All That Shimmers...

All That Shimmers...

         Sean pulls the old popcorn tin closer to his favorite chair. He stores his photos in here just like his mother used to. It's heavy duty and protects them quite well, even if there really is no order to it.

         Now if I can just get my hands to stop shaking long enough to open the damned thing!

         Sargent Marley of the Homicide Division motions for Sean to hand him the first photo he pulls from the popcorn tin. Sean wants to smile thinking of Marley's ghost from A Christmas Carol, but his nervousness as he hands over the picture forces a need for explanation of what the image contains.

         “This picture is of me holding Sarah a few weeks ago. We were at the park playing around just a little ways from the bridge that we love to sit on during the summer. She said her feet were freezing from the wet snow, and I had offered to carry her the rest of the way to the coffee shop.” “Okay son, who took the picture?” Marley inquired. “Ummm...We had run into our friend Jennifer, and invited her to go with us. Jennifer took the picture with her cell phone, and sent it to me to load into my computer at home.” Good times.

         Marley motions for Sean to keep digging in the tin. The first picture wasn't what he was really looking for. The Sargent and his escorts, consisting of two street cops, have been here for a while asking if he knew of Sarah's whereabouts. They also asked if he had a good facial shot of her to show around the neighborhood; just to see if anyone may recognize her.

         After a few moments of digging, Sean finds just the picture they need. The need to explain arises again in his throat, and he lets go with a quiver in his voice.

         “This one is of Sarah wearing her black sweater and every gold necklace she owns. Sarah loves the shimmer of gold, and pretty much any jewelry that's a little on the pricey side. She wanted a picture of her at this time specifically because it was her first attempt at wearing a Pixie style haircut. I didn't like it much, but whatever.”

         God I love those black eyes of hers!

         Just as distracting as her eyes, is the gold heart shaped locket she has on. “I remember when I first saw her wearing that locket. It caught my eyes because of the lines of rubies making a cross. But see, the center stone is a diamond. She said she had finally paid it out of lay-away from a pawn shop. The guy at the shop told her that if she didn't try to back him off of the price; he'd engrave her initials on the back of it. When she made the final payment, the guy mistakingly engraved L.S. instead of S.L., you know like her name Sarah Long. He told her that he had made a mistake and that he had been looking at the lay-away agreement which had her name written last name first on it. She liked the locket so much, she decided to live with it. Instead of placing a picture of me inside, she put a picture of her younger brother that had died eight years ago.”

         Why didn't they contact her mother in Dallas. Unless, they suspect me of....

         The Sargent and the other officers passed the picture around; commenting quietly to each other in a whisper that Sean couldn't make out. He didn't dare ask what they were saying, instead he began putting the pictures back into the tin.

         As he did this, his hands were shaking a little less, but still enough that he dropped one on the floor. It was a picture of his mother. She was born and raised in Germany, but came to America when she was old enough to leave home.

         Mom sure is one stroodle makin' fool.

         Sarah has only met her twice.  The first time was for a mere formal introduction. The second time was for supper, and as they agreed to it, they knew it was so his mom could look for faults in her little boy's woman. The conversation was light, but the food was very heavy. Sean had noticed Sarah was full after only a few bites- pretending or not. Sean looks blankly to the wall as if he is watching a movie. Speaking from his mind he says, “She's so picky about her figure.” Without looking up from the picture, Sargent Marley utters, “Yes, aren't they all?”

         When they had finished the meal; the couple made up total lie. They told his mother they had to get a move on if they were going to get to the movies on time. As he gentlemanly opened the door to let Sarah out, his mother grabbed the arm of his jacket and said, “ Stille wasser sind tief!” Rough translation,  “Still waters run deep!” Sean's mother was fond of saying this about people she didn't trust. The first time he had ever heard this phrase was when she had told him a story about how the girls of her village used this phrase as a warning; a warning given when they had been introduced to a girlfriend's prospective suitor that they didn't quite trust.

         Sarah was very mindful of what Sean's mother had said; quirking her eyebrows with no understanding of the words. Sarah's final expression about the meeting was a "Nice to see you again," that she through over her shoulder. And, that was all Sean remembered.

         I guess though, well maybe it was a common thing for German women to be suspicious. I mean after all, she does come from the country of the most painful givers of interrogation.

         He rolled his eyes remembering. Of course we didn't go to the movies; we went to my place. Case closed. 

         Sarah has been missing for about four days now. Locally there has been - not just one, but five female bodies found. They were stabbed several times. Each one of these unfortunate souls have been identified and time lined from first missing to the last. And as if Sean wasn't scared enough for Sarah; all of the girls are the same or around her age.

         He wonders why they came to him. Wouldn't Sarah's parents have been notified by now? I mean as a matter of protocol. Surely they would have a better picture of Sarah, right? I wish they would just leave! I mean, I am the one that reported her missing! I'm the one that gave them the best possible schedule of her daily routine! And, I am the one that promised- PROMISED I wouldn't leave town! I know they hear that crap all the time, and I'm sure I'm a suspect, but....I've just got to calm down.

         Hmmm...I would love to know why they keep pointing to the center of the photo I gave them. The only thing in the center of the picture is the locket. They keep grinning too- what's that all about? I guess I'll just sit here. No, I'll ask if they want some coffee to show them I'm a nice guy.

         “No, we have what we need, but thank you just the same.” “We'll be in touch as soon as we find out something, Okay?” They slide out the door almost falling over each other's feet. Sean moves toward the door with one ear turned down the hall. One of the cops says loudly, “Yeah, that's the locket alright!” Sean hears this as he closes and bolts the door to his apartment. Sargent Marley looks over his right shoulder wondering if the young man happened to hear the excited speech of his comrade.

         “Thank god their gone!” he let's loose. We'll I want some coffee. As if I'm not nervous enough! I'll read the newspaper while the coffee brews. That's what I'll do, and maybe the Sargent will call back with some good news. Marley...Jesus that's funny!

         Sean settles into his favorite chair again, fumbling with today's edition.  As he uses the large green popcorn tin as a foot stool, he briefly has an image in his mind of the photo of him and Sarah on that snowy day. The feeling of sadness almost over takes him, but he knows he must keep himself together. He has to be mentally strong for the both of them.

         The front page briefly describes the continuing investigation into the murders. At the bottom of the article are the words, “continued on page 3A.” He is thinking over and over about the only words he was able to understand from the mumbling officers. On page 3A, he finds that the reporters were finally allowed to release the victim's names and some extra information about the condition the girls were found in. He reads of how each of the victim's necks had marks as if something like a necklace had been viciously ripped from their throats. As he begins to scan the list of the victim's names, his cell phone vibrates in a complete circle on the coffee table his mother had given him when he moved out. Sean lowers the paper and walks the three steps of space between his chair and the table. In one solid move, he opens his flip phone, sliding it between his ear and shoulder and falls back into his chair.  As Sean says “Hello.”, he raises the newspaper; whipping it backward to fix it's crease. For only a few seconds there is silence. Just as Sarah says  “Hello Sean.” in a deep and disturbing voice, Sean's wide open eyes fix on the name- Lisa Stark first in the list of victims. Lisa Stark, Lisa Stark.....L.S...Oh My God!

THE END?

Word count - 1649