MARRY THE NIGHT
CHAPTER ONE-THE FIRST WARNING
Twenty Eight year old Marnie Danvers yawned and stretched her arms lazily above her head. It was the end of the teaching day. School was just about over and she was free to head home and unwind. She gathered up her papers and planner and easily stuffed them into her messenger bag. At that moment, a fellow teacher named Diana Bass poked her head into Marnie's classroom.
"Hey," Marnie said cheerfully as she got up from behind her desk and grabbed her slate gray blazer. "I was just about to head out. Do you want a lift home?"
"No thanks Marnie. I was wondering if you could check on a student for me. Sara Thompson. She went into the ladies room about a half hour ago and she hasn't come out. The days over and I'm rather worried about her,"
Marnie pulled on the gray blazer over her white poplin shirt and pulled her shoulder length wheat colored brown hair out from under the collar. It fell easily around her shoulders, framing her green eyes. They had flecks of emerald in them and were nicely shown off by her thick dark, long lashes. Marnie had a nicely tanned creamy complexion and rosy cheeks to match. Whenever she smiled or grinned, dimples stood out. Her lips were a soft pink color which she often used light pale pink lip gloss. Today she had worn a pair of black slacks, a white poplin shirt and her gray blazer over it. A thin gold chain link belt looped around her waist. On her feet was a pair of black pumps.
Marnie beamed at Diana.
"Sure. I'd be glad to check. I was going to head in there anyway,"
Diana looked relieved. Diana was in her late fifties with graying dark brown hair that she kept pulled into a bun. She had blue eyes and a kind face. Diana was wearing a skirt and a red blouse. Diana stepped away from the door and Marnie could hear her high heels clacking against the polished floor. Marnie closed her classroom door and then headed off to the ladies room. She gently pushed open the door and stepped into the ladies room. There were multiple stalls so Marnie gently pushed open the first stall door. No one was there.
"Sarah? Are you alright?" Marnie called as she checked the second stall. Again, there was no one there.
"Miss Bass asked me to look in on you. She was getting worried when you didn't return to class," Marnie continued as she hit the third and fourth one. Still there was no sign of Sarah. When Marnie hit the fifth stall, and the door swung open, she screamed. Sitting on the toilet was Sarah. There was blood everywhere. Someone had repeatedly stabbed her in the chest. A note was pinned to her shirt: I WILL HAVE MY WAY.
Marnie leaned against the police car. She had her arms folded over her chest and she was biting her bottom lip. Her stomach felt sick and like someone had twisted it. Nausea came and went and she was desperately trying to fight it down. A police officer was asking her questions. She told her everything leading up to finding Sarah. When Marnie raised her eyes, a red Ford Crown Victoria pulled up. A tall, thin dark haired and blue eyed male detective got out from the driver's side. A blond haired young female detective got out on the passenger side. They closed their doors and began approaching me. The male detective was dressed in a pair of dark grey slacks, a silver shirt and a matching dark gray suit jacket over it. He also had on a dark silver tie. His badge was clipped to his belt. The female was dressed in a gray pants suit with a pink tank top on beneath the jacket. Her blond hair was pulled back and twisted into a bun.
I saw them speaking to another officer. The officer turned and pointed to me. They nodded and headed toward me.
"Are you Marnie Danvers?" the female detective asked in a soft tone.
I nodded.
"I'm Detective Juliet O'Hara and this is my partner, Detective Carlton Lassiter. I understand you were the one who found the victim?"
Her tone was sympathetic. She wasn't like all business and seemed to have good people skills. I liked her right away. I inhaled deeply and nodded.
"Yes. Diana Bass, another fellow teacher, had asked me to check in on Sarah because she had been in the bathroom for over a half hour. She was getting concerned. I said I'd be glad to check in and that's when I found her," Another chill ran up her spine.
Marnie could feel Detective Lassiter's blue eyes studying her. She shifted her weight a bit and felt a bit uncomfortable. She kept her eyes on Detective O'Hara.
"There was a note," Marnie continued. "It said I Will Have My Way. There was just so much blood…"
Marnie's voice trailed off as her stomach finally lost the battle. It churned violently and shifted. Marnie threw Detective O'Hara a quick apologetic look before she clamped her hand over her mouth and flew over to one of the shrubs. Marnie began retching into the rose bushes. She sensed someone next to her. It was the female Detective and she had gently gathered Marnie's hair out of the way and held it back.
"I'm sorry," Marnie said thickly. "This must not be the most attractive way to interrogate someone."
"Its fine," Detective O'Hara said softly. "I've seen things that I still have not gotten used to."
"Is she alright?" Marnie heard Detective Lassiter's concerned question come next.
"Yes I'm fine," Marnie said as she wiped the corner of her mouth with the top of her wrist. "I could use a mint and probably mouth wash but otherwise fine."
She straightened up and Detective O'Hara walked with her back over to where Detective Lassiter was standing. He'd placed his hands on his hips, pulling back the two halves of his jacket, exposing the badge on his belt.
"Do you have any idea as to who might've done it?" Detective Lassiter asked.
Marnie shook her head.
"None what so ever," she answered honestly and truthfully. "This is the first time something like this has happened in over 20 years."
"What happened 20 years ago?" Detective O'Hara asked curiously.
Marnie's breathing suddenly became strained and she was wheezing. Realization tugged at her. It was all too familiar and it was entirely too creepy and it was most certainly not a coincidence.
"Miss Danvers?" Detective Lassiter prompted. He and Detective O'Hara exchanged worried glances.
Marnie began walking toward her car, hoping they would follow. Her asthma had kicked in from all the stress.
"She's not going to barf again is she?" Detective Lassiter asked warily as he and O'Hara followed Marnie close behind.
"Carlton," Detective O'Hara chided. "I think she's having an asthma attack."
Once Marnie hit her car, she slumped against it and grabbed the key fob from her left pocket. She clicked the 'unlock' button and the headlights blinked and a small 'beep beep' went off, signaling that the car was unlocked. She reached into the car and grabbed an inhaler off the console. She raised it to her mouth and pressed it down twice. Small puffs of air filled her lungs. Marnie took a few deep breaths and her breathing immediately settled down.
"Sorry. It happens whenever I get anxious or stressed," she apologized. "About 20 years ago, before I transferred here, I heard a story about a student that was killed in the bathroom in a similar fashion with an identical note. The police ruled it as a suicide."
"Was there anything unusual that you remember from the story?" Detective O'Hara prompted curiously.
Marnie paused for a moment, thinking.
"Well, the note if I can recall said something to the effect of Sins will be paid," Marnie said slowly. "I found that kind of odd considering the boy that was found wasn't religious. I mean why would someone that doesn't follow a particular religion suddenly write a note like that? To me it didn't make sense."
I saw Detective Lassiter's lip twitch at that.
Detective O'Hara looked thoughtful.
"That is strange," she mused.
"If you can think of anything else, please don't hesitate to call us," Detective Lassiter said handing her a business card. It was white with his name and cell phone number, along with extension to the precinct.
Marnie took it and smiled at him. He offered her a quick smile in return. Marnie thought he was kinda cute. She leaned back against the car again, folding her arms over her chest, and chewed on her bottom lip. She couldn't seem to shake the image from her mind. It was horrible. A gentle gust of wind caught her hair and whisked it back away from her face. She reached up and tucked a few strands of hair behind her hair. Marnie leaned her hip against her car and just watched the police investigating and. A blue Toyota Echo pulled up beside the detective's car. Two young men climbed out. One was a dark skinned well dressed guy. He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a burgundy striped shirt. He was bald, but handsome. The second was a scruffier looking light skinned guy dressed in jeans, and a gray tee shirt. He had short golden brown hair and gray blue eyes. He had the early stubble of a beard, but it was kept trimmed giving him a cute but unkempt kempt look. They spied Marnie and began heading over to her. She saw Detective Lassiter scowl in their direction and also began heading in her direction again. She turned her eyes onto the two guys.
"Hello. I'm Shawn Spencer," the scruffy guy said extending his hand out to Marnie. "I'm a psychic with the Santa Barbara police department and this is my partner Sam the Silly pants Rogers."
"Marnie. Marnie Danvers," Marnie said.
At that point Detective Lassiter reached them as well. She felt the corners of her mouth tilt up as the dark skinned guy frowned at Shawn. He extended his hand out as well.
"Gus," he corrected. Marnie shook both their hands.
"What are you two nitwits doing here?" he demanded.
"Lassie! You know you're going to need our help," Shawn said pretending to be affronted. "Remember I can tell when you're going to need it."
He tapped his temple. Detective Lassiter's expression remained.
"Don't annoy her Spencer," Lassiter said narrowing his eyes but then turned them onto her. "If he annoys you, let me know."
She nodded and kept a grin from forming. Lassiter made the 'peace' sign with his index and middle finger. He pointed them at his own eyes, and then aimed it at Shawn giving him the 'I'll be watching you' warning before turning and heading back to O'Hara. Shawn just gave him a light wave and then turned to Marnie.
"Wow that was creepy," Shawn said shivering.
"What was creepy?" Gus asked tilting his head.
"Lassie was kinda ogling her," Shawn said. "Eww."
Shawn violently shook himself, ridding the image from his mind. Then he appeared cheerful again and turned his attention back to Marnie.
She was watching them torn between amusement and fascination. She'd never met a real psychic before. Marnie believed that things were out there that no one could explain. Just because there was no proof, didn't mean it didn't exist.
"Anyway, you found the young girl right?" Shawn asked.
Marnie nodded again. Shawn turned to Gus.
"Gus stay with her for a moment. I'm going to check the body," Shawn said and then slipped under the yellow and black POLICE crime scene tape that was now wrapped around the perimeter of the school. He made sure to keep out of Detective Lassiter's line of vision though. Marnie turned to Gus.
"I'm guessing he's not really wanted here," Marnie said.
"Oh no. Lassiter's an ok guy he and Shawn don't really get along well though but it's all good. They tease each other regularly," Gus said but Marnie could see from the expression on his face, that wasn't exactly the case. Gus cleared his throat.
"It must've been awful finding her," he said his tone changing to a soft and sympathetic one.
Marnie shivered for the umpteenth time.
"God yeah. There was just so much blood," she said rubbing her arms. "It's going to stay with me for a very long time."
Gus threw her a understanding look as Shawn managed to sneak back under the tape and over to them without anyone seeing them.
"Ok. I checked out the crime scene," Shawn said eagerly. "Whoever did it left behind a little clue. Whoever did it had long red hair."
"It was a woman more than likely right?" Marnie prompted him.
Shawn nodded and winked at her.
"Watch me impress Lassie,"
Shawn turned and cleared his throat.
"Lassie! Jules! I'm getting something!"
Detective O'Hara and Lassiter began coming back again.
"What is it Spencer?" Lassiter asked in a cross between annoyance and irritation.
When they reached Marnie, Lassiter's expression seemed to relax.
"I think whoever did it, had long red hair. I sense there is a strand at the crime scene. You need to take it and test it," Shawn said placing his index and middle finger against his temple, while the thumb was pressed against his jaw line. Detective O'Hara called a police officer over and relayed what Shawn had said. Marnie took another puff of her inhaler, to make sure she was set for the day. Gus suddenly spied her and stepped forward.
"Marnie can I see that inhaler?"
"Sure," Marnie said and handed it over.
"What's wrong Gus?" Detective O'Hara asked turning her eyes onto him.
"Ambetherol," Gus said. "This medication was recalled 3 weeks ago for having serious side effects. Didn't you hear about it?"
Marnie nodded.
"I asked my doctor about it and he said it was fine to keep taking it,"
"You need to stop," Gus said looking at Marnie seriously. "People have ended up in the hospital with heart attacks. There was a case of a 19 year old boy that had a minor heart attack."
"Oh thank you for telling me!" Marnie said. "I'm going to make my doctor change it. Do you work for a hospital?"
"Pharmaceutical company," Gus said looking pleased.
"Miss Danvers, if you start feeling off, I want you to tell us immediately," Detective Lassiter said seriously. Marnie nodded.
"Miss Danvers, we'll need you to come down to the station to give a formal statement," Detective O'Hara said softly. "You can come back for your car as soon as you're done."
Marnie nodded. She locked her car. Gus and Shawn climbed into the blue Echo and pulled away. Detective Lassiter opened the back door behind the front passenger seat for Marnie. She slipped onto the back bench seat and he closed the door for her. She looked out the window sadly as the police began wrapping up everything. She felt sorry for Sarah's parents. It was going to be a nightmare telling them. She didn't want that job. No parent wants to hear their child is dead. Detective Lassiter and O'Hara got in the front. Lassiter started the car and put it in gear. He began pulling away from the High School. In Marnie's peripheral vision, she caught him glancing up at her in the rear view mirror. She gave him a wan smile before turning to look out her window again as the houses whizzed by.