Absence Of Rage

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I got a call early in the morning from a detective at Bridgewater Police Station. He said he was Officer Chase and was working on Lindsay's case. He told me he had suspicions about her death. Unlike all the other Officers on this case, he was the only one heading in the right direction with the investigation.

He said, "I'm really not supposed to be talking about the case with you, but one of the councilor's said you'd told her that you thought there was some foul play involved in Ms. Gardner's death." I took the phone off speaker, and then put it up to my ear.

I walked across the room then flopped down onto my comfy bed and said, "I told Ms. Brasby that my friend was murdered and that the police weren't doing their jobs. " I took a breath and paused for a moment. "And before you say anything, there is no way I'm wrong about it. I knew her better than I knew myself and I could read her emotions like a book. She couldn't hide anything from me." I heard Officer Chase clear his throat on the other end.

"Alright, I was only going to say that I believe this was some definite foul play in this one. My colleagues just want to scrap it, but I'd like to do some more digging. I can't say anymore over the phone, but would you be able to meet me, so we can discuss this in more detail?" He asked in a rush.
"When and where exactly?" I responded not even a second later. I tucked the phone between my elbow and picked up a pen and pad of paper.

"Can we meet at Coldwater Library in ten minutes?" he asked. I could hear the impatience of his tone.

As soon as he spoke, I dropped the pen and pad of paper, then grabbed my coat and replied, "On my way." I was already out the door and running down the dormitory's hall before he even had a chance to hang up the phone.

   #

Waiting for someone couldn't have been any more mind-numbingly boring. I had only been standing outside the library for ten minutes because I had arrived a few minutes early, but I wasn't one for waiting, even if it was only a couple extra minutes.

Shortly after the wind started to pick up a bit and It was far too cold outside to wait for Officer Chase to arrive, especially since he was running rather late. Instead of lingering outside and gazing through the window at the plethora of books, I decided to walk across the street to a cozy coffee shop with brick walls and an inviting sign, advertising their delicious hot coffee drinks.

My order was brought out to me rather quickly. It wasn't that crowded, and business was slow for a Saturday morning. It surprised me, but I reveled in the peace and quiet. I sat in the soft-cushioned loveseat by the window, sipping my caramel macchiato, relishing in the caffeinated bliss it provided. The warmth of the drink provided for some much-needed comfort.

I watched the cars roll by, some slower, and some faster than most as I finished off my coffee. A sigh escaped my lips, as I tapped the glass table top with my nails irritably. I snuck a glance at my watch. It was twelve-forty. We were supposed to meet at twelve twenty-five. Another sigh escaped my lips as I stood up and threw my cup into the garbage bin. With one last glance at my watch, I left the café and bounded toward the library.
    As I walked in the doors, the scent of almond and old books enveloped me. This place had a homey vibe to it and I found myself fitting in pretty well. There were so many books and stories, just waiting to be opened and read. I hardly noticed as a large male figure approached me. A tap on my shoulder brought me back to the real world. I turned around and looked up at a man with broadly shaped shoulders, a smoldering expression, and dark eyes.

"Grace Porter?" I merely nodded in confirmation before I turned around to gaze at the books.

"You're late," I said almost like an accusation. My patience had been wearing thin all day. "Let me guess... Traffic?" Officer Chase cleared his throat.

"Actually, I was meeting up with a witness. She called right after I got off the phone with you actually and well, I guess I just lost track of time." He scratched the back of his neck then returned his hand to his pocket. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, but it seems like you got along by yourself just fine." I shrugged. His eyes followed my every movement with attention.

"Reading is a hobby I share, um shared with Lindsay," I spoke softly, fond memories coming back to me. I continued thumbing through books that peeked my interests. Many were short stories, poetry books, great objective material for English majors like Lindsay and me. A frown began to take the place of my smile at the thought of my best friend.

"We should really get to talking. I don't have a lot of time on my schedule," said officer Chase, looking down at his watch impatiently. I abruptly turned away from the books, barely able to stand the sight of them anymore. A dull ache began to weigh on my chest at the thought of her being gone.

"Yeah, um, just let me find somewhere to sit down. My legs are tired," I answered and began walking down the long aisles of book cases with officer Chase following behind and sat down at a glass table in an egg-shaped chair. There were many just like it scattered in this section of the library.

"What do you have?" I asked as he took a seat across from me. He put a briefcase on the table and pushed in a combination. It clicked open, revealing folders and papers and photos. He took out a folder and placed it in front of me.

"This is a witness statement-the one I was telling you about a minute ago. She heard muffled screams coming from the roof where Lindsay fell. She didn't originally tell the Police because she was scared the person who was up there with her would find out." He spread out the report more as I scanned them briefly.

"How does this prove anything though?" I asked. I peered closer at the papers. Nothing in the report proved much of anything besides the fact that she wasn't alone.

"There is. You're just not looking in the right place." He said. I looked at him through confused eyes. He looked down at his tape recorder and discreetly slid it towards me. I plugged in headphones and listened intently.

My eyes widened after I took the headphones out of my ears. Everything was turning up. I looked up at Officer Chase with a knowing look.  "She saw someone on the roof with Lindsay. She saw her killer..."