Banishing Evil

(Chapter 3)

"Mrs. Foreman, I know that this might be difficult to talk about, but do you know anything about your husband's disappearance?" Raye asked, sitting on a forest green couch while looking around. Their house was very prestigious. As soon as you walked through the door, you found yourself standing under a crystal chandelier. There were glass vases on every table and bookshelf, each holding fragrant flowers of a different species. High-priced china hid behind spotless glass cabinet doors. Green seemed to be the favorite color, as most things in the house was some shade of green.

"No. He always tried to be very kind and helpful to everyone. I can't imagine anyone hating him," she replied, eyes downcast. She had brown hair that was tied back into a ponytail. Her green eyes were filled with worry and tears.

"Well, someone had to hate him, or he wouldn't be missing," Yaten's voice carried in from the hallway. Hearing what he said, Mrs. Foreman sobbed, with tears overflowing from her eyes, leaving trails down her face.

"I apologize for my partner's lack of sensitivity for other people's feelings," Raye said, throwing a glare in his direction, even though he couldn't see her.

"No, he's right. Somebody clearly hates him," the wife said, following her statement by loudly blowing her nose.

"Did he seem uneasy, like someone or something was bothering him at all?" Raye asked.

"He was upset lately. But it wasn't because of someone bothering him. The corporation lost a lot of money, so he had to start letting people go. He was distraught; all of his employees were hard-working and no one deserved it. And now he is missing." After that, the wife began sobbing uncontrollably.

Raye got up from the couch, understanding that she shouldn't push the topic any further. Who could blame the poor woman? She had to endure everyday with the pain of not knowing if her husband was still alive or not.

"Thank you for your time. We are doing everything we can to find your husband," Raye assured her, while walking towards the door. Yaten understood that it was time to leave, and waited by the front door for his partner.

"Hey, can I drive this time?" Raye asked, using her most charming smile. She had to try to avoid the nauseousness that awaited her if he drove.

"Nope. This is my car and you would wreck it," he retaliated, while hopping into the driver's seat. At his response, her smile turned into a pout.

Raye sighed while flopping into the passenger. 'If anyone was going to wreck this car, it would be him' she thought while buckling her seatbelt. Their next stop was the hospital that the second victim worked at.

When Yaten finally stopped the car, Raye practically flew out of the car. This time, the turns were sharper and everything spun faster. He drove so fast, that he could probably travel through time. Raye couldn't even walk; she just fell in a heap on the ground next to the car. Thankfully, a nurse came rushing to her aid.

"Miss, are you okay?" she asked, worry evident in her voice. All Raye could do was groan in dizziness. Without another word, the nurse got a doctor who carried Raye to a chair while the nurse fetched a cup of water. After a while, Raye could actually see objects instead of blurs and the water helped her stomach. It was a good thing that they stopped at a hospital.

"You are such a drama queen. My driving is not THAT bad," an annoyed voice echoed through the hall. Raye turned her head to see Yaten leaning against a wall with his arms folded across his chest.

"I am not a drama queen. And your driving is not bad, it's absolutely appalling," Raye openly stated. She heard her partner scoff at what she said. Why is he so prideful as to not see how bad his driving is?

"How are you feeling?" he asked after an awkward silence.

"Better."

Then a nurse walked into the hallway, stopping in front of them both. She wore an almost-blinding white lab coat with a stethoscope around her neck. Her hair was neatly tucked behind her ears, and in her hands she held a clipboard.

"You wanted to ask me some questions?" She politely asked.

"Yes, do you know where the doctor was going to when he was abducted?" Yaten asked, while brushing his bangs away from his eyes.

"Not exactly. His phone rang a few minutes before the operation. He was going to treat a seven year-old girl who had lung cancer. The operation would help prolong her life at least a little longer. Hopefully long enough for a doctor who is specially trained in treating cancer to completely cure her. Anyway, after the call he went outside. That's all," she said.

"Did he seem troubled after the call?" Raye inquired.

"I think he was a little upset. I can't be sure."

"Do you know who called him?" Yaten chimed in.

"No," the nurse replied.

"Okay, well thank you for your valuable time. I'm sure you have other patients to take care of," Raye concluded while rising from her chair.

"Please find him. That little girl doesn't deserve to die," the nurse pleaded with concern filling her eyes.

"We will do our best."

Back outside, Yaten started the car while Raye cautiously looked at the car. 'I don't think I could take much more of his awful driving' she thought as she stared at him. Her stomach started spinning just imagining what the ride would be like.

"Look, I will try not to drive as fast as usual, princess," Yaten said, putting on his sunglasses. Raye clenched her hands into fists, but quickly relaxed. She decided to let the insult go.

"Alright pony boy," Raye retorted, earning a glare from her partner, "But call me princess one more time and I'll give you a speeding ticket."

"Your wish is my command," Yaten sarcastically stated. 'Your Majesty' he added in his mind. And off he drove, aware of what the speed limit was and following it. He sighed loudly, showing his disapproval.

'Oh my gosh, this is so slow' Yaten thought while driving 45 miles per hour. He was pressed up against the steering wheel, just itching to slam his foot on the gas pedal and watch the world fly by.

"I think a snail just passed me," he said. "A dead snail." All he got in reply was a snort.

"Geez, I'm just trying to lighten mood. You could at least smile," Yaten voiced his thoughts, glancing at her.

Awkward silence filled the car. Raye just stared out of the window, her eyes blankly watching the world. Her thoughts were desperately trying to find a clue that she hadn't noticed before. Was there a connection between the two crimes? Was it committed by the same person? If so, who would've done this? What made him hate the guys so much that he would kidnap them?

She leaned her head against the window. This was probably her most difficult case yet. In her gut, something told her that she was missing something, something important. There just had to be a connection between the two victims which she had to find. There just had to be an obvious clue somewhere that could lead her to the victims.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

"Not having nightmares of birds, I hope."

"Yaten!"

"Just kidding."

"I never was scared of birds," Raye exasperated.

"I know." At this, Raye rolled her eyes. She returned her gaze to the window, her eyes following buildings as they passed. People walked on sidewalks, paying no mind to her. Strange to think that bad things can happen in this world while watching a child smile carelessly, a red balloon in one hand with an ice cream cone in the other.

The sun shone brighter now, with no buildings to protect Raye from its blinding light. She closed her eyes, resting her head on the window once more. Drowsiness captured her mind with the heat from the sun on her face. Soon she was in a deep sleep, letting go of her frustration with this case.

Yaten glanced over at her. How peaceful she looked. Yaten chuckled. It seemed that all she like to do was argue and have her way. Peace was far from her personality. Maybe that is what makes her a good detective.

After what was an eternity to Yaten driving slow, the department came into view. Yaten parked the car, got out of the car, and walked into the building. He had completely forgotten about Raye, who was still fast asleep in his car. When she did wake up, the sun was setting. The sky was a lovely shade of pink, mixed with orange and purple. Raye thought about yelling at Yaten for not waking her up, but she was still really tired. She slid into her own car, and started driving home. Right now she wanted to curl up in her own bed.

Strangely, it wasn't another 10 minutes before the sky was pitch black. Raye was sitting at an intersection, waiting for the light to turn green. Her phone vibrated, letting her know that someone was calling her. With one hand, Raye rifled through her purse, keeping an eye on the light. When she finally found the phone, the light changed from red to green. Driving forward, she lifted the phone from her purse only to drop it into the foot well of the passenger seat.

Quickly, she leaned over, reaching for the phone. As soon as she did, gunshots were fired, shattered glass flying through Raye's car. She kept her head down, but before she could slam on the brakes, she crashed into another car. Raye's head whipped forward, banging into the steering wheel a split second before they deployed. Everything went blurry, as her consciousness slipped away. The sounds of people shouting sounded distant, like at the end of a tunnel. Then everything faded from her vision, drowning her in an empty darkness.

Hello!

Well, here is chapter 3. I will work on chapter 4 very soon. Please review, tell me what you think!

Thank you!