Welcome back my faithful readers. We ended last week with
that uncomfortable car ride. I had always heard police were uptight, but
Officer Morgan takes the cake. Here is the next piece to the puzzle. Please
enjoy ~Alexa Martin © 2012 Misty
Harvey
Grave Whispers
Part Two
By Misty Harvey
The house was a dilapidated structure on the riverbed. It
looked abandoned. Morgan had reassured her that the missing girl had lived here
with her boyfriend for a few weeks. She’d ran away from home after a fight with
her father.
“The boyfriend has already passed the alibi check.” Morgan
stated. The look on Alexa’s face said it all. She truly doubted how he could
have passed an alibi check. This house would have been a great place for the
murder to occur. It was hundreds of miles from the town. The river surrounded
by miles of forest on either side. The house looked like the perfect hideout.
It would be completely undetected from the gravel road or any hikers.
“It looks…unoccupied.” Alexa sighed. She slid out of the
car, pulling her white t-shirt down over the waist of her jeans. The air was
cool and crisp in the fall weather. Fallen leaves coated the ground at their
feet. The brilliant hues of reds, oranges, and yellows were almost photo
perfect. It appeared as if no one had treaded there since the falling of leaves
had begun.
“We’re free to examine this place as much as you need. The
boyfriend is staying with his parents. His father preferred to have him at home
while the investigation continued.” Morgan tucked his hands into the pockets of
his slacks and leaned against the hood of the car. He was watching Alexa
closely.
“His father is a shark. If you want to hire the best
attorney, you hire Joshua Hebrew.” Alexa nodded curtly. The dry leaves crunched
under her feet. Each step brought her closer to the shack. She squinted, her
eyes looking out into the trees. Her gaze taking in the moss covered tree
trunks. Broken branches and fallen trees lay scattered on the forest bed.
“What are you looking for?” Morgan questioned. Alexa
shrugged.
“Admiring the area.” She bent down, removing the black
leather-driving glove. Her long fingers snaked through the leaves to touch the
dirt below.
“Shouldn’t you be doing your hoodoo voodoo crap to help us
find the girl? I didn’t bring you out here to site see.” Morgan grumbled. He
wished he was back in the office doing real police work.
“You make it very difficult to concentrate.” Alexa looked
back at him over her shoulder. “Now pipe down.” She closed her eyes, focusing
back on the land around them. Her eyes flew open, but were vacant. The images
playing in her head holding her attention.
Morgan stood up abruptly when Alexa did. He stepped closer
trying to make as little sound as possible. The look of concentration on
Alexa’s face told him she wouldn’t appreciate being interrupted again. He
followed her movements as she clambered her way toward the house.
Alexa wiped the dirt off onto her jeans. She maneuvered the
broken wooden steps onto the front porch. The second glove came off with a
gentle yank, placing them into the pocket of her jacket. Images flowed like a
film reel. Details slowly coming into focus the more concentration Alexa put
into them. Somehow, she slowed them down so she could pay attention to them as
it drew closer to the time of the girl’s disappearance.
A girl sat on the front porch tears streaming down her face.
She looked up as the gravel shifted under wheels on a car. Her hands were quick
to remove the tears from her cheek. A forced smile tilted her thin lips. The
young male exited the car rushing over to her. He was checking her over, the
concern written all over his face. The embrace was genuine as he held the
missing girl.
Alexa shook her head to clear the images. She turned to ask
Morgan a question, startling when he was right behind her. His large hands were
on her shoulders.
“Are you alright?” Morgan asked. His brow was furrowed, and
his lips drawn tight.
“Yes.” Alexa stepped back out of his hands. Morgan looked
the slight woman over for some sign of reassurance. He reached into the inside
pocket of his uniform coat. His large hand came away with a travel pack of
tissues. Morgan handed Alexa a tissue. His intense brown eyes took in her every
move.
“You were shaking and crying. I tried to talk to you, but
you didn’t respond.” Morgan’s voice was deeper than before.
“Sorry, what I saw…” Alexa wiped at her eyes and cheeks with
the tissue. “What I felt…” She shook her head again. “She was upset and scared.
It all sort of cuts off after that.” Her face tightened, giving away a puzzled
expression.
“Cuts off? What does that mean?” Morgan asked, growing more
confused. Alexa sighed, shrugging.
“I don’t think they stayed here after that day. I think
whatever upset her…they may have ran, stayed somewhere else.” Alexa’s nose
wrinkled up. She tilted her head up to look into Morgan’s eyes. “She was really
upset – frightened. I felt it all like it was happening to me.”
“Does that happen often?” Morgan tucked his hands back into
his slacks. He received another shrug.
“Depends on how intense the feelings are or how focused I am
on it.” Alexa took a step. She wanted to escape the overwhelming feelings
attached to that scene. Her legs wobbled. Morgan steadied her, by holding onto
her elbows.
“Do you need to sit for a moment?”
“I’ll be alright in a minute.” Alexa sighed. She allowed
Morgan to help her to the vehicle. Once she sat in the passenger side, her mind
was able to concentrate on other things. Her gaze ran over the surrounding
forest. There between two trees stood a woman. She was watching them intently.
The trees rushed by her, the wind nipping at her heels.
Alexa’s feet crunched through the fallen leaves as low branches scratched at
her exposed skin. She didn’t remember climbing out of the car, but there she
was running after the girl. The girl was clutching something close to her chest
as a man ran next to her. They stopped to look back in the direction they just
came. Both of their faces told of the fright.
Alexa tried to stop in time, but the ground was slick from
the rain earlier in the day. Her legs and arms flailed about right before she
slid through the couple she’d been running after. A squeak ripping through the
air as her body tumbled down a deep embankment. She bumped and rolled, as the
hill grew steeper. The moments it took to reach the bottom seemed to last a
lifetime.
Her tense body hit the bottom of the hill with a final thud.
Her muscles relaxed as she slid into unconsciousness. The rock beneath her head
slowly traced with a line of blood. The larger body landed briefly on top of
hers before rolling next to her. Morgan groaned before he joined her in the
blackness of their unconscious.
If you missed the first part, you can find it here:
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