Chapter Three: Choose, Kylie.
When Ms.Michaels came up to me, I forced a smile and said, “Hey, Ms. Michaels. I’m glad you came.”
She smiled, “Please, it’s Kylie. And like I said, I'm always there if you need help with anything.”
She touched my arm after that, I didn’t feel anything, instead just forced a smile again. “Okay, Kylie, how about you come in?” Said me as I stepped aside to let her in.
After she came in, I closed the door and locked it, and went to the curtains and closed it too. “Want anything to drink? I only have Pepsi and water.” I said as I went to the kitchen and took out the two drinks I said I only had. “I’d like the water, please.” I nodded as I chuckled. She’s putting on a persona, I just know it.
Acting like she’s a kind person that cares about everybody. I handed her the water, she said thanks, I sat down next to her, we were some distance apart from each other. After she drank some of the water, she looked at me.
“So, what’s the problem?”
I looked at her and raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean ‘what’s the problem?’”
She looked at me and raised and raised an eyebrow back, “I thought you called because you needed someone to vent to, to someone close to you.”
My heart fluttered at that, I snapped myself out of it. She doesn’t care about me, she only wants to date me because I look good.
“I just called you over to watch TV with me.” As I said, I turned on the tv and played “I’m Sorry” by The Platters as I held the remote in my hand.
Her eyes widened in surprise, as if she wasn’t expecting that, but then she smiled. Why did she smile, I don’t know. It was like she had a plan up her sleeve, which she did because she sat closer to me.
“That’s okay.”
Our legs touched a part of me though she cared for me, how?! She’s just making moves, that doesn’t mean she cares about me- wait…wait, the crate. That’s how I’ll know if she really cares about me.
“Kylie…”
“Yes, Michael?”
I looked at her. “Do you…care about me?”
She looked at me and smiled at me, then rubbed my thigh. “Of course I care about you.” I forced a smile until I got up and went to the crate. She asked what I was doing, I didn’t respond and opened the crate, which released muffled sobs into the air for her to hear. Kylie looked concerned,
“Michael, is everything alright? Why am I hearing-”
Before she could finish, I threw a body over the couch which made her gasp. It was Amare, she was still alive but bruised and hurt. I then came around the couch with a revolver pointed at Kylie. Kylie looked in shock and fear.
“M-Michael, Please-”
“Do you care now, huh?!” Said me as I looked at Kylie, who was crying.
“M-Michael-”
She tried saying my name, tried to plead with me. I wasn’t having it. “No! Shut up!” I then cocked the revolver, “I shoot you, Amare lives. I shoot Amare, you walk away! Choose!”
Amare and Kylie looked shocked. Amare started crying and screaming. but the screams were muffled because of the tape on her mouth. She tried moving, but her legs were tied together and so were her hands. I kicked her and told her to shut up. She stopped squirming, but kept crying. “Choose, Kylie, choose!” Kylie closed her eyes shut and cried. I decided to press her more, “Choose or I'll shoot both of you!”
Kylie flinched at what I said, she cried even more and stood there. “Okay then! 3! 2!-” Kylie cried as she shakily put her finger up and pointed at Amare. Amare eyes widened and started squirming, screaming muffled screams. “Oh, so you want Amare to die?” Kylie nodded, “Y-yes..” I sighed, “I thought so.”
I turned the television’s volume up and pulled the trigger on Ms.Michaels leg, which made her scream and fall, she cried and tried to crawl away. I stormed over to her, I threw on the coffee table which shattered. I picked her up again.
“I finally know now. You don’t care about me, or anyone else!” I said as I banged her head against the ground, she just cried in pain, which was stopped every time her face met the floor.
***
Ronnie hummed Hotel California as he smoked his cigar. I was tilted back in my seat, staring at the roof of the car, also smoking a cigar. “Look, Michael Jacksons, “Dangerous” Album is the best album.”
I just raised an eyebrow. “How does listening to the eagles make you think about Michael Jackson?”
I thought he was high, because someone can’t just randomly think that. Maybe Ronnie is just a weirdo.
“I never said it did! But…Dangerous is the best album.”
I just scoffed, this man really knows how to get people hooked on random topics brought up, because let me tell you…I was hooked, but I didn’t wanna show that.
“You're just a guy that loves to speak his mind, huh? And Dangerous is not Michael Jackson’s best album.”
Ronnie gasped, “How dare you?! It’s at least top 3 with Bad and Thriller!”
He’d then ramble about Dangerous being the best Michael Jackson album, which made me smirk and relax more until something hit me,
“Ronnie, how long has it been since we called Kylie?”
Ronnie stopped rambling and looked at me with a raised eyebrow, “Like…30 minutes to an hour ago? Check your phone.”
I took out my phone and looked for her on recent calls, she was the first one. An hour ago, it said. Me and Ronnie looked at each other before I tapped her number and called her, putting the phone on speaker.
***
As I stopped banging her head against the ground, she was still living but barely. Her pocket began to vibrate. I checked her pocket and took out the phone. It was just numbers, no name. I grabbed Kylie by the hair and showed her the number, “Who’s this?”
She just groaned and mumbled, her eyes half lid opened. I banged her head against the ground and yelled at her. “I said who the fuck is this?! Look!”
She sobbed and opened her eyes more, she looked at the numbers confused. “I don’t…know.”
I banged her head once more before releasing it.I muted the tv and answered the phone and stayed silent, only my breathing could be heard.
“Kylie? You there, Kylie? It’s Detective Kaisen!” My eyes widened as I heard the word “detective".” What could the cops want with Ms.Michaels? Unless… After realizing, I instantly opened the message app and texted the number
***
As I tried to call out for Kylie, I got nothing. I looked over at Ronnie, whose face looked interested in the phone, waiting for an answer. But the vibration that the phone made caused me to turn my head almost instantly.
The message was from Kylie’s phone number and said, “Stay out of my way.”
Me and Ronnie both had raised eyebrows, the phone was still on the call, so I decided to continue speaking through the phone. “What do you mean, Kylie?! What happened?!”
We waited a few seconds before another text appeared, “I am not Ms.Michaels.” Then another text appeared, “Stay out of my way.”
Me and Ronnie looked surprised when the person that we supposedly thought was Kylie, wasn’t her.
Ronnie looked even more surprised, his mouth slightly dropped,
“What-”
Before I could finish, Ronnie lightly tapped my shoulder, I turned to him looking confused, I mouthed the word “What?”
Ronnie then whispered, “It’s the killer…the person texting is the killer.” I looked shocked then skeptical and whispered back,
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Y-you sure?” Ronnie nodded vigorously, like he was confident that whoever was on the phone was the killer. I turned to the phone and slightly yelled,
“Y’know, killing is a bad thing.” I said.
The person took longer than before to respond with a message, but he did text back,
“Leave me alone.”
My breath quickened, Ronnie might be right- no he is right. “Like hell we will! What did you do with Kylie?!” My hand gripped the phone tightly, anxiously waiting for a response.
“Kylie is getting what she deserves.”
My eyes widened at the text message. My hand that held the phone started to shake in anger. “You bastard! You better not lay a hand-” My anger subsided when I saw the next text, I then turned confused.
“You don’t care about her.” Before I can think or respond, the next text came in like a flying breeze,
“You only care about her because you want to question her.” Then the next text appeared, “You only think that questioning her will bring you closer to me.”
I felt even more confused when he said that. Was what he said the truth? No! It couldn’t be! “Stop it! No! That’s not true!” I denied it, obviously, because it wasn't the truth, but something neglected me from fully thinking that. “Keep telling yourself that.” When I saw that message, I clenched my phone more,
“Why? Why are you doing this?!” My anger was at its peak when I said that, I dreadfully wanted to know.
“Because nobody cares.”
***
I hung up the phone before he could say anything, I looked at the phone then went outside, stayed close to my house. I looked at the phone, which rang again, it was the detective again. I threw the phone as far as I could. It landed in some other neighbor's backyard, that was in front of me. I sighed then went back inside my house.
***
“Damnit, pick up.” The way I muttered those words sounded desperate. Ronnie could hear it in my voice.
“He’s not gonna pick up.” Ronnie had tried to tell me the truth and stop wasting time for us.
I just ignored him and looked at the phone as it kept ringing. Ronnie got irritated and spoke in and spoke in a slightly raised voice, “Kaisen, I told you, he’s not gonna-!”
“I don’t care! Fuck, fuck!” I said as I looked at the phone to see it go to voicemail. I slouched in my seat.
Ronnie massaged his temple. “What made you think he was gonna answer AFTER he hung up?!”
“I…I don’t know.” I said, responding to Ronnie with the side of my head leaning in between my index finger and thumb.
“Damn right you don’t.” Ronnie said as he made a “tch” sound and leaned back in the driver seat.
I sighed, then, 5 seconds later, something came to mind.
I looked at my phone then sat up. Ronnie glanced at me, then my phone before placing the cigar in the ashtray and saying, “You gonna try and call him again? You really don’t know how to list-”
I cut off Ronnie by putting my hand up to silence him, “I’m calling her.” Ronnie raised an eyebrow, he knew I had an idea up my sleeve, but he couldn’t help not to ask. “And who’s her? If I may ask?”
“You know who.”
***
Laufey. She’s a…woman. How do I put it? She’s like the color white, she blends in with other whites, but with a different color, she stands out like a stain on a white shirt. I don’t know if it’s the way she dresses, I mean, she dresses nice, and sometimes provocative. But…she’s different.
Laufey sucked on her lollipop and took it, waving it about, humbling to herself. She leaned back in her chair looking at her co-workers as they worked. She turned her head to look at the co-workers, but she saw one of her co-worker, Nack, talking to other co-workers. Her gaze landed on the coffee he was holding. The way she smiled, she was planning something devious. Her eyes landed on Nack’s coffee, then the dartboard, then her lollipop.
“Hey, Nack!”
Nack looked over to Laufey, his eyebrows furrowed. “What do you want, Laufey?”
Laufey gave Nack a cheeky grin, “Your coffee!”
Nack was taken aback by what she said and raised an eyebrow, “My coffee..?”
Laufey nodded, “Yeah, if I can get a bullseye on that dartboard, without looking. You have to give me your coffee.”
Nack’s head recoiled from that response, then muttered what Laufey said and laughed. “You, make that from right there, without looking? Ha! You wish!”
Laufey grinned deviously, waving it around, “What? you scared?” Laufey says while sticking out her bottom lip mockingly.
Nack looked irritated as he made a frown, “Okay! I’ll humor you! If you actually manage to do it, which I know you can’t, but if you do, then i’ll give you my coffee. But we all know…”
As Nack kept talking, Laufey took a dart off her desk and threw it while looking the other way. “Bullseye.”
“Huh?! What do you mean?! You haven’t even-” He said as he stopped his talking and looked to where the dartboard was. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the dart on the dartboard, on the bullseye.
Nack stuttered which made Laufey giggle. “You know the deal. Give your coffee, big boy.” Laufey held out her hand with a cocky grin.
Nack grumbled and walked over to her, giving her the coffee as the co-workers Nack was talking to, laughed. Laufey faced her desk, she took the lollipop out and was going to dip it into the coffee, until the phone on her desk rang. The phone took her attention away from the coffee, as she saw who was calling. She put the coffee down, nearly dropping it, and picked up the phone. “Hello, Kaisen?”
***
“Laufey, I need you to do something.” The desperation in my voice was real, I need this now, and right now.
***
“Okay! Tell me anything! Anything that can kill my boredom!” Laufey’s voice sounded desperate too, sounded like she’d kill to kill her boredom.
***
“Okay, I need you to track something.” I said as I searched for Kylie’s phone number.
***
“Alright! Who or what do you need me to track? Laufey’s excitement increased as she said this.
***
“A phone number.” I said hesitantly as my gaze was stuck on Ms.Michaels contact info, I didn’t know if Laufey was up for this. But judging by her voice, she sounded like she’d do anything.
***
“Phone number?! Sure, I do that all the time, that’s how I'm looking at your location right now.”
***
“Huh?” Said me as I raised my eyebrow, Ronnie just looked in disbelief. I shook my head, trying to get back on topic. “So you can track phone numbers, right?”
***
“Yup! So give me it and I'll get it done in no time!”
Kaisen then gave the digits of Ms.Michaels phone number to Laufey. Laufey then quickly put the digits in her phone, plugged a usb cord in her computer, then the other end into her phone. Then her contacts popped up on the computer. She sat her phone down on her desk, put her hand on the desktop mouse, double clicked the recently added phone number, which loaded for a bit until popping up.
“It’s done! It looks like the phone’s location is not that far from you guys.”
***
I smiled at Laufey’s words, “Good, good.” Ronnie smiled a bit too, but had this face of skepticism on him.
***
Laufey smiled, “I also drew the directions on my computer between your phone and the one that I'm tracking, so you better start driving so I can give you the directions.”
***
“Alright.” I said I nodded, I looked over at Ronnie, Ronnie looked at me. “Cmon, Ronnie! Start driving!”
I was eager to catch this guy. I couldn’t just let him go. “Alright, alright.” Ronnie said as he faced the windshield and landed his hands on the steering wheel.
Ronnie hit the gas pedal and began driving at a fast pace. “Left.” “Right.” Laufey said as she fed us the directions. “Keep going straight.”... “Right.”
“Stop!”
We stopped in front of a house, it looked normal. Well on the outside it did, but the outside doesn’t equate to the inside. The inside could be a whole different story. “Is this the house?” I said, looking at the house, something felt off, Ronnie could feel something off too, judging by the way he looked at the house.
“Yep, this is it.” Laufey said on the phone. I sighed, “Alright, thanks for your help, Laufey.”
***
“Happy to help.” Laufey said as she hung up. Laufey then got bored again, “Well that was fun while it lasted.”
She leaned the side of her head on her palm. Laufey looked at the time, 8:38pm, the clock showed. She then looked at the computer, seeming bored and also…impatient. She glanced back at the time, 8:39, the time said. Laufey eyebrows furrowed, then she got up muttering, “Fuck it.” She grabbed her stuff and walked out.
Laufey’s friend looked at her as she walked out, her friend glanced at the time, then the walking Laufey. “Laufey, what are you doing? It’s not time yet.” Laufey turned to her friend, using her backside to open one of the doubled doors with a sly grin on her face,
“I know, I just couldn’t wait any longer. And I was getting bored.” She then left.
Her friend then turned back to their computer, “Well, have fun on your side job.” They said as if she was still there.
***
Me and Ronnie looked at the house. I then checked for my holster, which hugged the side of my rib cage. Ronnie looked like wanted to say something but stopped. I glanced at him, it looked like something was off with him,
“You good?”
I wanted to make sure he was up for this, I knew we had caught this killer. Ronnie nodded, then said, “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”
I raised an eyebrow, “You sure you're good?” Ronnie sighed, “I’m fine.” The corner of my mouth tugged, “Then, are you ready?”
Ronnie looked at me and slightly smiled, it looked forced while trying not to.
“I’m ready.”
I gave him a genuine smile, he still gave me a forced awkward smile.
“Then, let’s go catch a killer.”
I got out of the car and Ronnie followed me. We stepped over the curb and walked up to the door. I tested the doorknob, it was unlocked, me and Ronnie looked at each other until we heard what sounded like screaming, coming from the inside. My head quickly snapped to the door, I, with no hesitation, opened and went inside, the screams sounded clear, like a little girl. I heard a loud, muffled “Get over here!”
which sprung me to where it came from, the bathroom. I ran into the bathroom, no time to carefully open it.
“Hands up-!”
My eyes widened at what they were laid upon, it was a man, early 40s, a kid that looked 7 or 8, the same girl that I heard screaming, she was being held in the man's like any parent would hold their child. She was naked like she just got out of the shower.
“Honey?!”
My head snapped quickly to the voice Ronnie looked behind himself before moving aside. There was a woman, and a boy with a soccer ball in his hand. I took a good few seconds at the woman and boy, then the man and the daughter. I shut my eyes and sighed as the woman asked what was going on. “Fuck me…” I muttered under my breath.