Countdown

Chapter Fourteen -- TWO DAYS AGO 5:57 AM

The look on Joey's face was exactly what I thought it would be. He rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration. Stomping over to me, he put up a finger and said, "You..."

     Before he could say another word, I put my hand out and told him, "I'm not here to start anything with Doug. I'm here to place a missing person case." He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, letting his hands cross over his chest. "Alan. I haven't seen or heard from him since he left to St. Louis the other night."

     "This isn't a joke or anything, is it? You're not here to snoop around?" he interrogated. I shook my head. "Come in and I'll file it for you."

     He lead me into my office and had me take a seat. I stared at all the new post-its, and I wondered. "Have you figured out any leads?"

     He eyed me in a way of saying he really shouldn't tell, but I think he really didn't care anymore. "Nope. There's literally no connection besides the notes and the crosses that were laid by them, but even in your notes, you said you thought it may represent a graveyard or just a way of giving the murderers some closure. The evidence box is pathetic. I don't think we'll ever solve this case."

     I raised my eyebrows in a "told you so" kind of way and watched Joey leave to get the papers. Working fast, I pulled the evidence box over and looked inside. Pictures of all the girls laying there lifeless with the cross above their head made me burn. I felt like the most terrible person on the planet. I'm taking away their last wish. Then, the thought crossed my mind.

     If I destroy this, more girls will be murdered for no reason at all. I would have been the one to kill them, too. I would have been the one who destroy their only chance. I can't. I can't do it.

     "What are you doing?" Joey asked, startling me. I looked up at him with tears falling down my face in both shame and fear of Danielle's death. "Sam?"

     "I-I can't. I can't do it," I repeated but aloud this time. He cocked his head to the side, confused. "I have to go."

     "What about Alan?" he asked.

     "Oh, ye --" I started but was cut off by the one voice I didn't except to hear.

     "Sammie," he spoke, obvivously in pain.

     I turned to Alan to find him heavily bruised on his face with swollen eyes and a busted lip. What happened to him?

     "Alan, Alan what happened?" I asked. I took a step towards him and touched the cut on his cheekbone. He pulled away as he whimpered.

     "I went to get you the surprise -- that necklace you wanted really bad -- but on my way to the car, some douche started pounding on me and stole the necklace. I'm so sorry."

     "No, don't be. We need to get you to the hospital."

     He shook his head, waving his hand like getting mugged was nothing.

     "I'll just go home and rest, babe. I figured when I didn't see your car, you were here," he smiled and I seen something missing. I gasped, covering my mouth.

     "Your tooth!" I realize I shouldn't have been worried about his tooth, but he had some perfect teeth. Now, one of them was knocked out.

     "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," he admitted, feeling the place where the missing tooth was with his tongue.

     I took his hand in mine and lead him out of the station. He just kissed my forehead before hoping into his truck and driving off. He hated talking about stuff that made him seem weak. I know it's because his father raised him to be ashamed of the weak, but I still hated he didn't want to talk to me about it.

     Getting into my car, I thought about my decision. I wasn't going to change it. I couldn't be the reason why so many more innocent girls are killed. This was what had to be done. I either find Dani before they kill her, or I watch her die. I rather it be the first one, but I have to realize the second may happen.

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Okay, so I didn't have a lot of time to look over and edit, but I tried to before updating!

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