It was dark, and it took a minute for the fog of sleep to clear. Veronica sat up and yawning, ran her hand through her hair. Glancing wearily at the LED display next to her, she noted the time and inwardly groaned. 10.00! And she didn't feel rested in the slightest.
Veronica reached over and pulled on the blind cord to release the blackout blind, an essential item for someone who has stayed out all night tailing people. As the blinds flicked up, Veronica noticed a red smudge on the white cord. She looked down at her hands and a small shriek stuck in her throat....
Blood. All over her hands. All over her blankets. All over her clothes. She got up hurriedly and ran to her mirror – God! It was all over her hair! She forced herself to take a deep breath, and tried to rationalise her thoughts. Think! What happened last night?
A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts and she glanced around, looking at the door apprehensively.
"Who is it?"
"Veronica, Its Logan. You need to stop avoiding me; we need to talk about this!"
Somewhat relieved, she ran to the door and opened it. Whatever Logan was about to say stopped when he saw the condition that she was in.
"What the hell happened?! Is that your blood?"
Veronica grabbed his arm and practically hauled him into the apartment. She shut the door and locked it and turned to Logan. She looked him in the face and took a deep breath.
"I.... I don't know. I woke up covered in blood Logan and I can't remember what happened! I'm still dressed in last night's clothes, and... It's BLOOD, Logan!"
She started shaking, wondering what to say next. Logan reached to hug her but she stepped back.
"Don't Logan. Whatever this is, its evidence. I can't even wash it off." Brain working frantically, she looked at him again. "I need you to get something for me from my room. Under my desk is a blue container, please bring it out here".
Logan ran for her room and was back in minutes, carrying a large metal case. He looked inquiringly at her.
"Open the case, and pull out the swab kit. I will also need the small yellow envelopes and the tweezers".
Logan opened the case and removed the items.
"Okay, I need you to put on some gloves, and swab the blood. Be careful not to touch it. When you have done that, you need to put the swab in one of the plastic bags".
Logan looked at her alarmingly, but did as she asked. Once the swab had been taken, he asked her "What next?"
Just then they heard a key in the door and they both turned to see Keith Mars walk in the door, followed by a Deputy.
"Loga.. Veronica! What happened? What's going on here?"
Veronica looked at her father and nodded in the direction of the Deputy.
Keith motioned the deputy to wait outside and turned back towards his daughter.
"We got an anonymous call that we should check on you, that something illegal was going on here. Veronica, why are you covered in blood?"
"I don't know Dad, I woke up like this! I can't remember last night!"
He looked pointedly at Logan. Logan cleared his throat nervously.
"I came to talk to Veronica and she opened the door like this. I've only been here 5 minutes, Mr. Mars, I swear".
Keith looked at the case and his eyes shot back up to search his daughters face. "Why is the evidence kit out?"
Veronica looked back at her father and replied "Because I know what happens next. I ring you, get taken to hospital to be checked out, and evidence will be collected before I am officially questioned. I would rather have a head start than be left in the dark."
Keith looked at his daughter and nodded. However he reached down grab a pair of gloves and took the tweezers and envelope off Logan, and completed the next step himself. Taking his daughters hand in his own, she scraped under her fingernails and dropped the contents into the envelope, sealing it shut.
He stepped out and handed the evidence to his deputy, before turning back to his daughter.
"There. Done. Now let's go to the hospital".
He left Veronica & Logan in the living room and walked into her room to get her a coat and some shoes. Seeing something flash out of the corner of his eye, he knelt down and looked under the bed.
A serrated knife lay there, covered in blood. Keith froze, before grabbing the end of the handle with the gloves he still held in his hand. Turning, he carried the items out to the still quiet couple.
"Veronica?"
She turned, and he saw panic in her eyes. She looked at him pleadingly.
"Let's go. We need to find out what the hell happened last night".
Veronica glanced at Logan & nodded. He took the coat off Keith and laid it over her shoulders like a cloak. Looking at her feet, he motioned her to let him put her shoes on but she shook her head.
"I can walk barefoot"
As they walked out of the door, Keith having put the knife in one of the evidence bags from the kit, the deputy stepped forward.
"Uh... Sheriff? A call was made reporting a situation at the Kane Mansion. Celeste Kane was found dead this morning. She was stabbed repeatedly." His eyes flicked to the knife in Keith's hands, but Keith's eyes flew to his daughters face.
She had gone deathly white.
Veronica screamed in her mind and welcomed the darkness.
Before anyone could catch her, she slumped in a dead faint at their feet.