Waves crushed against the glamorous expensive boat as the waves clashed with the sound of the wind, the smell of salty water flooded Jennifer's nostrils like the tides of the waves.
"Is this thing even allowed on water?" Jennifer thought aloud.
"Of course it is." Lucas replied.
Jennifer, Lucas and Lewis were halfway to the Isle Of White, somehow Lucas had arranged a private boat to take them there.
"Lucas I know this seems a bit late in saying but couldn't your phone be traced?" Jennifer asked as her pride crushed under the weight of both Lucas's and Lewis's expression of hopelessness.
God sake! best policewoman for the job my ass. Jennifer thought to her self in disgust.
"I know what the both of you are thinking so don't you dare say I am hopeless, I never used to be this bad at my job." Jennifer replied in annoyance. Lying a tiny bit.
"I know it's my fault, I leave you incapable of thinking straight with my incredibly muscle toned body.." Lucas finally said in a lighthearted teasing tone that made Jennifer pissed and Lewis laugh. Jennifer pushed him knocking him off balance
"Answer the question." Jennifer asked blushing as she crossed her arms. The wind whipped around her hair like a shield.
"We won't be traced down." Lucas replied confidently with a smug look on his face.
"What about your phone?" Lucas asked.
"Mine can't be traced, it's got a different wavelength compared to ordinary phones as they are new in the police force not many people know of them." Jennifer replied tucking her hair behind her ear.
Lucas nodded.
"Yeah my phone is the same but probably an updated version." He replied matter of factly.
Jennifer gave him a funny look as Lewis walked off.
"What? I have good connections and I'm a rich." He pointed out.
Jennifer put her face in her hands.
Lewis drove them in one of Lucas's luxury cars once they were off the boat. After an hour they reached the address of Kim Potters house. The gravel crunched as the tires of the car came to a holt. Jennifer looked at the picturesque small house, its green door and windows were surrounded by pink and yellow flowers hanging in baskets around the front door.
"It's cute." Jennifer said.
Lewis chuckled and Lucas turned round and said in a teasing voice.
"Shall we live in a house like that some day, sweetie?" He teased.
Jennifer thought he had become a lot worse since Lewis had joined them. Jennifer ignored him as she jumped out the car and walked to the front door as Lewis laughed and hit Lucas playfully.
"Boys" Jennifer muttered.
They all looked at the house, a red Mini Cooper was sitting parked in the driveway and a blue transit van further down the road. Jennifer frowned.
"I'm pretty sure she lives with her mother." Lewis mentioned.
Jennifer and Lucas looked at him in question.
"I did some digging on the way here." Lewis scratched his neck.
"That's why you disappeared earlier on the boat?" Jennifer asked.
Lewis nodded.
"Well then instead of breaking in, why don't we talk to her mother?" Lucas suggested. They all nodded and thought it was the most sensible option.
"Although I was sort of looking forward to breaking and entering." Lucas said on a laugh.
Jennifer looked at him in shock and Lewis agreed.
Jennifer knocked on the door and as the door opened a small black cat with green eyes shot out the house.
"Chester! Oh for the love of cats!" An elderly lady with green eyes and white hair shouted as she stood in the doorway.
"Hello, I'm so sorry, my cat shot out, I hope he didn't scare you?" She asked anxiously.
Lucas replied smiling.
"Of course not."
The old lady blushed and by that point Jennifer had gotten used to all the ladies reactions to his annoying face. Jennifer smiled as Lewis came right out and asked about her daughter. She thought for a moment and then let them in.
"My daughter... well she's in the back." She replied in such a way that Jennifer was puzzled.
Lucas and Lewis looked at each other. Jennifer was confused, wasn't Kim Potter meant to be kidnapped and that's what this was all about? After a moment they all three followed the lady into the house, Lewis shut the door behind them. They walked into a hallway with pale blue walls and picture frames with family pictures inside.
They walked past two doors on each side and came towards what looked like the kitchen. Jennifer thought the kitchen was beautiful, the net curtains were embroidered and from what could be seen of the garden from the window was exquisite. The garden had a pathway running down the middle and flower beds on both sides, bees and butterflies could be seen flying around the flowers.
"I'm sorry, my daughter is resting but I really must inquire why you are here? I don't want her to be upset." The lady asked.
It was Lucas who spoke first.
"We must find out what happened to your daughter. What is your name?" Lucas said politely.
"My name is Beth Potter. What is your name?" Lucas introduced himself, Jennifer and Lewis.
Beth nodded and smiled.
"Ever since what happened lots of bad things have been happening so I don't mean to be rude but why do you need to know?" she replied.
Jennifer walked up and showed her police id which until now hadn't made much of an appearance. She cursed her boss for getting her into something way beyond her experience.
Beth's eyes widened.
"Oh dear why didn't you say so as soon as you came in. Well I will help you as your the first to have taken an interest in this." She replied.
Jennifer was shocked even if she had been the one in charge of the investigation, the fact that no other from the police force had looked into it seemed really fishy.
"I'm sorry about that. I have been moved into a new post which is why my method of doing things are different. I have been put in charge of this investigation and I am going to put my whole heart in finding out the truth. Please can you tell me what sort of problems have been popping up? You mentioned bad things have been happening?" Jennifer shot off some questions and took out a small notepad from her bag. Several key points had been written inside since the start of the investigation and she had updated it when speaking to Lucas and Lewis yesterday.
"Well it seems to me like she's been targeted, the first week she said to me that someone had been following her and that nasty things have been said to her. Eventually things lead to another and stones with bloody messages on them had been thrown into her room. That's why I am so glad her friend Chris has been here to look after her, I don't know how we would have got through this ideal without him." Beth finished.
"Chris?" Jennifer said pausing her note taking.
"Hi Jen." A voice said from behind her.
Jennifer froze, her chest squeezed and she trembled. Jennifer knew that voice all to well. She turned around to look at the guy who had single handedly tormented her.
"Oh my you know each other?" Beth asked surprised.
Lucas and Lewis were looking at her, Lucas in confusion and Lewis surprised.
"Hi Chris, I'm assuming your the same Chris I am going to be taking a statement from?" Jennifer replied and looked at him surprised that she was able to hold her own so well considering she'd been a mess only a week ago just with hearing, or reading his name.
He smiled.
"Yes Kim is my girlfriend." He replied.
Jennifer's eyes popped out and she looked at Lewis who was smiling but that kind of fake smile that meant he was hiding something.
"So you aren't the kidnapper?" Jennifer asked.
Beth looked at them both confused.
"Kidnapper? Chris?" Beth asked.
He stared at her confused.
"I am in charge of a witnessed kidnapping case. A young boy witnessed a woman identified as Kim Potter being tackled into a blue transit van registered to Chris Wright." She said.
Chris looked down and frowned.
"When was this? What's going on?" Beth asked confused.
"Well if this was recent then I remember one certain night that I did put her in the van and she was a bit angry with me. We both were angry so maybe it was seen like that but I haven't kidnapped her no." Chris said finally.
Although Jennifer hadn't seen him in years, she could see the truth in his eyes and hear it in his voice.
"I believe you but I am going to need to hear this from your girlfriend too." Jennifer replied as Lucas looked at her like she'd gone mad.
Jennifer looked away from his shocked eyes.
"Okay, Give her a hour she's just gone to sleep." Chris replied.
Beth asked them if they wanted to have some tea while they waited and Jennifer asked to go into the garden. She took both Lewis and Lucas out of the house into the pretty back garden. They walked a long distance into the garden before either of them spoke.
"What's going on?" Lucas interrupted the silence with the one question neither Lewis or Jennifer had the answer to.
"Well this is where he's been." Lewis said as if a puzzle had been solved in his head.
They looked at him frowning.
"What, I did say I hadn't seen him in awhile and that he looked clean the last I did. That's why I approached both of you to see if I could find him." Lewis said smiling.
Jennifer was confused. What did he mean clean? That's not what he told us originally?
"You said he wasn't clean? That Kim was involved with the military? You also said that he was following us! You had photos?" Jennifer fired off questions angrily.
Jennifer couldn't help but think there was something else going on.
"What are you not telling us?" Lucas said.
Lucas read Jennifer's mind.
"Yeah what is it?" Jennifer repeated the question.
Lewis started sweating a bit, his eyes darted around the place.
"Well actually ... this was my cover story. I am following both of you because you have got yourselves involved in something beyond a kidnapping case." He said.
Lucas put his arm across Jennifer in a protective manner.
"So you lied to us." He said through gritted teeth.
Lewis looked down in regret.
"I'm sorry it's protocol. I am undercover and this will get me fired because I was not meant to tell a soul about this even if I was going to die, I was meant to came up with a different story than what I told you. I guess I wanted to be found out. You both got under my skin. I cannot lie anymore." He confessed.
Jennifer's heart squeezed and she felt for him but Lucas still had his arm across her chest.
"It's okay Lewis. Isn't it Lucas?" Jennifer hissed at Lucas.
He frowned at her.
"I..." Lucas stuttered with clenched teeth and then his phone rang at that precise moment cutting off his reply.
He got his phone out and looked at the screen after taring his sharp gaze from Lewis's.
"I got to take this..but this conversation isn't over." He said as he pointed at both of them.
His sisters loud voice could be heard faintly before he walked off.
Jennifer smiled.
"I think that means he knows you won't hurt me." Lewis looked at her and nodded.
"You are a bit too happy about this?" Lewis asked.
Jennifer blushed as Lewis gave her a knowing smile.
Jennifer and Lewis looked towards the back door as it opened and Chris came out and walked toward them.
"Jen I would like to speak to you. Alone?" Chris asked uncomfortably.
She looked at Lewis and Lewis got the message and left them alone. She saw him move towards a very comfortable bench with pillows on.
"You still on those pills?" He asked.
Jennifer turned to look at him. She didn't realise that the reason she was comfortable was because Lewis and Lucas had been with her, but now that they are gone she felt a bit uneasy.
"I haven't been using them for awhile. To tell you the truth I have been forgetting to take them. You look clean?" Jennifer asked.
He looked surprised.
"Kim's been my lifesaver. I love her, I don't know how she did it but I haven't been taking drugs since she took me under her wing. That's why I have been here looking after her and I really want to help her. It's hard to see her so terrified of going outside." He said concern in his voice.
Jennifer nodded in thought. He looked at her suddenly.
"I won't get in trouble for talking to you, will I?" He asked anxiously.
The restraining order flashed into her head.
"Don't worry about it. I will sort that out." Jennifer said still feeling uneasy.
'Chris I need you to be honest with me. What do you know about what's happening to Miss Potter?" She asked switching back to business.
Chris sighed.
"It seemed like she witnessed something bad. I don't know what. Her memory is bad, she's in shock. I think she's blocked it out." He replied.
Jennifer nodded in thought.
Lucas walked towards them glancing at Chris intensely as he causally put his arm over Jennifer's shoulders. Chris returned his look and whatever passed passed between them seemed to be okay with Lucas.
Lewis walked over from the bench after seeing Lucas rejoin Jennifer.
"Tea!" Beth said loudly next to the garden table.
A tray with a tea pot and biscuits were laid out on top. Chris briskly walked over as if wanting to escape the situation as Lucas frowned at Lewis dangerously.
"Not now." Jennifer hissed as she looked between them.
She walked over to the table and soon enough both the boys followed. Chris walked over to another door next to the backdoor and helped a fragile pretty woman walk out into the garden. She looked up wearily as they approached the table.
"Jennifer, Lewis and Lucas. Oh you didn't say, how do you and Chris know each other?" Beth introduced them.
Both Chris and Jennifer awkwardly sat down and it was Kim who answered.
"Ex girlfriend." She said.
Beths eyes went wide as she looked at Kim. Kim looked at Jennifer and then back at Beth.
"Oh I didn't realise I'm sorry." She exclaimed.
Both Jennifer and Chris told her not to worry.
Lucas looked at Jennifer and she felt his hand on her thigh squeeze reassuringly.
"Well these are the police and they are going to make sure everything is sorted out." Beth said as she held Kim's hand.
Kim suddenly looked terrified.
"Mum I told you I didn't want the police involved. I knew this was going to happen as soon as I saw them." She replied frightened.
Jennifer was surprised. Why was she so frightened? Jennifer felt reassured to know that she at least looked like a policewoman.
Lewis spoke up.
"Your safe, don't worry." He reassured her, but Kim looked completely doubtful. Chris put his arm around her and she relaxed into his arm.
"Unfortunately dear, even if I hadn't called up they would have shown up anyway. They said they were here for a different reason. A local boy witnessed Chris roughly putting you in his van and mistook the situation." Beth said.
Kim's eyes popped out.
"Oh was it that time I was angry at you because you didn't believe me when I told you someone was following me?" She said. It didn't seem like she was lying Jennifer thought.
"I was angry because that guy at work was being far too friendly with you actually." Chris said not enjoying the memory.
"I did believe you I just let jealousy overtake my feelings at that time." He said looking into her eyes lovingly.
"Can you tell us what you saw?" Jennifer asked Kim.
She thought for a moment and then looked troubled as she put her hand on her forehead. Chris hugged her tightly and she put her hand up and looked at Chris.
"It's okay." She said.
A look passed between them.
"I remember I was walking out the front door and I saw this man in front of the public footpath. He was wearing a green trench coat and..." Kim stopped abruptly, the memory shocking her into silence.
"I think that is enou-" Kim cut Chris off from interrupting her.
"I remembered him because he was standing over a body, there was blood on the floor and he looked at me. I felt like I knew him or I had seen him before. I ran and when I went back to the house he was gone. The body and blood was completely gone. It looked as if it was never there to begin with. I started feeling like someone was following me so I guess it could be no one but him. I have been getting death frets and .." Kim couldn't continue as she started crying and Chris held her tightly in a hug.
"Okay thank you Kim. I would like you to tell me everything about him you can remember hair colour, eye colour, clothes. Anything to help and I think that will be it." She said gently.
Kim nodded and Jennifer looked at the boys and they nodded.
"If we have anymore questions we will phone you." Jennifer finished.
~~~~~~
As Jennifer, Lucas and Lewis took times, dates and descriptions of the man and the body. The man in question watched from a jeep parked a few houses down.
"You won't find me Jennifer." The man said happily.
He laughed as he watched the small house.
A fire could be seen in the reflection of his eyes.