by Mary Head
Apart from the empty pizza box on the bar, the kitchen was just as clean as the rest of the house, and Eli suspected, as he had when he and Juliet first arrived, that some heavy duty cleaning had been done before they showed up.
A smile crossed his face when he turned towards the refrigerator. He’d seen the message board, the notes and the drawing, but hadn’t had a chance to really look at it. Though he didn’t know for sure, he had a feeling Hannah had done the illustration, and imagined her standing there, outlining the shapes and then filling them in, starting the countdown to what he could only assume was a trip to Disney World.
The thought was vanquished with another shake of his head; he had to stop thinking about her like that.
Taking a breath to clear his thoughts, he tugged open the refrigerator door and stared at the contents. He contemplated getting another beer, but it was late and he would probably have to head home soon, so he grabbed a soda instead, standing at the counter as he popped the tab.
His gaze turned to the back door with its newly applied plywood cover, and he frowned at it as a he took a sip of his soda, wondering again how the glass could’ve been broken and the door opened without setting off the alarm. He stepped over to the door, wondering if there might be something that had been missed, another clue as to what exactly had gone down, and then his eyes lighted on a dark spot on the floor.
Frowning again, he set his soda on the table as he knelt to peer at the spot; a beat later, his eyes widened as he realized what it was, and he straightened to hurry into the kitchen. He stood still a moment, trying to think about where they might keep cleaning supplies, and then opened the cabinet under the sink.
Pleased that he was right, he knelt again and rummaged carefully through the bottles before finally finding the floor cleaner. He stood and snagged a paper towel from the dispenser, soaking a small portion before walking back around the bar and dropping to his knees to scrub away the spot of blood that David had somehow missed. Things were already hard enough on him; Eli didn’t want him to have to face one more reminder of what had happened to his daughter.
Once it was gone, Eli stood to throw the paper towel away and put up the cleanser, washed his hands, and then grabbed his soda to carry it back into the living room.
Juliet was still asleep, and he settled carefully on the couch again to finish going through the file he’d been reading when he fell asleep.
He was just using Juliet’s laptop to check the database when she woke up, frowning as she took in a deep breath through her nose. She pulled her arms and legs in tighter to her body as she opened her eyes, and her frown deepened as she focused on Eli.
“How long was I asleep?” she mumbled.
“Probably about as long as I was,” he replied, clicking through the profile of the subject of the case file before determining that he was still in prison.
Juliet lowered her feet to the floor and stretched her arms up over her head. “Productive night.”
“Long day,” Eli countered, glancing at her as he closed the folder and placed it on the stack on the coffee table.
Juliet hummed her agreement, tugging the elastic from her hair and running her fingers through the long brown strands before pulling it into a ponytail once more.
Glancing at her watch, she sighed as she looked up at Eli. “Why don’t you go on home? It’s pretty late, and you and I both have work tomorrow.”
Eli nodded, and they stood to carry the plates from dinner into the kitchen.
They walked from the kitchen together and separated as Juliet returned to the living room and Eli moved towards the front door. He turned when he reached the divider, watching Juliet for a moment as she picked up a small stack of files and flipped through them.
“Agent Grayson,” he said quietly, running his thumb along the divider’s smooth edge. She looked up at him, her expression mildly surprised. “I still want to help,” he said. “However I can, whatever I can do.” He wasn’t only talking about the official investigation, knowing that even though Chris had picked him for his team, he wouldn’t likely get to do much there, and he could tell she knew that as she smiled slightly and nodded.
“I know. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Once I know where we are.”
Eli nodded, a small, grateful smile curving his lips. “Thank you.”
He turned to leave and then Juliet called him back.
“Enough with the ‘Agent Grayson’ stuff,” she said, the corner of her mouth rising. “You can call me Juliet.”
Eli let out a quick laugh and nodded. “All right.”
“Night, Eli,” she said, her smile widening.
“Night, Juliet,” he replied, grinning back at her before turning to pull open the front door.
Juliet waited until the door clicked shut and then sighed, dropping the files in her hand on top of the nearest box before propping her hand on her hip. She raised her other hand to her forehead, closing her eyes for a moment. She’d been trying to keep herself together all night, not just for David, but for Eli as well. Now that she was alone, she could feel her emotions swelling within her.
Hannah had now been missing over 24 hours without any contact from the people who had taken her, and Juliet knew that the chances of finding her alive decreased with each passing hour. It was a terrifying thought, and she knew it had occurred to David as well.
Tears stung her eyes, and she took a sharp breath, quickly crossing herself as she allowed herself to give in to her fear for just a moment. She didn’t consider herself religious anymore, and only went to church on holidays when she was with her family, but she’d retained this one habit of her vestigial Catholic ways.
Now it was more of a good luck charm, something she only did in extremely tense or stressful situations, hoping that if there really was a God or Jesus, He would hear her silent prayer, and she would be able to charge into the fray knowing she had done all she could to try to ensure a good outcome.
After a couple of minutes she took a deep breath, running her fingers through the loose strands of hair that hung around her face. She swiped at her cheeks, brushing away the lingering tears, and sank down onto the couch to shuffle the files on the coffee table while she brought herself back under control.
Four files had been flagged as strong possibilities during their reading and sorting, and she separated them from the rest before she stood, taking another calming breath as she started for David’s office. She pushed open the door and smiled when she saw he was still asleep. She stepped quietly over to him and settled beside him on the couch. After a brief hesitation, she reached over and touched his shoulder.
“David,” she said softly. He shifted slightly but didn’t wake, and Juliet’s smile widened a little as she gave him a gentle shake.
He shifted again, sighing in his sleep as he mumbled, “Ten more minutes, baby.”
Juliet froze, her hand still on David’s arm as she looked at him. She felt confusion at first until she realized that he must have thought she was Hannah.
A minute later, her suspicions were confirmed when David opened his eyes and turned his gaze towards her. He smiled at first, an easy, relaxed smile, but then his face fell. It made Juliet’s heart ache.
“Jules,” he said, disappointment evident on his face. “I thought –”
“I know,” she murmured, trying to keep her own disappointment inside. “I’m not who you wanted to see.”
David tilted his head as he looked at her. “It’s not that. Of course I want to see you, I just – I thought –”
“I know,” Juliet said again, chastising herself for her momentary selfishness. “It’s okay.”
Her hand dropped to cover his and she gave his fingers a gentle squeeze, smiling at him. He smiled back at her, and then yawned, pulling his hand from hers to run his fingers through his hair. He glanced over at the side table and picked up his glasses, slipping them on before looking back at her and smiling in a satisfied way.
“Much better. I like it
when you’re in focus.”
Her lips curved upward and she felt her face grow hot; she hoped he didn’t notice in the dim office lighting.
“How long was I out?” he asked, twisting in his seat and grimacing as his back popped.
“A while.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” David asked, frowning lightly.
Juliet gave him a look, arching an eyebrow for good measure. “You needed the sleep, David. You’re no good to anyone if you’re exhausted.”
David smirked. “Did you and Eli find anything else?”
“Well,” Juliet began, looking a little sheepish, “not really. We sort of fell asleep too.”
David frowned again. “Both of you? On the couch?”
There was the briefest shift in his expression, so quick Juliet thought she might have imagined it. She thought she knew what it meant, but didn’t let her mind linger on the idea.
“It’s been a long day for all of us,” she said, her shoulders rising in a small shrug.
“Yeah,” David murmured.
They were quiet a moment and then Juliet sighed softly.
“I need to get home,” she said, though she had no real desire to leave. “Chris wants everyone in bright and early tomorrow.”
“I’m glad he’s lead,” David said quietly, “even if it is his first time. He knows Han, and he cares about her. He’s not going to drag his feet on this.”
Juliet nodded. “He’s probably gonna get as much sleep as you will.”
David chuckled, and Juliet grinned as they stood.
They walked from the office and David helped her reorganize the files in their boxes before they carried them out to her car.
“You’ve got the four?” he asked, shutting the door once the last box was placed on the back seat.
She tilted her head towards the boxes. “They’re in the top of that last box. I’ll show them to Chris tomorrow.”
David nodded and stepped forward, pulling Juliet into another hug, holding her tightly as he had done earlier that evening.
“Thanks, Jules,” he murmured. “For everything.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” she replied, smiling up at him when he pulled away. “But you’re welcome.”
David smiled as he pulled open her car door, waiting until she was behind the wheel and then moving to stand beside her.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Juliet said. “And please get some more sleep, you still look tired.”
David nodded, a short laugh escaping his lips. “I’ll try. Night, Jules.”
“Night, David,” she said, giving him one last smile before he carefully closed the door. He stood on the sidewalk as Juliet pulled away from the curb, raising his hand in a wave as she started down the street. He waited until she turned the corner before heading back into the house, locking the front door behind him.
He cleaned up what little mess there was in the living room, an empty beer bottle that had rolled under the coffee table and a wadded up napkin stuck between two cushions, and threw them out along with the pizza box. Eli had the appetite of youth, something David recalled well but hadn’t experienced in some 20 years, and had eaten the rest of the pizza after making sure David and Juliet had their fill.
David had been wary of Juliet bringing Eli, unsure of how much help he would actually be, but he’d lived up to the reputation in his file and had proven himself smart and observant. He even remembered some of the cases from his research and previous news coverage.
When David had spoken to Eli earlier in the week, he told the new agent he would be an asset to the division, throwing the company line and bolstering his confidence, but he was beginning to think it might actually be true.
David cast a dark look at the back door as he flipped the kitchen light off, eyeing the piece of plywood over the missing window, and then left the room to turn off the rest of the downstairs lights.
Exhaustion crept back into his body as he climbed the stairs, and he shuffled down the hall towards his bedroom.
There was a moment’s hesitation when he reached his door, his hand on the knob, and then he turned to look at the door to Hannah’s bedroom.
A sudden, wild thought blossomed in his mind that if he were to open her door right now, he would find her safe in bed, curled on her side and sound asleep. He would kiss her goodnight and everything would be just as it should.
The urge to cross the hallway and follow through on this idea was so strong that his hand tightened on his doorknob as he forced himself to resist the temptation. He knew what he would find, or rather what he wouldn’t find, and it would only upset him again.
Finally, he pulled his gaze from her door, taking a deep, steadying breath before shoving the thoughts away and moving into his bedroom.
Chapter 21
The sound of a door slamming upstairs woke Hannah with a start, and she frowned as she sat up, her eyes narrowing against the faint light streaming through the high windows.
She felt a little better this morning. She had fallen asleep once she’d stopped crying the night before, and woke up a couple of hours later, feeling as though her stomach was trying to eat itself. She ate the sandwiches Jackie brought her, chasing them down with the water he had left; it wasn’t quite as satisfying as a glass of milk, but she figured she didn’t really have much room to complain.
Using the wall for support, she gradually rose to her feet, not wanting to sit around anymore than she had to, and started her slow circles around the room.
After a few minutes, the basement door creaked open, and she looked up, expecting Jackie.
Instead it was Eddie at the top of the stairs, and Hannah tensed, fear sparking inside of her as he pushed the door shut and started down the stairs. He had a cup in one hand and a pillow in the other, which both surprised and unsettled her.
“Thought you might like this,” he said, holding up the pillow before tossing it onto her mattress. “And some water.”
He came to a stop in front of her and extended the cup, watching her closely. She was wary of taking it, but afraid of what he might do if she didn’t, so she took it, though she had no intention of drinking it. She didn’t trust anything he gave her.
His gaze flicked down and then back at her face. “Does your foot hurt?”
“A – A little, but it’s okay,” Hannah replied uncertainly.
Eddie was quiet, seeming to stare past her for a moment. “Luke stepped on a nail once,” he murmured finally, something resembling a fond smile on his face. “Hobbled around for weeks.”
Hannah frowned slightly, not knowing how to respond, and wondering who Luke was. Then Eddie blinked, focusing on her again.
“So, what are you studying in school?” he asked as he turned away from her and took a few steps, his shoes scuffing on the hard stone floor.
Hannah took the opportunity to set the cup of water on the floor, clearing her throat as she straightened.
“Um, psychology,” she replied. She remembered his ‘psychobabble’ comment from the night before, and wondered where he was going with this, and why he was suddenly being nice to her, but figured she ought to play along.
“What, um –” He paused, his back still to her, and then snapped his fingers. “What field?”
This sudden change in his demeanor contrasted so sharply with his behavior the day before, and it made her uneasy, her hands clenching at her sides as she watched him.
“Social psychology,” she said, shifting a little on her feet.
He snorted derisively and she could hear the frown in his voice when he spoke again. “What the hell can you do with that?”
It was a question she’d heard several times before, but she felt a stab of annoyance at his tone.
“I was thinking of maybe teaching,” she replied, keeping her voice neutral, and then felt a sudden chill as his words from the day before came back to her, remembering the pressure of his lips on her temple. If he had his way, she would never earn her degree.
“Bet you get really good grades, don’t you?” he said as he stepped in her direction, hands in his pockets as he stared at the floor. “Make your dad proud?”
Hannah’s shoulders rose in a small shrug. “I guess so, yeah.”
Eddie nodded and then lifted his gaze to her face.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
Hannah frowned, Seth’s face rising unbidden in her mind. He had been her first, and so far only, real boyfriend, and in hindsight hadn’t been the greatest guy in the world. She didn’t want to think about him again, and felt annoyed that Eddie had made her.
“That’s none of your business,” she said sharply, pushing her thoughts of Seth out of her mind. Then she gasped when Eddie stepped quickly to her, forcing her against the wall before she could move away.
“I bet you’ve had lots of boyfriends,” he said quietly, placing his hands on the wall on either side of her. She shifted slightly, attempting to raise her leg between them, but his knee pressed against her thigh, holding it in place. Her heart pounded painfully as she stared back at him.
Holding her gaze, he shifted slightly, lowering one hand behind him. It seemed like he was trying to pull something from his back pocket, and her fear took a sharp uptick until he finally produced a thin piece of paper.
“Is he one of your boyfriends?” he asked, holding the paper close to Hannah’s face, making her recoil reflexively before she turned her head to look at it.
It was a picture, she realized, not a piece of paper, and her heart sank when she saw it was of her and Chris. They were on a bench somewhere, bundled up against the cold weather, and she was pressed against his side, her head on his shoulder with his arm around her.
