HOME FIRES MISTS LIFEBLOOD SPOKES
You open the door at seven PM. Melody's not there. Alan steps in and looks around, "Melody? Love?" She's not there. She was supposed to be... Alan's throat closes in panic but he holds it at bay, "Melody?!?!?" he begins a check of the few smaller rooms... No one. Nothing seems missing. Alan checks all the pads that might have been written on. Looking for impressions of notes that might have been made, maybe she went somehwere unexpcted..it cannot be what he thinks. No notes. Nothing. It's like she was supposed to be there. Alan drops to his knees a moment next to the coffee table taking ahold of it to ground himself. "Maybe she's gone out...btu she was supposed toeb here...oh Lady.." The phone rings. Alan picks up the phone on the third ring...hesitating before he does. "Hello...is Melody there?" A female voice. Not one you know. Alan murmurs, "No...she's not. Who is this?" "This is Shimmer. Is she not there...?" The voice takes on a note of worry. "I've been trying to reach her all day. What time is it there?" The voice is accented. British. Alan says into the phone, "Seven PM....and no. She's not here. She was supposed to be..." There's a long sigh. "Who's this?" Alan says "I...I am..." he casts about for a moment, "I am her lover." The voice says gently "I see. I'm called Shimmer. If she gets in, give me a call?" If. Not when. "My number is 044-55-4343..." and a long string of numbers is rattled off. Alan takes them all down, pulling a felt-tip from hsi coat and writing without bearing down. on the pad. "And...lover? I hope you find her." Click. Line goes dead. Alan says "YEah...so do I." Looking around again, her purse is gone. She's out..but she should have been back. This is her weekend to stay on campus. Alan sighs, "He looks at the numbers he wrote down. Where could she have gone? "I'll wait here a while...she'll be back any moment. Proably just stepped out..." Eight o'clock. Nine. Ten. Alan shakes his head, watching that phone, looking at the note in his hands.He is numb. "One more hour...there is no place I can look for her..." No call. Nothing. The dinner meat is thawing on the counter. Alan picks up the phone and dials the number Shimmer gave him. Ring. Ring. A groggy british voice says "Uh?" Male. Alan murmurs, "Pardon my bothering you. Is Shimmer there?" The voice comes alert. "Shimmer? Who's this?" Alan sighs, "Someone very close to her friend Melody." A pause, then the phone is taken. "This is she." Alan says "I just called to tell you...I do not think she is coming home. She was afraid of someone. I think..." his voice quavers, "I think it is over now." There's a sigh. "Are you in danger, lad?" Alan says "I will make them pay." Her voice turns more urgent. "But are you in danger?" Alan says "I do not know. I do not care. I just wanted to let you know I do nto think she will ever be coming home." Alan sounds liek a dead man walking, no care for himself anymore. She sighs softly. "Damn. Look..did she say who she was afraid of?" Something in you pings paranoia. Alan is quiet a moment, "How well did you know her...?" "She was one of my best friends. We cared deeply for each other." So why did she never mention a Shimmer to you? Alan says "SHenever spoke of you." comes his simple answer, "How do I know I can trust you?" "How do I know I can trust you?" "How do I know I can trust you?" She repeats. Alan says "You don't.." comes thehalting answer, "I suppose there is nothing to be done now..."" Her voice calms too. "Listen...what's your name?" Alan ponders a moment, "Shield" comes the murmur finally. Her voice warms. "Shield. Do you know anything for sure?" Alan says "I only know...what she told me...and I know she was supposed to be here hours ago." "All right. Go out, see what you can find, call me tomorrow. It's four- thirty am here, and I'm not really coherent." Alan says "Allright Shimmer" comes his dead voice, "Tomorrow then. I am sorry for bothering you." "And Shield?" Alan says "Yes..." "Watch your back." Alan pauses a moment, then finally murmurs a faint "Thanks" Click. Alan watches the phone in his ahnd as he pulls it from his cheek. the dialtone eems to captivate him a moment before he finally hangs up the phone. He waits there for her. He waits. Maybe she will comehome yet... Three am. Alan finally passes out an hour later. Sleeping right there inf ront of the coffee table on the floor. No one can har his weeping, no one sees his tears. He is alone. The door opens. Alans' eyes snap open but he does not move, letting his eyes trail to the door. There's a woman and a man. "And we have to box everything..." She stops dead as her eyes fall on you. Alan rolls tohis feet, still a bit groggy but very alert "Who are you?!?" She frowns. "We should be asking you that. How did you get in here?" Alan says "I am Melody's boyfriend...I have a key." She sniffs. "She wasn't supposed to do that. Are you here to clean out her personal effects, then?" Alan says "Wait a minute...what has happened to her?" The man winces perceptibly, and the woman freezes. "Ah. You weren't told? You don't know?" Oops. Alan says "Told what?" Alan's storm blue eyes narrow, "Told WHAT!?!?"" The woman tries to rescue herself delicately. "Ms. Savon had a stroke yesterday. I'm told it would have been fast and painless." Alan swallows, "A stroke?" his eyes flood with emotions and tears, but the tears never fall, "A stroke!??! At her age...a stroke..." She nods. "They tell me it would have been painless," she repeats helplessly. Alan murmurs, "She did not have any family I knew of..." he manages steadily enough, nevermind that quaver, "I will gather her personal effects." She seems only too glad. "That would be appreciated, if you would." They're backing toward the door. "If you'd let us know when you're done, Mr.....?" Alan says "Crane. And I'll let you know..." he grits his teeth, "Thank you..." They scoot out the door and close it. Alan beins to pack everything up. There must be boxes here and there. When there are not, he make spiles to get boxes ater. All of her stuff...the raspberry scents, the herbs, the candles..there's not much, but what is there is intensely personal. The blindfold. "Melody..they got to you...damn them. DAMN them and damn me for not being able to be your Shield..." Alan sighs, taking the blindold in hand and pressing it close to his chest. But you know what you can do. First thing is order an autopsy..see if there are drugs in her system, some poisons mimic strokes.. Alan finishes packing eerything up and then gets to the phone. He dials up the station... "Yello, Back line. Alan says "This is Detective Alan Crane. I need an autopsy on a body that was brought in..." he clears his throat, his hands trembling "Melody Savon"" "Autopsy? What for? She had a stroke." The voice you recognize as one of the night cops, sounding more puzzled than anything. Alan says "Call it a hunch, Larry. Just..please, I woul like an autopsy ' run. Full toxicology report"" "Ooooookay. It's your call. I'll order it up." Alan says "Thanks..." he manages, the quaver amost breaking through, "When will the results be in?" "Give it a week? For full workup. Alan says "Allright...thanks again." You can make their lives hell...he's asking if you're OK. Alan says "Yeah...I'm fine." he even manages to sond convincing for a moment as he ponders what he might eb able to do to her assailants, "I'll be just fine..." "OK. I'll get that ordered up. Anything else? Alan says "Not right now..." He rings off. Tests are ordered. Alan says "I'll get her stuf outof here...go snooping at that Gregory's place.." he sighs, "Maybe I shoudl call Shimmer..."" Shimmer knew. You're sure of it, now. Alan shakes his head, gathering up her things "Melody, they are going to pay...maybe next life...next life we can be together." This room was never really hers. You know that. But it was...yours, hers and yours. Alan looks about, "They could never take what we had...damnit, Melody, if by the grace of the Lord and Lady you can hear me, I LOVE YOU!" Nothing. Alan expected nothing. He crumples and lets his weakness hit him a moment, lets it wash over him. He lets his tears fall once more.
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