Platypus

Chapter Twelve

 A phone was left idling on a table. It let out a single buzz, making it wobble a centimeter counter-clockwise. Melissa set down her tablet and picked it up. The text was still on the front screen.

"Tell Albert to charge his phone."

Melissa frowned to herself. She unlocked Rafi's phone and texted Fenton back. "Isn't he with you?"

A moment before it buzzed again. "Can't travel in snow. Staying overnight at Professor Song's. Didn't Albert spend last night with you?"

"He went home. I'll drive over and check your apartment." Melissa sent off the text and set the phone down.

Rafi's head appeared around the corner. "Something up?"

Melissa stood up. "I don't think Albert went home last night."

Although Rafi wasn't worried about Albert, something about Melissa's expression whispered that he should be. "I can pack some food and we can take my bike over."

Melissa folded her arms and thought about it. She then nodded to herself. "Let's go."

They bundled up and took Rafi's scooter bike over to Albert and Fenton's apartment. Melissa headed up the stairs, ahead of Rafi. She had a sinking feeling in her gut, like she wasn't going to like what she found.

She quickly typed 1214 into the door lock and opened it. There was no sound of Albert greeting them or his odd choices in music blasting over the speakers. Simply silence.

Rafi caught up with her and entered first. "Hey, Albert?" He handed the bag of food to Melissa and signaled for her to wait.

But no one was inside. Fenton's bed was unmade, as it always was, and there were dishes that were waiting to be cleaned in the sink. No signs of trouble, or unturned furniture, or anything unusual.

Melissa entered and put the bag of food in the fridge. The first thing she checked was Albert's hat rack and his closet. Albert was a fan of switching accessories on a daily basis. His hat and backpack from yesterday were absent, and the lime green polka dot shirt wasn't in the laundry hamper.

He didn't go home, but he didn't tell Fenton where he was heading. Either he thought it was going to be a quick trip, or the worst had happened. She continued to dig around the room while Rafi leaned against the doorframe.

"Should we call Juliet?" He asked.

"I don't have her number," muttered Melissa.

"We'll find her on True," replied Rafi. "Unless there is an army of Juliets in Blue Ginger, it should be a cinch, eh?"

A sigh escaped Melissa's lips. "Her name isn't Juliet. It's an insult Albert made up because she immediately ran off to find her Romeo... I don't even know what her real name is."

The weight of the situation was beginning to sink in for Rafi. He had to walk over and sit on the couch. His face became buried in his hands as he tried to rationalize what was happening.

Melissa struggled to distance herself emotionally. Both she and Rafi had come up with the same conclusion. That Albert was the next victim in the disappearance cases. All of them were men with partners who were on a "journey."

It was Rafi who broke the silence first. "We need to call the police."

"He's dead in two days," replied Melissa. She felt sick just saying that.

Rafi didn't know what to say. He didn't want to lie to her and himself. There was no saying that the police were going to find Albert, or that Albert went somewhere else.