ANGELA
It was a few minutes past midnight and I had just checked in on my little girl Charlotte. I couldn't sleep as I waited for Patrick to come home from his trip elsewhere for "psychic stuff" as he described.
I sighed, remembering the stupidity of his interview where he had publicly beat down the world's renowned serial killer, Red John. Doubtless though, the blond curled blue eyed love of my life would charm me into submission.
A creak of a stair shook me from my trance. Then I realised with stupidity it must be Patrick coming in.
"Pat? Honey?" I called. Then a raspy voice that shook me to my core replied
"It isn't Patrick Angela. It's someone else come to pay their tributes to him"
Then a bloodcurdling scream from my daughter's room confirmed the identity. Red John had come to pay his vengeance.
I rushed to Charlotte's room, and saw the hooded figure stab my poor daughter in her side. Blood trickled out the gaping wound as she looked at me. I glared at the serial killer. No one ever got to hurt my baby ever!
"YOU LAY OFF MY DAUGHTER YOU FUCKER!" I screamed, shoving him into the glass cabinet. It smashed as he fell onto it, which surprised me as he was supposed to be perfect down to the last blood smudge on the smiley. Perhaps he had been killing for too long.
I took that chance to grab my daughter and pull her up, grabbing a tissue from her side to cover the wound as I raced her down the stairs, holding tight. She cried into me but I put a hand over her mouth to stop any sound escaping. I crept around the kitchen, grabbing a mobile and a wad of bandages before I remembered the basement!
I kissed the air in thanks of God and my husband Patrick for installing it and kneeled down opening the floorboard. Then I heard his chilling voice from upstairs chanting
Tiger, tiger burning bright
In the forests of the night
I willed myself to go faster as I grabbed the latch, lifting the secret door up and grabbing the torch, jumping in and lifting the latch back over me. It was a big jump and I cradled my daughter as I received the brunt of the impact. She snuggled in close to me, getting right to my ear and said "I got an owie mummy. Am I going to die?" I shook my head, shakily wrapping the bandage around her waist continuously. She couldn't die. We needed Pat home I thought as I dialled 911.
PATRICK
It had been a long journey. I was tired (and slightly drunk) as I sleepily called a taxi to take me home. It was quite quaint and I thought back to the realisation that I would be home soon, my daughter in my arms laughing as my beautiful carny wife watched on.
The screech of a police siren awoke me from my stupor. And then there were two more, and two more after that. And then two SUV's after it.
I watched wide eyed, as they turned the corner down my lane and I asked the driver to let me out. He did so and I gave him a wad of notes, flashing my charming smile before running onto the path and home, hoping and praying that it wasn't my house
Serves me right I thought as I remembered my stupidity of nationally insulting a world renowned serial killer, Red John.
My nightmare was coming true as I saw the police cars parked outside my house. My heart sank as I rushed forward to enter, only to be pulled away from a short woman with long black hair.
"Agent Lisbon, CBI" she said "I'm afraid you cant go in sir"
"This is my house. My wife and child…" I moaned, head shaking
Then I heard shouts and saw a young redheaded woman with a bulletproof vest, and a tall muscular man carrying my wife and daughter out. Angela saw me and waved, almost crying and I saw with horror that my little girl had been stabbed. Ignoring Lisbon, I ducked under the tape and rushed over to them.
Angela held out her hand to me and squeezed it and I saw my little girl's face light up as she saw me
"Daddy, these nice people saved us, but I got an owie by a scary man who left a smiley face in my room. I was scared" she said
"Ahh, but I'm sure you were very brave" I replied, smiling at my daughter and stroking her curls. The young man and woman ushered me away.
"Agent Van Pelt and Agent Rigsby here sir. I'm afraid your wife has many broken ribs and your daughter has extensive stab wounds. They have to be taken to hospital and we have to then question them" the young redheaded woman said
I nodded "Thank you" I stuttered out to both of them and they smiled
"Just part of our everyday work" Rigsby said