Running Scared

Chapter 22:

 Eric walked up the front steps to Jessica's house. She left her jacket in the car the night before so he was returning it. Last night was like being on Cloud Nine. He grinned just thinking about it. He pushed the doorbell and waited for an answer.

Audrey opened the door and smiled. “Well hello, Eric! I didn't expect to see you here!” She stepped aside to let him in.

“I just came to drop off Jess' jacket.” He held it up once inside.

“She's upstairs, sleeping still I think. But first, how was the picnic last night?”

“It was great. It really made her happy. She seemed looser than usual.”

“That's wonderful! I am so happy you took her. You've really been the one solid thing in her life since this all happened. I'm so grateful she has you.” Sincerity rang clear in her voice.

Eric cleared his throat, it meant a lot to him that Audrey said that. “Thanks.”

“Well, anyway. I'll let you give that to her. I'll be down here if you need anything!”

“Okay!”

Eric headed to the stairs and went up. Jessica's door was the first on the left from the steps. It was closed. Huh, she might be asleep. He knocked tentatively, listening for an answer. No answer. He knocked again, the sense deja vu spiking his heartbeat. Yeah, she's probably just asleep. Yeah, that's it. He tried to reassure himself but it wasn't working.

Finally, after a few minutes, he opened the door to an empty room. He called out Jessica's name and looked around. A few items of clothes were gone from the closet and the bed looked like it hadn't been touched in a day or so. He stumbled down the hallway to the bathroom. Its door was open and no one was in there. Panic started to set in and he ran downstairs to Audrey.

“Jessica's gone. Is her car here?” Eric asked, his frantic eyes darting everywhere.

“It should be... wait, what do you mean gone?” Poor Audrey, she has to put up with this too much.

“She isn't here. Some of her things are missing. I-I'm not sure.”

They ran to the garage where only Audrey's sedan sat. “Well her car is gone so they couldn't have taken her... Right?” She was looking for something, anything to say that she wasn't taken again.

“I don't think so... you never know though.”

“Um... what do I do? She probably has her phone.”

“Call it!”

Audrey dashed to her bedroom for her phone and met Eric in the kitchen. The phone rang a few times before it went to voicemail. Eric saw Audrey's hand shaking while she held the phone.

“Okay... um, call the police! They might've seen her car last night.”

Audrey nodded and called the police. They arrived a few minutes later and searched the house.

“Sorry, ma'am. We found no fingerprints other than yours and your daughter's.”

“Her car isn't here... she drives a 2010 Ford Fusion. It's silver.” She quickly told them the make of Jessica's car. “Do you guys know where she might be? Like maybe have seen the car.”

The two officers taking notes exchanged glances. “Do you know the license plate of this car?” One asked.

“Yes, I do. Why? Did you guys see it?”

“There was an accident last night on I-15 last night. The description of that vehicle matches the one involved.”

Eric and Audrey had the same look of horror on their face as they listened to what they had to say. “D-Do... I-Is she okay?”