He got in and his phone buzzed. He lifted it, seeing Charlie’s name. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Are you on your way?”
“On my way where?”
“Rebecca’s house.”
“What? Why are you at…”
“Eric, it’s…it’s bad.” Eric’s heart dropped. Breathless, he looked to Adam. “I got her out, but she won’t stop shaking. She won’t talk or look at me. It’s like she’s in a trance…”
“What happened?” Eric felt the car accelerate and Adam turned on the emergency lights.
“Someone broke into her house and covered it… Everything is covered in…blood…” Charlie started, his words broken and hesitant. Eric’s mind went to the buckets of blood. “I’ve never seen anything like it, whoever did this…”
“Did you already call the police?”
“Yeah, but they aren’t here yet.”
“Okay, Charlie, you need to listen to me.” He tried to stay focused and compartmentalize the images rushing at him. “Rebecca’s going into shock. Put her in the car and turn on the heat. You need to keep her calm and warm until the police arrive.”
“How far out are you?”
“About half an hour, we’ll get there as soon as we can,” Eric replied before he hung up the phone.
“Black and Whites will be on scene in less than five minutes,” Adam told him. “I called Misty, Lug and a bus. How bad is it?”
“I…it sounds…bad.”
They pulled up alongside three patrol cars parked in front of the house. Jogging to the front door, a uniformed officer burst out of the house. Eric looked to Adam in confusion and the officer proceeded to vomit into the bushes. They stepped across the threshold, seeing pairs of flat foots covering their mouths, standing in awe of the view.
His memory of her house was full of light, comfortable and warm. A chill ran up his back and his stomach lurched in revulsion. Surrounded by dripping crimson and the suffocating odor of iron, the walls were covered in a thick coat of blood.
Eric didn’t remember what color the couch was before, but it was now a deep soaked purple with blood dripping down the sides. Two more officers exited the house and he forced himself to remain steady against the revolting display.
“Where’s Misty?”
“She just pulled up.” Adam stepped out of the house to get their expert.
Beccs…
He tried not to think of Rebecca walking into the house and seeing this for the first time, but there was no way to avoid it. He could almost envision how it happened and his entire body tensed in rage.
“Wow,” he heard a female voice say and saw Misty walk into the house. “This is some seriously fucked up shit.”
“Get to work. I want this bastard rotting in a jail cell sooner rather than later.”
Eric looked to Adam, who nodded in acknowledgement. He stepped out of the house and searched for Charlie. He found him just beyond the driveway talking to Lugow. Eric moved to his brother’s side, his chest quaking in dread. “Charlie.”
“Eric, how…”
“Try and not to think about it, Charlie, it won’t help anything,” Lug offered.
“Yeah.”
“Is Rebecca in the car?” Eric asked.
“Yeah.”
Eric saw her through the window.
“I did everything you said. Lugow tried to talk to her, but…”
“I managed to get her to take couple sips of water, but that’s about it,” Lugow
replied, giving him a look of genuine concern. Eric’s chest tightened even more.
“Addison said there’s a pile up downtown. All the ambulances are tied up so they have no idea when they’ll get here.”
“Do you mind if I try and talk to her?” Eric asked and Lugow nodded his okay. Eric gave his brother a pat on the back and moved around to the passenger’s side of the car. He reached for the handle of the door. He pulled on it, trying not to startle her.
The door opened and despite his efforts, she jumped back in confusion and fear. She saw him and blinked. Her entire body trembled and her arms wrapped around themselves. Eric pulled off his jacket, bundling it around her thin body. “Beccs.” He pulled the jacket tight, before he touched her chin. “Rebecca, can you look at me?”
There was no doubt, she was in shock. The trauma of finding her home violated to such an extreme manner would send anyone cowering in disbelief. She met his gaze, her eyes wide and distant.
“Hey, bright eyes.” His thumb caressed her cheek and her eyes closed at his touch. She trembled again and it took every ounce of strength not to enclose himself around her and take her away. He knew better and pulled himself back into the real world.
“Charlie’s going to take you somewhere safe, where you can rest.” She stared up at him blankly. He decided not to give her a choice of accommodations. He wanted her where he could keep an eye on her.
His free hand rested on the edge of the seat and he felt her icy hand grasp it, her eyes dipping when her breath stuttered in her chest.
“Hey, hey,” Eric responded, holding her hand between his in reassurance. “It’s going to be okay. Charlie isn’t going to leave you. You’ll be safe.”
Her eyes softened a little, but she couldn’t hide the fear and pain still residing behind them. Her grip on his hand tightened.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he said while she kept his unfaltering gaze. “I promise.”
Charlie approached the door.
Eric shifted and released her hand. He glanced at his brother, seeing she’d resumed her focus on the world outside the windshield. Eric moved out of the car. His heart ached with every inch he moved, but he closed the passenger door and met Charlie.
“How is she?”
“The same.”
“Can I get her out of here?”
“Yeah, hang on.” He moved past Charlie to Lugow. “Do you have any problems with Charlie getting her out of here? I am going to have him take her to my dad’s. She’ll be safe there.”
“Yeah, no get her out of here so she can rest. We can talk to her tomorrow,” Lug replied.
Eric walked back to Charlie. “Lug said it is fine. Why don’t you take her to Dad’s for the night?”
“Dad’s?”
“Yes, Dad’s,” Eric replied in an even tone. “She needs to rest and with both you and Dad around, she should be able to relax. This guy is still out there and Dad’s house is more secure than your place, no offense.”
“None taken,” Charlie replied, looking to the car in concern. “Did she say anything to you?”
“No,” Eric replied, he wasn’t technically lying to his brother.
“She hasn’t said anything since…”
“Charlie, she’s in shock,” Eric explained again in reassurance. “She needs to stay warm and relaxed. Besides that, just be there. She’ll come around. She needs to process what’s happened.”
“Okay,” Charlie replied with a nod. “You coming to the house after all this?”
“Yeah, after we’re done here.” His stomach twisted. Charlie nodded and moments later, Eric watched the car pull onto the street and disappear into the darkness.
Come Find Me!
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