Chapter Two
aniel awoke to the sound of a bang in the kitchen below his bedroom. He slowly descended down the stairs to find his sister with a bunch of books surrounding her.
"What are you doing?" He said sleepily. She glared up at him.
"You seem to have forgotten, but we are trying to catch a killer!" Nicole said.
"Did you even sleep?" He muttered and glanced out the window. Sunlight streamed in and reflected off his sisters bowed head as she scanned a book.
"Sure," She said with her head still bowed. "It's four in the afternoon you know. I went to the library and checked out some books to do some research."
"Of course you did," Daniel groaned. "I'm going back to bed."
"No, you're not! You're going to help me!" Nicole said. Daniel slowly sat down, sighing and pulled a pile of books towards himself.
Officer James looked at the house. A very pale yellow, two stories, white trim with a wrap around porch. Beautifully kept flowers ran up the sidewalk and a huge willow hung over the side of the yard. It was tranquil and cozy. This was not the type of house he was used to. When he got an anonymous tip, it was usually about a house in a run down neighborhood, or that could barely stand. This did not look like the house of people that knew about a murder or participated in one, but the officer knew to always expect the unexpected. He sighed and knocked on the door. He could here the closing of a book and the scrape of a chair moving back. A few moments later a teenage girl with short unkempt brown hair that almost reached her shoulders opened the door. Her most defining feature were her eyes, which were a bright, shining blue. They stood out from her pale face and dark brown hair. She looked confusedly at the officer on her doorstep.
"Hello honey, sorry to bother you, are either of your parents here?" Officer James asked. She looked uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry officer, but my parents died thirteen years ago," The girl replied. James was taken aback. Could this innocent girl really know of a murder? She seemed so meek.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Then can I talk to the head of the household?"
"Sure. Daniel!" She called over her shoulder. A tall teenage boy came out of the kitchen. It was easy to tell they were related. The brother also had brown, unkempt hair and the astonishingly blue eyes. The only thing that would suggest that they were not related would be their heights. The boy, Daniel, was tall. James guessed he would be about six feet. But the girl, was a little over five feet tall. The boy put his arm around his sister. He looked questioningly at her.
"Nicole, what's up?" Daniel asked.
"The officer wanted to talk to you," Nicole replied. James held out his hand.
"Hello Daniel, my name is Officer James. I just have a few questions for you." Daniel took his hand and shook it.
"Daniel Anderson. Why don't you come in?" Daniel said.
"Yes! I'll make some tea," Nicole chimed in.
"That would be very nice, I hope it's not a bother," James said.
"Of course not! It can get a little lonely sometimes. We don't get many visitors," Nicole replied. The siblings walked into the kitchen. Officer James noticed all the books on the table. Nicole started to move them onto the floor.
"Sorry about the mess," She said. "I was just doing some research for school."
"Not at all. Your house is in fact, extraordinarily clean," He replied. "You clean it yourself?"
"Yeah, I try to keep it clean, but this pig of a brother," she elbowed Daniel, "makes it very hard for me."
"But you know I love you for it," he said hugging her. James felt uncomfortable. Was he really about to intrude on these kids? But he had to admit, no parents, no authority, if he knew nothing else of these people, he would have said that was enough to raise suspicions. Nicole set a steaming hot cup of tea before the officer.
"So, Officer, you wanted to talk to me?" Daniel asked.
"Yes," he said setting down his tea. "Have you heard about the recent murder in Detroit?
"Yes, I saw about it in the newspaper. I was worried because it was close to here. But we live three hours from the city, so I heard little else about it, we don't get much news out here."
"We got a tip that you might know something about it. Do you know anything that might be cause for that?" Daniel looked like he was trying to remember anything.
"Um, not that I can think of, Officer. Sorry. Like I said, I only know what I saw in the paper."
"All right," James said getting up. "Thanks for being honest with me. Thanks for you hospitality." He said to Nicole. She nodded and smiled. "Oh, also, I might need to send a search team here. Just to make sure."
"Of course, we'll be here," Daniel replied. Officer James walked out and Daniel shut the door behind him. James stopped. There was something about the Anderson's that made him suspicious, but also something that made him feel like he could count on them. He sighed and got in his car.
Daniel leaned on the closer door and groaned. Nicole looked at him in concern.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"I'll get there. That took about ten years off my life though." He said.
"Well, if it makes you feel better, I thought you put on a very good act. We should get back to the books. What have you found?"
"Just little things that may or may not be important. You?"
"Same. Hopefully those snippets will mean something, though. Who do you think tipped him off?"
"I have my suspicions."
"The killer? But why would the killer send the police after us? Unless, oh no." Nicole paled.
"What?"
"That officer knew where we live. So the killer does too. He must be trying to prove how much he knows about us," A silence filled the house.
"Let's compare notes." Nicole threw a frightened glance up at him. He had not denied her idea. He agreed with her. She looked down at her notes and began to read them off.
"So let me summarize. His name is Jeremiah Smith, although that is probably an alias. He has never been involved in crime before that we know of. He probably knows about our powers. It is likely he knows where we live. He may or may not be a relative. And finally, he is probably out to kill us. Did I miss anything?" Daniel asked.
"I don't think so," Nicole replied. "But that's a lot of if's and maybe's. Do we know anything for certain?"
"No, but hey, what else is new?"
"We need to clean the house," Nicole stated.
"What? Why? If it was any cleaner, then…" he stopped at the glaring look his sister was giving him.
"We need to check it for anything that might be suspicious for when that officer sends that search team! We tend to have suspicious items lying around!"
"Mmm. Remember that bomb we had? That was great," he smiled looking dreamily through her. She smacked him on the shoulder.
"Do I always have to be the grownup around here?"
"Hey, I work!" he replied. "Someone has to pay for food and stuff. Besides, you don't!"
"I don't work because I need to keep up the house and make food and research who we're chasing and make sure that when the IRS comes by, they don't take me to some orphanage because the house is a sty and there is no food anywhere!"
"Well, in less than a year you will be an adult and you won't have to worry about that."
She rolled her eyes and walked away.