In His Refuge

Chapter 3: Long Night

Ellie was currently sitting at the back of a paramedics all wrapped up in a shiny space blanket that she was loving and planned to take home with her, if they let her of course that is. They had insisted on a routine check up just to make sure everything was fine.

Ellie's feet were a little cut up due to the running she had done in those god forsaken heels but it was nothing a few bandages couldn't fix which the paramedic had been kind enough to do for her.

He was also kind enough to ask for her number after that and she couldn't say no considering he did bandage up her feet.

Tobby was right beside her, trying to catch a sight of the dead body from there as they were instructed to sit tight and not move by one of the detectives on case, Detective Marley.

By now there was a whole investigative team surrounding the crime scene, the forensics were there taking pictures and a crowd of people was starting to form which was being pushed away by the police.

Detective Marley finally came up to the two of them, his hands in his pockets.

"Ellie right? And Tobby?" He asked to confirm and they both nodded their heads.

"So Ellie, tell me what happened from the beginning, I know you already told the police and they filled me in but I wanna hear it from you" Detective said and Ellie yet again nodded before speaking.

"I was walking down this street to the metro station, I was looking for my metro station card in my hand bag when all of a sudden just inches away from me someone fell from the balcony of that apartment building, I was shocked and when I looked up, for a few seconds my gaze met with that man standing in the balcony who I am assuming is the killer and then he disappeared inside the apartment so I made run for it because I knew he was coming for me a...and I..I just ran as fast as I could and got into this Diner, Tobby was there, he told me the diner was closed but I couldn't care less and I dragged him inside the kitchen and locked the door from inside, placed stuff in front of it and moments later there was a rattling on the door knob of the kitchen from outside, we called 911 and the rest you know" Ellie narrated the whole thing taking a deep breath in.

She was definitely gonna have nightmares for a while.

"Alright. Do you guys think that the man who was following you, quite possibly the killer, saw you Tobby?" He asked.

"No I don't think so, when she came in, she was so frantic that she dragged me inside, at that time I couldn't see anyone behind her so I don't think he saw me" Tobby answered and the detective nodded.

"What about you Ellie, do you think he saw Tobby?"

"No, I don't think so either, he caught up to the diner after we locked ourselves in. He saw me but not Tobby" Ellie answered.

"I am sorry but can I go home now? I am having some of my friends over to watch a football game" Tobby asked.

Ellie checked the time in her phone and it was pretty late almost midnight.

"Yes, can I leave too, very tired, I had to work late today and that's what got me mixed up in all this mess" she said and the detective let out a long sigh.

"Tobby, we'll have someone drive you home and put 24 hour surveillance on you just in case, but you should still expect more questioning from the police, it's going to be on abs off till we catch this killer. Ellie, I can't let you go right now, I am sorry but the killer saw you and you won't be safe if I sent you home, so you'll be coming to the bureau with me, the detective super intendant of this case will be here tomorrow morning first thing and then we'll see what arrangements we should make" the detective said and Ellie let out a tired sigh.

Why did this have to happen to her?

Tobby along with the detective and the police officer started walking away while discussing the case which Ellie could hear.

"It's him isn't it?" Detective Marley said sharing a glance with a police officer who gave him a solemn look, confirming detective Marley's guess.

"He goes MIA for an year and a half almost to god knows where and now he strikes again, back in New York City, son of a bitch" Detective Marley swore.

"He relapsed I guess, his appetite for killing wasn't satiated and so here we are again, this screams his work all over, the strangulation marks, signs of bondage in the room and that description, it's him he's back" the police officer said, running a hand through his disheveled hair in frustration.

Soon after Ellie had yawned like a hundred times and the woman's body had been moved by the paramedics did detective Marley got her into his car and start driving towards the FBI headquarters.

It didn't take much time for Ellie to fall asleep in the car on the drive there and the next time she woke up to Detective Marley nudging her awake, telling her they were there.

The bureau was a fancy building with black glass all around and a lot of security clearance that they had to go through.

They got into the elevator before Detective Marley spoke.

"So you see, this killer, he is no new news, we have been trying to find him for a while now and we already have a team attending to it, so I am gonna get you to that team right now, you'll have to spend the night here, it will be safe" he told her.

"Will he really be out to kill me?" Ellie asked, it was hard to believe that someone would be out to kill her like that.

She never did anyone any harm but still things like this happened to her.

"Yes dear, I know it's scary but I promise, we'll do everything in our power to keep you safe" the detective assured and all Ellie could do was nod.

The doors opened to a long hallway and Ellie followed him as he got out, walking behind him down the hallway before he pushed open a door and walked inside holding it open for her.

Ellie didn't know what to call the room, it was weird.

The room was pretty big with four couches, there was a table with office chairs and a mini refrigerator in the corner beside which a flat screen tv was placed.

There were four people in the room, all looking at her with questioning looks as she stood beside Detective Marley, she looked so small beside him.

Detective Marley was pretty big probably over six feet while Ellie stood only at five feet four.

"This is Ellie Summers, our sole witness to Mariano Melaki's killing, she'll be staying here with you guys tonight while you get the paperwork straight and get into the latest killing. It's you golden opportunity, you can question her I all you want if she allows that, you have her till tomorrow, take care of her" with that detective give one last nod of goodbye to Ellie before walking out, leaving her all nervous and fidgety.

"Hi umm... Ellie" she stupidly introduced herself again.

"Hey Ellie, I am Rose, this is Katherine, the blonde one is Blake and the dark hair one is Raymond" one of the girls introduced herself and the other three who greeted her with little waves and small smiles which Ellie returned.

It was going to be a long night. It already was actually.