Nicholas Burkhardt had been working in the New York Police department since he was twenty three.
When he heard his aunt Marie had been diagnosed with cancer, he flew to Portland to see her. At the time, he stayed only a few weeks before he had to return to work. He continued to visit around holidays.
Marie assured him that she was fine and told her nephew not to worry.
Then Nick got a call a few days ago from a guy claiming to be a concerned neighbor. He told Nick that Marie had taken a turn for the worse and he should make preparations to come to Portland for a long stay.
The next day Nick made arrangements with his boss. His girlfriend, Juliette, agreed to keep an eye on things for him until he could come back to New York.
So that was why the New York detective made a cross country road trip in the only rental car available. The car was a beat up sedan, which in his opinion, the rental company should have gotten rid of a long time ago.
The trip took him two and a half days to drive and by the time he rolled into Portland, he felt exhausted. He pulled over to the side of the road and reached for his cell phone, which had fallen between the seats since he'd last used it. He dialed Marie's number and waited for her to answer. As it rang he looked out his window to take in the sights of the city.
He watched a leggy blonde exit a building on the other side of the street. The corporate looking woman managed to smile at him as she did her balancing act in towering heels. He smiled politely back. The smile froze on his face and his eyes went wide with fear when the woman's appearance changed right in front of him.
He kept calm when his aunt answered, not letting a shred of fear show in his voice while he told her that he had made it safely to town and would be at the house in mere minutes.
He hung up and rubbed his eyes furiously. "It's sleep deprivation and a combination of crossing time zones. There's absolutely nothing wrong with you." Nick repeated the statement out loud several times before starting the car up again.
I know I should finish one of the others before I start something new, but with the show coming back on tonight, I got inspired. Let me know what you think, please?