lid off a coffin,’ I told them sombrely.
They both stopped in their tracks and stared at me. When I listened to their wayward thoughts, I was quick to reassure them.
‘No, no…she’s still alive. At the moment, at least! Come on! We need to help her!’ I exclaimed.
Suddenly, everyone kicked into gear and began hustling around to get the things we needed. Within two minutes, we were rushing out of the building and loading into cars. The Captain, Jess and I climbed into one police car and we backed out of the station.
‘Okay, where are we going?’ Captain Withers asked.
‘I don’t know exactly,’ I murmured, frowning to myself.
‘I thought you did!’ he exclaimed.
‘Well, I can see it…but I don’t know where it is. It’s a church,’ I told them. ‘An old church…’
‘They’re all old churches around here, Alex,’ the Captain Withers said miserably.
‘Well, get driving to them. This one has a large cross on the front. She saw it as she was buried.’
‘Buried?’ Jess exclaimed, alarmed.
‘Yeah…she was buried in a coffin in the church grounds. She was immobilised and then lain in the wooden box. In the moonlight, she caught sight of the cross-she believes in God so she believes he will save her.’
‘I see…’ Captain Withers, although he scowled fiercely.
‘I think she’s still alive…I can hear her.’
‘Get the local map, JJ. We’ll go to every single church until we find her.’
‘Okay…well, the first one is about a mile it seems. Turn left here,’ she instructed him.
I sat in the back and tried to concentrate on the woman’s thoughts; to see if there was anything else I knew which could help. She was tired, and everything hurt. She was beginning to give in, I knew. Hold on, I told her in my mind. Just hold on…
When we arrived at the first church, it got out of the car and walked around to the graveyard. It wasn’t right so I turned, shaking my head. The disappointment on Captain Wither’s face was palpable. I gritted my teeth and headed back to the car. With the other cars in tow, we carried on to the next churchyard.
This went on for what felt like hours. We would drive to a church, I would check the view of the church from the graveyard and then shake my head and leave. It was never right. Outside the wind blew and there was a little snow fall. I was cold but determined. I wasn’t going to let the elements affect me; not when a woman lay under the ground; naked and frozen.
Two hours later, we were running out of churches. We had scoured the area-within five miles of
the police station and visited at least six churches.
‘Are you sure about this?’ Captain Withers asked. ‘I mean, I don’t mean to doubt you at all, I just…we’re not having any luck.’
‘That’s because I don’t know which church it is!’ I exclaimed. ‘I mean, she didn’t see the sign. I can only go based on what she saw-and all she saw was the cross.’
He sighed heavily. ‘I know…I just feel like we’re on a wild goose chase.’
‘Captain, stop. We’re not on a wild goose chase, we’re just struggling a bit this time. The thing is, her voice is getting louder. That means we’re getting closer.’
‘And when we find her? You say she’s buried? How’s that even possible?’ he questioned. ‘You couldn’t bury anyone in the conditions we’ve had this winter! You couldn’t dig the ground! I just…I don’t mean to sound negative but I just don’t see how…’
‘Dan, stop…I know what I see and it’s right. I don’t understand it either, but let’s just focus on saving her first, alright?’
He took a deep breath again, exhaling slowly. ‘Okay…sorry, Alex. I’m under some pressure from the powers that be…’ he admitted.
I looked at him with concern. ‘Well, put it in perspective,’ I reminded him. ‘You have new considerations to deal with. They need to come first,’ I told him.
‘You’re right,’ he nodded, thinking about Fee and the baby which was on the way.
As it fell silent in the car, I felt my heart suddenly beat faster as I heard something. I gasped and lifted my hand to my chest.
‘What is it, Alex?’ Jess asked.
‘I just heard her again!’ I exclaimed.
‘You did? Well we’re just turning into another church!’
‘Really?’ I said, sitting up straighter and looking around frantically. As Jess slowed to a halt, I was out of the car faster than I had ever moved. I rushed towards the graveyard, feeling sudden terror. I ran, and as I reached the mass of gravestones, I looked back and saw the cross. It was the cross she had seen. We were finally in the right place.
‘This is it!’ I yelled, frantically.
Bewildered faces stared back at me.
I knew that I looked manic and crazed but panic was seizing me. I could feel her presence nearby but as I whirled around and scanned the graves, I realised it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
I sank to my knees, the snow soaking my jeans immediately. ‘Oh Rachel…where are you?’ I asked.
Her tears resounded in my brain and I prayed for more information. We couldn’t dig at every grave, I knew…it had to be the right one. There was only one way to do this, I told myself. I stood and walked to the first grave.
With a deep breath for courage, I lay down on the grave, in the position the body would lie. I closed my eyes and listened. When there was nothing, I stood once more. Moving on, I lay on the next and the next and the next…I grew soaked with snow and cold to the core but on I went, lying down on every grave, looking for the poor woman in the ground.
I felt my resolve leaving me as I got to around the thirtieth grave. I felt a deep sadness inside and I couldn’t shake the feeling of death all around me. I breathed deeply and lay down on the next grave. I closed my eyes and listened. As my eyes flickered open, I looked over and saw the church…I saw the cross…and then I knew.
I stood rapidly and gestured for the rest of the team. ‘She’s here,’ I told them grimly.
They all traipsed towards me swiftly, armed with shovels, tools and even medical supplies. I stepped back and shivered as they began. I watched as two men began clearing the snow. One of them was thinking that they wouldn’t get down very far as it was icy and the ground was hard.
‘She’s not very deep,’ I told them, ‘there’s some kind of covering over the coffin. It’s been there a while,’ I told them.
They began digging with the shovels and I moved closer, to see what they were doing. Jess moved with me, ever the protective partner.
‘There,’ I said, pointing.
All activity stopped for a moment.
I walked over to the patch by the gravestone and pointed. ‘That’s how she managed to keep breathing…’
Sure enough, everyone saw what I pointed at. There was a small tube in which went further into the ground.
‘Don’t disturb the pipe as that’s the way she is breathing.’
Both men digging looked at me with surprise and then over to the captain.
‘Can we get more people digging? Honestly!’ I exclaimed, ‘it won’t take much! Come on everyone, you don’t need a shovel, help me!’ I grimaced, feeling like her hope was leaving her.
Suddenly, everything became crazy around me. Men and women from all ends bent and scrabbled in the earth, pushing back snow, ice and dirt from the ground. As we worked together, it took no time at all to reveal the wooden slats which covered the coffin.
‘We’re close!’ Captain Withers exclaimed.
‘This is covering her coffin!’ I told them, breathless with exertion.
‘Come on!’ the Captain exclaimed.
They all got an end and with one great heft, the wood was removed from the ground. It came out and suddenly, the coffin was exposed. All around me, gasps of astonishment sounded.
I reached for the lid and as I did, I could hear her inside. No-one else could hear her screams, but I could.
‘Rachel, we’re here! Don’t worry! We’re police and we’re here to help you!’ I told her, knowing she was terrified.
Together with all the man-power around me, we prised the lid open. We used no tools, we used our hands, such was the desperation that we all felt. All around me the thoughts of the men and women helping filled my brain. There was fear, excitement and terror in those head and I felt my own thoughts running wayward as the lid came off.
Suddenly there she was, her eyes blinking rapidly at the light. She lay bound and helpless, her mouth in a gag and her arms tied securely in front of her. Her legs were bound together too and I could see the tight bindings cutting into her skin.
I couldn’t help but lean in to help her as the police men lifted her from the coffin and onto a stretcher that the medical team had rushed in with. I held her hand as they released her tight binds and assured her that she was safe. They covered her naked skin with warm coverings and then they were gone, rushing her away to a waiting ambulance.
As the stretcher was removed, I collapsed to the ground, my legs giving way beneath me.
When I reached the ground, I didn’t have the chance to rest for long. Strong arms reached me from either side, lifting me. Captain Withers on one side and Jess on the other, I knew. I could tell, despite my lack of consciousness. I could hear their concern for me. I could also hear Jess’ pride at me finding Rachel and the Captain’s relief for having found her. I sighed and tried to help by walking.
‘I’ll take her,’ Captain Wither’s voice sounded.
I felt my legs become airborne and then suddenly I was cradled against a warm chest. Captain Withers carried me across the snow and all I could hear was his heart. It pumped loudly against my ear and I closed my eyes against his warm clothing. Within minutes, I was out.
When I next woke, I was lying on a soft sofa and covered in warm blankets. As I opened my eyes, I realised I was back in the police station and in the Captain’s office. My clothes were changed and I was dry and warm.
I sat up, suddenly alert and looked around. Jess sat at the desk, facing away from me.
‘Jess?’ I asked, tentatively.
She whirled around, surprised. ‘Oh hey!’ she said, rushing over to me and bending before me. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘I…how’s Rachel?’ I asked, distracted from how I was and worried about the poor woman from the coffin.
‘She’s doing fine. They’re keeping her in hospital to rehydrate her and make sure she’s okay.’
‘Oh…’ I said, as tears sprang to my eyes.
‘Alex, don’t cry…you saved
her!’ she said emotionally, lifting her hand to touch my cheek warmly.
‘I…what awful kind of person does this?’ I questioned aloud. ‘I just…I don’t understand it…’
‘I know, Alex,’ she breathed and a look of concern came over her features. I could hear what she was thinking. She knew my next task would be to be questioned over the perpetrator of this event. She didn’t think I was strong enough to face it right now.’
‘I’ll be fine,’ I assured her.
‘I didn’t say anything.’
I smiled at her sadly. ‘You didn’t have to,’ I told her.
‘I guess not. So, you know what they want to do next?’
I nodded. ‘I do, although I don’t think I can help,’ I told her.
‘How come?’
I frowned. ‘It’s hard to explain…’
‘Try,’ she encouraged.
‘Well, this isn’t like before,’ I told her. ‘I could see him before…I could see his thoughts and had visions of his evil. With this situation, it’s different. I can see and hear Rachel but I’ve seen nothing of the person behind this.’
‘Maybe it just hasn’t come yet.’
I frowned. ‘Perhaps…’
‘You don’t think so?’
‘I…no…all I felt when she was buried was…blank.’
‘Blank?’ she questioned.
I nodded. ‘Blank.’ I sighed to myself heavily. How did you find a potential killer when they had nothing inside? No thoughts or emotions…an empty vessel. I rubbed my head to ease the headache I dealt with. I had a feeling this was going to be difficult.
Chapter 4
Sure enough, moments later, the Captain arrived back at the office and walked in grimacing.
‘Alex, you’re awake! How are you feeling?’ he asked sitting beside me.
‘I’m fine…a little headache but fine aside from that.’
‘Good…good.’
‘What’s happened since I slept?’ I wondered.
His mouth was set in a hard line. ‘Well, Rachel is okay and that’s the main thing. She’s in the hospital and her family are with her now. The press is already desperate for details…I’m avoiding them at all costs!’
