Chapter 2

Another sleepless night had passed and Elena dragged her feet over to the closest coffee pot at the headquarters. She was soon greeted by another officer working on the case.

He was a tall muscular man they called Steve, and even though his features may be handsome her mind shrieked at her to stay as far away as she could from him. There was something about him that made her completely uncomfortable and uneasy.

She could feel his anger and lust beating at her in her mind. Though he seemed normal on the outside she new he was all sorts of evil. The worst part about this situation is that he has an infatuation with her and she just can't seem to shake him off.

"Morning, Elena! Wow you ok? You look positively awful today!"

Sheesh! Here we go. "You wouldn't look so great if you didn't sleep all night either." You shmuck. Boy does he have some nerve! Where does he get off!

"Yea… anyways I was wondering what time you would like me to come and pick you up tonight." He asked with a smug look on his face.

"Steve please how many times do I have to tell you that I feel absolutely nothing for you and I never will. Please respect my decision and let it be."

And with a roll of her eyes she walked away before he could fire back another "invitation". Elena took a seat at her desk and pulled up the case files of the four women who were murdered downtown. She sipped her now cool coffee that reminded her of sludge than of a hot beverage. She picked up a piece of property that each of the victims carried on them the night they were murdered.

Normally she could connect with the dead by communicating with them through a beacon… usually an item that belonged to them. However; she was having a rough time. Wow I don't think I have ever been this stuck on a case before in my life! That's it, no more reading before bed! And now more dreams… I hope...

There must be something I am not seeing. Agitated, she threw her work into her brief case and trailed off to see the chief.

Chief Burns never fails to great Elena with a warm smile whenever she comes by to see him. (Of course without her the police station wouldn't be getting so many grants, and then where would they be!)

"What seems to be troubling you today, Ell? Are you sleeping ok these days?" He asked with a concerned frown on his face.

"I guess I am not sleeping like I use to, but I am getting no where in a hurry with these files sir. I hate to say it but I think I am stumped. I can't concentrate here at the office" Yeah, not with captain dumb fuck breathing down my back and asking me out every other hour.

"Well, Ell have you tried walking the scene yet?" Burns asked while leaning gingerly back in his chair.

"Yes. But I only have time to go there in the daytime and I'm still getting no where."

Chief Burns took his glasses off slowly and chewed the tips while deep in thought. Elena couldn't help but snicker at his "wise grandpa" habits he seems to have adopted in his old age. She would always love him dearly.

"Well kiddo… how about you go head home early today and get some sleep. I will send one of my guys out to pick you up and you can walk the scene tonight."

Finally. Maybe I can get some stuff done now! "Sounds good, sir. Thank you."

She picked up her brief case and headed for the door when she turned around and asked. "Oh, and by the way, what time and whose coming?"

Burns flipped through the many pages on his clip board and said, "Steve. Steve Coon. And Ell?... Try to take care of yourself. You look like you're coming down with something."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Damn! Why can't I ever seem to get a break! Frustration clawed at her mind as she stormed out of the precinct and flagged down the first cab she saw. She climbed into the musty smelling vehicle and gave her street address.

Closing her eyes she tried to think of a way out of tonight……twenty minutes later she was paying the fair and came to the conclusion that the only way she was escaping today was to become deathly ill or die. And since neither of those was happening soon she decided to buck up and put get game face on.