AN: Yay it's getting more and more interesting, I really hope you'll be surprised at the end of this chapter! 51 reviews you guys are machines! Lol Thank you to everybody who have reviewed chapter 14 (btw, beccles hun, that's the point of suspense! Lol)
We are so far from you
Woody panicked. Poltski was smart and unpredictable and he had done his research. Had he followed me here? He wondered. He didn't voice any of his theories to Max, who was pacing the hallway frantically as forensics experts studied the room, among them was Nigel.
He exited her room, a grim expression on his face.
Woody wondered what this could all mean. He wondered when deep down he knew. He had a suspicion that, because the case was taking so long to solve, something would befall them. Another emotionally packed homicide perhaps. He dared not think of it.
Max, Woody and Garret turned to him sick with anticipation.
"Well, did you find anything?" he pressed the usually upbeat man.
"I did find something actually. There's blood, which I'm taking back to the morgue to test DNA. If it's not Jordan's it's her assailant's," he paused. "But I don't think that it will really be necessary."
"What do you mean?" Garret asked.
"Well, I also found this near the window," he held out a crumpled bit of paper displayed in a clear plastic bag. Woody studied it and immediately recognized the scribble. Poltski. His face paled and he felt physically sick as he read the note.
Detective Hoyt, I'm not as careless as you think I am. Perhaps your friend will make me a new bride, you remember what I did to my last one don't you?
Max tore the paper from his hands and scanned the ink. His face flushed and his jaw clenched. He looked angrily at Woody, the vein popping in his temple, "You bastard. You had better fix this or I'll—"
"You'll what?" Woody challenged.
"I'll kill you!" Max spat out. His fist clenched, "how dare you bringing this home to us! Where is she?" He charged at Woody, grabbing him by his collar. "This is the second time you little—"
"Max calm down," Garret said, holding him back as he charged for Woody. He maneuvered him into the kitchen where he sat down on a chair
Woody stood in the dark hallway, feeling guilty of the most horrible crime. He was well aware that he had, however unintentionally, brought a monster home to Jordan and he knew that it was his responsibility to cuff him and toss him in jail.
"Nigel I need more, do you have anymore?" He begged, "Did you go through that room with a fine toothed comb?"
Nigel sighed, "I'm afraid I did. I wish there were more that I could do."
"There is, you can test that blood, find out who it belongs to, and compare this note to the one that Jarvis Poltski left at his crime scene last month. I just want to be positive of who I am dealing with. This could be a copycat or mistaken identity in order to fool us." He said allowed so that Garret and Max could see how he was taking charge of the situation. Then Garret began speaking to Max, giving him some consolation, telling him about what a fighter Jordan is, and how Woody will bring her back. The thought made a warm feeling flow through his body but he ignored it as he took Nigel aside, "I want you to do everything in your power to find out where Poltski is because I know that that is where we will find Jordan. Use anything you can."
Nigel put on his best smirk and agreed, "I'll do my best mate." Woody patted his shoulder as he left. He did not know what to do anymore. He tried to keep a straight, serious, face the entire time he was in the house but he could not do it anymore. There was nothing left to do now that the forensic experts had combed over the crime scene. He had already taken Max's statement, which had been more difficult than Max could ever have imagined. Woody felt the same heart wrenching emotions at Jordan's disappearance.
Garret approached Woody, his expression harder than a steel door. Before he could open his mouth, Woody said, "Yeah, I'm leaving, going back to the precinct to find out what I can on Poltski's whereabouts. Stay here and keep Max company if you want."
Woody began walking to the front door when Max exclaimed, "Woody, we're coming with you."
Woody stammered, "B-but—"
"I'm not a civilian."
"Yes you are; you're retired."
"Not at heart."
"That doesn't matter," Woody argued, "Garret what are you thinking? You two stay here."
The two men absolutely refused to stay and each took a seat in Woody's cruiser. Woody flipped open his cell phone immediately.
--- --- ---
Once again, Jordan awoke from a chloroform-induced slumber. This time there was no vehicle, it was dark and she smelled pine. She stirred heavily and found that she was tied to something, a tree. The ground was wet under her legs, which pierced with the feeling of pins and needles.
As she came to she could feel somebody untying her and standing her up, "Woody," she moaned.
"He's a go-nowhere bum, you know that," said a familiar voice, "if you didn't, you'd be with him and not with me. Forget about him."
The area she was in spun around, trees, dark looming shadows, more trees. She closed her eyes to stop the spinning but it did not help.
Angler kept speaking. He held her up and put something on her head, which made her vision harder. In the dark, it was light; looking through it made her surroundings a muddled gray.
Another voice spoke, "Do you, Jarvis Angler, take this woman, Jordan Cavanaugh to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
Suddenly, Jordan felt perfectly sober.