Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 35

"Kara, first of all, I want to apologize, I wish that we were meeting each other on better terms," Officer Marshall says in a low voice as she sits across from me.

We're sat in a back corner of the secretary's office, Ms. Laroche having locked the door as she now sits at her desk swiveled around so she's facing us. A cup of tea steams next to her, the cup intended for me, but right now, nothing is tempting for me to eat or drink.

The one thing I did accept from her is a heavy, woolen blanket that is currently draped across my shoulders. I've been shivering enough that my muscles feel sore and cramped, though it hasn't been from the cold.

Shock, Officer Marshall had assured me after she had retrieved me from the gymnasium that I had somehow stumbled off to.

Astrid had left when Officer Marshall had shown up, opting to speak with her uncle in private about this.

'This' being Sophia's apparent murder.

I don't know what to say, so I nod mutely.

"Kara...," Officer Marshall's chair squeaks as she shifts in it and lowers her voice further, "look at me."

I look up to see that she's leaned forward in her chair, her hands clasped in her lap. Her eyes are bloodshot and the little bit of mascara that she has on is smeared around her eyes, graying the skin of her eye sockets.

She looks defeated and I realize then that she has no leads and that she cares about the victims who have lost their lives.

And for what? Why were they murdered?

Is someone really after me and killing anyone in their way?

I hate the way that I feel after thinking the thought, but it won't leave me alone.

"I want to go home," I whisper and it's the first words that I've said, but it doesn't feel like I've said anything at all.

Officer Marshall's shoulders droop forward as she nods, "Of course, Kara, I'll call your parents...if that's okay with you."

She looks over to Ms. Laroche, who promptly picks up her phone and begins to dial on it before she holds it up to her ear. The secretary speaks in a low, hushed voice as she quickly outlines what's happened to whoever is on the other side of the line before she hangs up the phone.

"Why did he kill her?" I wonder aloud and Officer Marshall shares a quick glance with Ms. Laroche.

"Who?" Officer Marshall asks as she gives me a puzzled look.

"Sophia said, 'he did this, he said that I was safe,' before she died," I inform her and she frowns deeply and shakes her head.

"I don't know, Kara, thank you for letting me know this though," she says as she stands and readjusts her coat. "You'll have to excuse me, I need to speak with some of my coworkers about this so we can start coming up with a better list of suspects."

I nod as she leaves the office, Ms. Laroche unlocking the door to let her out before she relocks it. I can hear the secretary moving about behind me, like she's tidying up her office even though it's already immaculate.

It doesn't take long for her to walk back over and sit across from me as she takes the seat that Officer Marshall has vacated.

"Kara, is there anything else that you can remember?" Ms. Laroche asks softly.

"No," I murmur as a wave of exhaustion rolls over me, threatening to suck me under.

"I've already sent emails to your teachers, you can take the rest of the week off," she tells me and I'm instantly grateful.

"Thank you," I say and she smiles sadly.

"Are you sure that you don't want any tea? It has healing properties," she explains and I wonder if it will maybe make the aching feeling in my chest go away.

"I'll try some," I mutter and she nods as she gets up and retrieves the cup she had fixed earlier.

I take it from her, the liquid now lukewarm as I take a couple of sips of the minty tea and settle back into my chair. Ms. Laroche continues to tidy her office as she rearranges stacks of files, though I don't mind, the idle noise helps me begin to relax as the shaking that has wracked my body starts to go away.

There's a sudden knock at the door and Ms. Laroche promptly walks over and peers through the window at the top before she opens it. I turn my head to see that Astrid has stepped inside, her face pale and her eyelashes clumpy and wet.

"Hey," she says, her voice cracking as she looks to me. "I let your sister know, she called your parents."

"Ms. Laroche already did," I murmur and she shrugs.

"Anyways, she's waiting at the circle drive for them, my uncle is having this looked into," she reaches up to wipe at her eye, "I told him what Sophia said so he's doing a heavy background check on all male faculty and students," she walks over and slumps in the chair across from me. "We'll get this guy," she reassures me and I nod.

"For Finn and Sophia," I say and she grimaces.

"For Finn and Sophia," she echoes.

It doesn't take long for my parents to show up as my mother knocks on the office door and enters when Ms. Laroche unlocks it for her. Her hair and clothes are rumpled and her glasses sit low on her nose as she squints over them like she's forgotten that they're on her face. She looks exhausted but alert at the same time, a strange combination that shouldn't exist, but does all the same.

Her eyes lock onto me and I resist the urge to shrink away from her gaze. I can almost feel that she's Seeing as she scans me with an intense look and rushes over to me, her arms opening as I feel a flicker of surprise.

She's not a cold woman but she's not much of a hugger either.

I accept her hug gratefully, letting her wrap her arms as tightly around me as she wants to as she holds me to her chest.

"I'm here, baby, let's go home," she whispers into my hair.