Chapter fourteen
Hold you again
Lloyd kept fixated on Julianne; he inhaled carefully before picking the yearbook up. "Elizabeth's yearbook?" He kept his tone serious, "Julianne, are you one hundred percent sure?"
Julianne bit her lip, she was hoping for something, anything to distract her from this conversation. "I really should be trying to break the passwords on the laptop." Quickly turning she tried to walk away.
Lloyd's hand caught her elbow, "Julianne, you know something." His tone was persistent. It was hard for him to be mad at her, but he was sure Julianne knew more than she was letting on.
Julianne's found it hard to keep eye contact with Lloyd, his fingers gripped on her arm, her heart starting to pound out of her chest. It made it impossible to focus on anything else. "You're hurting me…" Her voice slightly panicked. Why was Lloyd doing this to her? "Please I don't know anything." Julianne's eyes finally meeting Lloyd's, they started to glaze over. "Let me go. Lloyd please." Her voice pleaded with Lloyd in a low whisper.
"Am I interrupting something?" Erica's face popped from the break room, she didn't look too bad, but she felt like a truck hit her head.
Lloyd's grip loosen enough for Julianne to pull her arm away, she used this time to rush back to the safety of her desk. "Are you feeling okay?" Lloyd asked to distract Erica from what she walked in on.
Erica attention moved from Lloyd to Julianne, "Was he hurting you?" Her voice dark, the look in her eyes was the same dark glare Lloyd remembered from when she punched him before.
Julianne felt on the spot, she couldn't stand the confrontation of the situation, her inability to speak when this nervous. Quickly shaking her head, "No, he was…"
"I was asking about Elizabeth." Lloyd cut in; he lifted the yearbook for Erica to see. With a quick motion the book was tossed in Erica's direction.
Catching the yearbook, Erica looked puzzled; the buzzing in her head was still making it hard to really focus. Opening the yearbook to the first page, she pause, "What the hell," staring at the page, it was writing, but in blood, flipping to the next page, she blinked a few times, "Homecoming Slut, Homecoming Asshole." Reading out, then her attention went to the victim photos, back to the book, "Rebecca Black," her voice rough, "She's on this page."
"She wasn't the Homecoming slu…" Julianne cleared her throat, "Queen." She exhaled, the tension that was between Lloyd and herself was gone.
Erica sighed her eyes turned to Julianne, her finger pointed on the page next to the king and queen photos. "No, the candidates." Pressing her finger on the photo, it was the only one not ruined, it had a little heart under her name.
Lloyd stepped over, his eyes scanning the page, "Password," He was talking to himself, snapping his fingers to get Julianne's attention. "I think I might have an idea." Taking the yearbook from Erica, he rushed to Julianne's desk.
Julianne hesitant for a moment, "What's this idea?" Her eyes avoiding his face, she knew he wasn't going to hurt her. But it was hard to be sure what was going on.
Licking his finger, Lloyd now glanced to the year book, "Victims all had one thing in common," He slammed the yearbook down, inhaled a deep breathe. It was like the book was some big monster, he'd seen some sick things in his time, but this was bad. "Each girl, Filmort High, class of two thousand and seven." He side glanced to Julianne.
Erica making her way over to Julianne's desk, she kept looking over Julianne's shoulder to the laptop. It was still on the password page, not being able to get past. "So, your point?"
Lloyd rolled his eyes, "Well, password, it's got to be something relevant to the girls, everything, something." He paused, "A way for him to remember, but no one to expect." He glanced to Julianne, "Initials, place, a person…"
"So you're saying, in there we can find the password for there?" Erica didn't get it, but wasn't going to be confused over this.
Julianne's eyes going from Lloyd to Erica, "We've got a computer tech, he'll be able to get the files…"
"Or, he'll trip a system to delete the files if the password path is corrupted." Lloyd had no idea what he meant, but it sounded cool in his head, so he kept watching the two women.
Julianne inhaled, "Well, we've got five attempts," Her voice cool, her fingers playing over the keyboard. "We see that little heart, maybe find others?"
Lloyd clicked, "Yes, idea!" He brushed a hand over Julianne's shoulder, he looked to Erica, "you alright?"
"I," Her hand up, "I think this stuff is making me feel sick," she wondered to the rest room quickly.
Lloyd flicked through the book, "Katie Shepherd," the second victim, he the noticed the little heart. "Julianne, I think I have found the connection."
"What?" Julianne shifted her gaze from the screen, to Lloyd's face, finally to the yearbook.
"Rebecca, page two, Katie page seven." He shook his head, "This is just, if he intentionally went out for these girls, he marked them." Lloyd's eyes slowly studying Julianne's face.
"I might know the password," Her eyes going over the yearbook, "May I?" She asked softly feeling Lloyd hesitant to hand her the book.
"Sure." Lloyd let go as Julianne pulled it towards her, "Going to share this information?"
"I was thinking, password, yearbook," Julianne exhaled, she wasn't that sure her idea would be right, but she kept looking, "I'll just try."
Lloyd stood back while Julianne licked her finger, started on the first page, typed the number, then went through the yearbook finding each victim, after typing in the page Harriet was the last one, she entered the password. The flash of incorrect password snapped onto the screen. "It was a good try." Lloyd placed a hand on Julianne's shoulder, rubbing it lightly watching her eyes slowly finding his face. "Sorry…"
Lloyd went to take his hand away, but shocked when Julianne's hand carefully covered his own squeezing it. "It's okay." A small smile played over her lips. "I'm really hungry." She glanced over the clock, "How about I get us something to eat?"
"That sounds good," Lloyd kept looking over Julianne's face, "Should I ask Erica?" He whispered slowly, his face pulling closer to Julianne's.
Julianne felt caught off guard, Lloyd's eyes so near her own; it was like the breath was being pulled from her lungs. "I don't know…" Her eyes were searching his. Julianne was keeping hold of her breath.
Lloyd's lips inches from Julianne's, the phone started to ring, Lloyd jumped. His forehead smacking into Julianne's as her hand shot up touching where hit. "Ow," She then picked the phone up, "U.S Marshal task force, how can I help?" Breathless, Julianne kept touching her temple throbbing.
Lloyd turned looking to Erica standing in the doorframe; with a smirk she kept watching him. "Smooth moves…" She mouthed while watching him picking up a scrap piece of paper, roll it into a ball, then threw it at her. Erica dodged while still laughing. "Julianne, food would be awesome around now."
"You feeling better?" Julianne asked putting the phone down.
Erica nodded, "Yeah, I found some aspirin, took them." Her hand waved, "I feel so much better." Walking into office, she glanced to Lloyd still looking awkward. "Did I miss anything?"
"We thought we had an idea about the password," Lloyd finally said, his attention to Julianne putting her coat on.
"I'm getting dinner," She exhaled, "I'm going to try and get something everyone wants."
"Just remember, I don't eat anything that had a face," Erica smiled, her attention still on Lloyd.
Julianne swallowed a dry lump in her throat, looking from Erica to Lloyd, "No face," Turning to Lloyd, "Anything nice, Shea wants ribs and Ray wants pasta…" Rubbing her temple. "I won't be too long." Walking towards the elevator.
The room silent, the only sound was of the elevator going down. Lloyd still by Julianne's desk, Erica was leaning against Elizabeth's desk watching him. "Any other idea for password?" Erica ignoring the way Lloyd was appearing.
"Well Julianne wrote page numbers," Lloyd shrugged his shoulder, "But it didn't work…" He now pulled the chair out, his eyes going over the yearbook again, flicking randomly through the pages.
Shea kept being Ray and Charlie; they had gotten to the Malcolm's house, but Charlie stared at Shea. "Right, we'll need to be very careful." turning back to the door knocking. "Harriet has been through a lot."
"I think we know what you're getting at," Ray rocked on the balls of his feet, he kept watching the door. "We need to know Florey's next move." He attention went to the opening front door.
"Hello, how can I help you?" A worn out looking woman had opened the door cautiously, her hand holding onto the doorframe. She studied over Ray and Charlie with a worried expression.
Charlie held his badge up, "I'm with the U.S Marshals," he put his badge down, "We're here about Derrick Florey, he's escaped from…"
"Oh god," The woman opened the door wider, "Please come in." Her voice had calmed, but Ray could see there was something behind her calm tone.
Mrs Malcolm walked them through the hall to living room, Shea straggling behind looking to the walls. Each piece of space was photos of a girl growing up, her dark skin, she was a perfect blend of African American and Caucasian.
Ray glancing over Mrs Malcolm, "I know this topic maybe unsettling," Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he exhaled looking around. "Is there a chance we can talk to Harriet?"
Mrs Malcolm sighed, "Sit down please," her hand held out to the sofa. She waited for Charlie and Ray to both sit, she walked over to her fireplace, she brushed her hand over a photo of Harriet. "Two weeks ago," Her eyes watering. "I wish I could say I didn't see it coming, but since what that monster did to her." Mrs Malcolm brushed her eyes. "Harriet, she killed herself."
"I am sorry," Charlie glanced to the photo of Harriet, how did they not know this information, getting to his feet, "Do you think Florey is aware of this?"
"He is," Mrs Malcolm's face changed from upset, to anger. "My Husband wrote a eulogy in our local paper," Her fist clenched by her side. "A few days after the funeral, we got this." Mrs Malcolm took an envelope from the mantelpiece, "He said he was sorry for my lose." Her laugh was dark, "How can he be sorry? He broke my only child." Her hand reached for face.
Ray getting to his feet now, he handed her a tissue from the coffee table. "We'll be leaving, but if there is anything you can do."
"Charlie, Ray you've gotta come see this," Shea stuck his head into the living room, "This is weird." He waved his hand to usher them to follow him back into the hall.
When Charlie walked in the hallway again, he didn't know what Shea was on about. "Okay what am I looking for?" He sounded impatient, but Shea was pointing to a photo on the wall.
Mrs Malcolm behind Ray was watching Shea point out a photo; she carefully pushed passed Charlie, reaching for her glasses putting them on. "That's Harriet with her best friend."
Charlie paying closer attention to the photo, his eyes wide, "Ray."
"I know, who it is." Ray glanced over the photo of a summer day; it was Harriet in a bathing suit, with her arm around a girl with medium length blonde hair, her smile big. "Liz…"
Charlie turning to look at Mrs Malcolm, "How long were they friends?"
Mrs Malcolm was confused, but she shrugged it off, "Since middle school." Mrs Malcolm glanced over the photo again. "They were inseparable until the summer Derrick was arrested. Liz just stopped coming over, it was like her and Harriet were strangers."
Charlie nodded, "Do you think it was the kidnapping of Harriet that made Liz stop coming over?" He tried to keep calm.
Mrs Malcolm bit her lip, her eyes searching the photo, "No, Elizabeth stopped talking to most of her friends that summer, before Harriet even went missing." Her voice was haunting.
Elizabeth kept still on the bench; she had watched the sun setting. Feeling at home in the small park. When she was in high school, when things were too much. She'd come here listen to her ipod and just let everything melt away. How did things get so complicated in a few years?
Elizabeth picked up the bottle of vodka, taking a long sip; she placed the bottle back down beside her on the bench. Going over the summer, the feeling of being isolated by her fears.
Feeling a vibration coming from her pocket, Elizabeth glanced over a picture of Julianne, incoming call. Elizabeth watched it ring, finally going to voice mail. She'd missed so many calls from Julianne, but she wasn't in the mood.
"Sorry Sis, not tonight…" Elizabeth chucked, picking the vodka up again finishing it off.
Getting to her feet, Elizabeth swayed, grabbing a tree by the bench to catch herself; she reached into her purse, first taking two pills, finally her earbuds. Placing them in her ears she turned up her music, she placed her phone carefully into her pocket again.
Feeling confident Elizabeth started to dance, it wasn't much of a dance, but swaying from side to side. Closing her eyes she allowed the song to take over her senses, it was soft, Elizabeth loved letting the music control her. The pills she'd taken slowly taking effect so Elizabeth could be calm.
Tripping over, Elizabeth hit the floor; a smash caught her attention as her eyes snapped open. The vodka bottle was in pieces on the ground. Reaching out, Elizabeth picked up a dart.
Elizabeth could feel her pulse quicken, the music still playing loud making it hard for her to think. Slowly getting back to her feet, Elizabeth grabbed the bench to steady herself again, and then she felt it. It was like something poked her hard in the side.
"Ouch!" Elizabeth reached around, the vodka made everything woozy, pulling her hand back, she glanced to the dart like the one that smashed the bottle in her hand. "What the?" Elizabeth tried again to steady herself, everything was moving. She knew she was standing still, she pulled her earbuds out, but everything was feeling heavy. Her arms, her legs not supporting her weight Elizabeth fell to the ground again trying to catch herself, but she failed falling in a heap on the floor.
Derrick slowly walked out of the shadows, he kept smiling at Elizabeth, he brushed her hair from her face, "Hey, hey…" He whispered softly.
Elizabeth couldn't make out his face, but she couldn't move, everything was spinning, "What have you done to me?" Her voice was echoing inside her head, her eyes trying to focus on one, but seeing so many Derrick's she tried to push him away. "Let me go…" Her hands pushing, but so weak they were just pressing against his broad chest.
Derrick sighed, "Lizzie," He kept smiling, "I found you, after all this time, I finally get to be with you again."
A/N: Right, I am going to be a bore, but I am going to be making the next chapter very dramatic, but being such, I am going to try and take my time, plus I need to calm down on the buzz I get from updating.