A/N: Okay, I finally finished up the 5th chapter to W.I.T.C.H. – Dead Memories. I would like to thank XV-Dragon especially for continuing to review my stories, as well as glPiItTtAer. Not a lot of action, but maybe that will change as the story progresses. Enjoy!
W.I.T.C.H. – Dead Memories
"Uneasy Questions"
The blue four door sedan rolled down Main Street at a leisurely pace. Detective Ethan Riley and his partner Talia Jones chatted about various things as they watched people walking up and down the street looking into store windows or bustling home from work.
"Did you ever wonder which one of them was the next killer? The next rapist? The next spousal abuser?" Talia asked Detective Ethan as the people passed by.
"I try not too. I focus more on the positive." Ethan said looking at Talia for a moment before looking back to the road. She was rather tall for a woman, at 6'1". She had blond hair cropped short with liquid emerald eyes. She was wearing a pink blouse with a blue pants. Her shoes of course were flat, because trying to run after a suspect in high heels just didn't work out. Detective Ethan admitted she was a looker, but then again she was his partner, and her skill on the rifle range demanded his respect.
Detective Ethan himself wore black pants, a white shirt, with a black tie. He also wore a black trench coat late at night or during the winter. His hair was a sandy brown as well as his eyes. He wasn't muscular, but his workouts at the department gym kept him fit. He had joined the police force as a rookie 6 years ago. He had slowly worked his way up to detective, partnering with his mentor and father Detective Joseph T. Riley. Partnering with his father had ended abruptly in a shoot out with some bank robbers.
The entire Heatherfield Police Department as well as many of the people Joseph had known turned up at the funeral. Ethan even remembered people who didn't know his father show up at the funeral. The death of a police officer in the line of duty in Heatherfield happened rarely if it ever did. Ethan remembered meeting Talia there at his father's funeral. They had chatted for awhile, and then she had to go because she had to take her marksmanship test.
Both were pleasantly surprised when several days later that they were informed that both of them would be partners. Ethan enjoyed her presence and he was sure that she enjoyed his. Ethan now was following in his father's footsteps in mentoring someone new on the force. His thoughts were interrupted by the dispatcher calling out on the radio.
"All units requested at the Brown Hill Apartment complex. Possible ten-fourteen in progress, unknown number of perps." The dispatcher's voice said crackling over the radio. Talia picked up the portable radio and replied to the dispatcher.
"Roger that Margaret, Unit 512 on our way." Her voice was crisp, decisive, and to the point. Ethan flipped the switches to turn the lights and sirens of the car on. He picked up the speed racing to the Apartment complex. Talia shuddered in her seat, and Ethan was sure she wasn't cold as it was a nice balmy 76 degrees out; very nice for an evening like this.
"Sometimes, I wonder how such a small town can produce so much hate." Talia said finally voicing her thoughts. She gazed off into the distance as if remembering something, but shook her head as if clearing it.
"I do too, that's why I became a detective, to stop the violence and the hatred, to give peace to those who need it." He said as he caught sight of the apartment complex. He had been out here a few times for some domestic issues, and this looked to be another one. Right behind them was another police cruiser, a fire truck, and an ambulance. He pulled the car to a stop at the curb and got out. He could see an old man coming down the stairs.
"Can you tell me what is going on sir?" Ethan said gesturing to him as he kind of jogged over.
"Uh, yes I can. My wife and I were just sitting down to dinner when we heard a scream coming from next door. We didn't think much of it but I went over to check anyways. When I knocked on the door no one answered, and the quite abruptly the screaming just stopped." The man said with agitation in his voice.
"Okay, can you tell us who lives in the apartment?" Ethan asked as he began to move up the stairs with Talia and the old man.
"Oh yes, it is this mother and her daughter. Their last name is Vandom. That is just about all I know." The man said replying in kind. Talia gestured with her head to the side at a man coming towards them. He had keys on giant key ring connected to his hip and what looked like a clipboard.
"Hello, are you the superintendent of these premises?" Talia said to him.
"Yes I am, I was phoned that there was an incident and that the police were called. I am Mark Sheinberg, right this way." He said in quick sentences. He was short and had a waddle to him.
"Sir, can we ask that you go back to your apartment and stay there?" Ethan asked the old man who had come out to them. Nodding his head in agreement, the old man entered the apartment next to the one the superintendent was walking to. Talia proceeded to knock on the door.
"Police, is everything all right in there?" She said loudly to the oppressive door. After waiting a few moments and hearing nothing she pounded a little harder. "Police, open up!"
There was continued silence which caused Ethan to worry a bit. He gestured for the superintendent to open the door. Looking back he called over several other officers to accompany them in. Ethan and Talia removed there guns from the holsters and opened the door. They quickly entered the room looking around for someone. The other officers followed them in fanning out. Each one checked a room and called out clear, except for Ethan who had checked the master bedroom. Peering in he could see the room was a mess and there was blood all over. Walking into the room and around the side of the bed he found a woman covered in blood and sprawled out.
"MEDIC!" he yelled as he knelt down next to her to check to see if she had a pulse. She did, but it was weak. She let out a faint groan as he touched her. Two paramedics rushed in and began to stabilize her. Detective Ethan got out of the paramedics way stepping back and walking out of the room. He walked out of the house with Talia in tow. She handed him a disinfectant towel. Only then did he notice the blood that had gotten on his hands.
"God damn! It's a mess in there." Was all he could say before bending over and vomiting. He remembered how the blood had matted her hair and was all over the room. She would be lucky if she lived, with the amount of blood that she seemed to have lost.
"Are you okay?" Detective Talia said to Ethan rubbing his shoulders, stooping next to him.
"Y-yea, I think I will be. Get Crime Scene Investigation out here. Let's get to questioning the neighbors." He said breathing hard and wiping his mouth. "So much blood, so much damage."
Talia took out her cell phone and called CSI as a stretcher rolled past them into the apartment. Moments later it reappeared with the victim and several paramedics as it rolled to the elevator. Talia just shook her head as she hung up with the head of CSI.
"Didn't the old man say she had a kid?" Talia asked thinking back to their conversation with him.
"Uh, yea he did. The question now is where is she? Hopefully this won't turn into a kidnapping investigation too." Ethan said straightening up. Looking out from the balcony he could see them wheel Mrs. Vandom into the ambulance. "Hopefully this won't turn into a murder investigation either." He thought turning towards the stairs. Both of them descended the stairs and waited by their car for CSI to show up. This was going to be a long night.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
The guardians all stood stock still hoping this wasn't a dream, that the scene laid out before them was just an illusion. But it wasn't, there was no denying the fact that the person who had been wheeled into the ambulance was Will's Mom.
"Was that blood all over her?" Irma asked in an unbelieving voice.
"I-I dunno!" Cornelia stuttered. First it was Will, now Will's mom. What's going to happen next?
"Come on, let's go find out what happened here." Taranee said grabbing a hold of Will better and moving forward. They walked up to an officer who was standing next to some DO NOT CROSS Police tape. It was Irma's dad.
"Uh, Dad? What happened here?" Irma asked, fright coloring her voice.
"Irma? What are you girls doing here?" He asked. Then he spotted Will being supported by Taranee and Hay Lin. "What happened to Will?" He quickly gestured to some other officers who came over and took support of Will.
"Umm, we were out at Hay Lin's place when she collapsed. We decided to take her home. What happened here? Was that Mrs. Vandom being wheeled into that ambulance?" Cornelia asked in quick succession. Officer Lair only held his hand up to forestall more questions as he spoke into his walkie-talkie.
"This is unit 214. We need another ambulance at the Heatherfield Apartment Complex stat." He said as the other officers checked over Will.
"Roger that 214, ambulance is on its way." The dispatcher replied.
"Alright, I'll tell you what we know. Some neighbors of Will heard some screaming and called police. When we got here, we found Mrs. Vandom unconscious in her bedroom covered in blood. We think someone attacked and tried to kill her." He said squinting in the fading light.
"But why dad? Why would someone do that to Will's Mom?" Irma asked.
"Honey, we don't know. Wait here, I am going to go get the detectives. They will want to talk to you." Officer Lair said looking over at Will laying supine upon the grass. Shaking his head he jogged towards a car where a man and a woman were standing and began to talk with them. An ambulance's siren could be heard in the distance.
"Wow, someone attacked Will's mom. This is getting scary, first Will freaks out and attacks Caleb, now we come back to find Mrs. Vandom nearly murdered. I'm scared guys." Hay Lin whispered to them aware of the officers kneeling by Will a few feet away. The ambulance called for Will pulls into the parking lot driving over to where the group is standing. Several paramedics rush over to Will with bags on their shoulders.
"Yea, this is bad. Will is going to freak once she wakes up and finds out about her mom." Taranee whispered back. Irma's dad and the man and woman are walking over to them.
"Crap, what are we going to tell them? I am sure Hay Lin's Grandma is going to cover for us, but not if she doesn't know!" Cornelia said realizing what was going to happen next.
"I will call her!" Hay Lin said quickly taking out her cell phone and pressing speed dial 2. It rang for several seconds before the phone was picked up.
"Silver Dragon, How may I help you?" Came her Dad's voice over the receiver.
"Dad, it's me Hay Lin. Can you get grandma for me?" Hay Lin said watching the trio walk steadily towards them.
"Yes dear, hold on." Her dad said. There was the sound of the phone being put down. Moments later it was picked up and Yan Lin answered.
"Yes? Hay Lin?" She asked.
"Grandma! We need you to cover for us! Some detectives are going to question us about where we were, and we are going to say at the silver dragon. Is that okay? Will you cover for us?" Hay Lin said quickly.
"Yes dear that is perfectly fine. Remember, be careful about what you say to them." Yan Lin said in reply.
"We will grandma! Thanks a lot! Bye now!" Hay Lin said.
"Bye Hay Lin." Her grandma said putting the phone back on the hook. "I remember those days…" She thought out loud before going back to the cash register.
"Okay guys! She is going to cover for us." Hay Lin said quickly before the Irma's dad and the two detectives descended down upon them.
Will was moved over to the ambulance and a paramedic was working over her.
"Hello, I am Detective Ethan, and this is my partner Detective Talia. Why don't we start by you telling me who you all are?" The man said to them.
"I'm Cornelia, this is Taranee, Irma, and Hay Lin." Cornelia said for them all.
"So, you say you girls were over at Hay Lin's house when Will collapsed. Why didn't you think about calling an ambulance there instead of walking her over here?" Talia asked the four.
"Umm, we didn't think about it. We just wanted to get Will home." Irma said.
"Uh huh… and one of your parents couldn't drive you? As I understand it, the Silver Dragon is quite a ways away." Detective Ethan asked the girls.
"Well, we uh, thought the fresh air would maybe, uh, revive Will a little bit." Taranee said. A Paramedic had walked up to them and pulled Detective Ethan aside leaving the group with Irma's Dad and Detective Talia.
"Alright, I get you. Your friend passed out and you thought a little fresh air would wake her up." Talia said repeating back to them what they had said. "And you walked all the way from the Silver Dragon back here?"
"Uh yes, a lot of us walk to school…" Hay Lin said trailing off.
"Okay, I can understand that. So, what time did you leave?" Talia said glancing at her partner who had returned. The Guardians all glanced at each other and Taranee spoke.
"Umm, seven, Yea we left at seven." Taranee said hoping she had estimated the walking time right.
"Maybe a little after, we can't remember. We just wanted to get Will home." Hay Lin said confirming what Taranee had said.
"Okay, we believe you and thank you for your time, but if you girls think of anything you might have forgotten give us a call." Detective Ethan said stepping in and handing out his business card to each of the girls. They all took his card reluctantly. "Now your friend is going to be all right, the paramedics are going to give her a ride to the hospital to give her a checkout and so she can be with her mom. Officer Lair, if you would?"
"Oh, right, come along girls, I am going to take you home now." Irma's dad said putting his hands around them and ushering them over to his car.
"Dad will we be able to see Will and her mom?" Irma asked her dad.
"Yes dear, but not right now. It is late and you all need to go to bed. You have school in the morning." He replied to his daughter. He unlocked the doors of his car and ensured all the girls were in before getting in himself. Starting the car he took off towards Cornelia's house first.
"I don't believe them. What about you?" Talia said to her partner.
"Nether do I, but there isn't anything we can really do unless we get them separated." Ethan said watching the car turn at the corner and accelerate off.
"What is it do you think they are hiding?" Talia asked him seeing the doubt in his eyes.
"Now that I don't know, what I do know is that Will Vandom did not just pass out, she had a stroke." Ethan said looking at his partner's face.
"A stroke, at that age? How?" Talia said surprise coloring her face and voice alike. "Such a young one for such a serious thing."
"The paramedics don't know yet what caused it but they are looking into it. That is why Will is going to the hospital." He said answering Talia's question. "Looks like CSI just got here."
Talia looked where he was looking and saw a van pull into the parking lot with "HPD Crime Scene Investigation" stenciled in neat letters across the side with the Heatherfield Police Badge printed right under it.
"I guess we should show them where to start." Talia said beginning to walk over towards them.
"Yes we should. Maybe they can provide the key to answering how the perp got in and what happened after he or she got in." Detective Ethan said following Talia as she wove her way through cars and people to get to the CSI Van. Looking over to his left he could see the Channel 9 News van parked with Special Reporter Janet Hansen talking into a microphone. Stopping and running a hand through her hair she looked over and caught Detective Ethan's eyes. "Oh crap, I hope she doesn't want an interview with me." Ethan thought quickening his pace to catch up with Talia who was already talking with the investigators from CSI.
A/N: Okay, I cut this chapter a little short after I realized I nearly had 3,000 words again 00. Yea, a lot of typing I know. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Review Por Favor!