The Hostage

Cold Angel

Eileen stepped off the bus and walked briskly down the stairs towards the State Library of Queensland. The library itself was a large, stone grey building and rather plain in appearance on the outside. Thick glass windows larger than most people were installed for people to see through to get a glimpse of the rooms. Eileen cautiously stepped through the arched entrance and looked around, seeing if anyone jumped out at her that screamed that they would be the 'Cold Angel'. The small cafe on her left appeared almost hidden away with the wooden beams surrounding it as thin, green vines circled around them. She was unsure if they were real or fake but the scenery outside of the cafe always beckoned her inside for a coffee, for which she had no time for that morning.

She walked through the automatic glass doors and took the elevator to the second floor, where the small piano room, which held an old but clean piano, would be waiting for her on her left. As she entered the library floor she heard soft piano music coming from the room but walked away. She had to resist the temptation to tap on the piano keys and walk away to find something to read. She finally settled on a book on  plants nearby as she waited for the person to come out.

Suddenly the piano music stopped. Her eyes floated to the door to see Officer Burley look around. He plain clothes that day so no one could guess he was a police officer. Eileen didn't know why but she had a feeling it was the case of security.

No...he's the Cold Angel? Eileen thought as she looked down at the book, hiding her shock. If that was the case...he must have known all along that she was doing work behind the scenes. She began to recall the numerous times he had asked if she had anything to add or say towards the investigation. There was no doubt that he was asking her to pressure her into telling the truth which she had kept hidden until now.

Eileen saw him walk over to her before she heard a familiar click behind her and a hand grab her arm, pulling her onto her assailant's chest before feeling the cold metal press against her temples. Eileen clawed at the assailant's arm that had her locked in a headlock before he yelled at Officer Burley, who was frozen.

"Give me the data or she dies!" The man yelled in a muffled voice that Eileen assumed was from something, most likely a balaclava, over his face. 

Officer Burley froze before a soft thud was heard near Eileen's ear.  As if in slow motion, Eileen felt the assailant's grip loosen before it slid off. She turned to see the body fall before Officer Burley ran and grabbed her before they ran out of the library as another shot was seen to shatter the glass vase at the reception desk. 

As they ran out, Officer Burley turned to look behind him to see a figure disappear from the roof of the building. He turned to look at Eileen, curious why she was at the library.

"Eileen, what were you doing there by yourself?" Officer Burley asked Eileen, shocked at what just happened.

Stunned at his blunt question, as if he didn't know why, Eileen replied "Well I was waiting for someone to show up and...meet up for coffee downstairs."

"Sounds like they stood you up to get you killed. Come, we have to go to the station and lodge this report and launch an investigation." Officer Burley stated before he called the station.

Another one? Again? This is going to be a great time, Eileen thought to herself as she looked around her and at Officer Burley. She was stunned that he was in the piano room and came out not knowing why she was there. Didn't he know that the main reason she was there was because she was sent to meet him?

Unless,  Eileen thought, unless he isn't the Cold Angel and he is somewhere else.

As Eileen was being escorted into the car Eileen looked out the window. The only question she had in her head right now was, If Officer Burley was not the Cold Angel, then where was the Cold Angel and why was she set up in such a way her life was at risk?

Eileen texted Raymond and Samson on what happened. No, she didn't meet the cold angel because someone tried to hold her hostage but yes she was safe as Officer Burley was with her.  

Once they reached the station Eileen and Officer Burley both filed their statements and with that, police swarmed the library, looking at all the footage of security cameras that were present and observing every piece of evidence. To them, it just seemed like an unfortunate timing for Eileen to be used as a hostage to get to Officer Burley but Eileen wondered if there was more to it than that. 

Not wanting Eileen to be in anymore danger, she was sent home to recover. She did what she could and she was having enough. She just wanted to focus on the case and find out what happened to her brother. Now with the failure of not meeting the 'Cold Angel' Eileen was back to square one. 

What had her most curious is, what data was the assailant looking for that Officer Burley could only provide? Surely Officer Burley was not a corrupt cop but to Eileen, he knew something that she didn't, something she knew she had to figure out.