Absolute Dark - Seven

Chapter Seven — Welcome to Brightmane, B.C.

I wake up around 10am, I lay there in the bed listening to the news droning on over the television.

I get through my morning routine before feelings of paranoia and dread make their return, courtesy of the memories surrounding the audio bugs come back.

I study the map while eating breakfast, which consists of another terrible energy bar. I make a mental note to see Ginny & Wendy before making my way to the police station.

I get some of my own simple audio bugs from my tech corner then pop them into my pocket, saving a pen microphone and a pair of damn fine hipster glasses with a 1080p camera built-in for later.

Knowing I'm going to be around people, I put on some foundation, lipstick and spray some cherry blossom perfume under my fall jacket.

Then I head out to my car, which is still the only one in the lot, it's a clear sunny day, if a bit windy.

Checking myself in the mirror, the foundation covers up the tired I feel, still, not bad I thought.

On blasts a play list of indie pop through the car's stereo, lead by 'Happiness is not a Place' by The Wind and The Wave.

I pull out of the lot, roll up to the motel exit, and glance in my rear-view mirror.

After last night I want to plant my own bug in the front office, but part of me is afraid to see how Martha will react to my presence.

Most of me is afraid she'll even be there still, I hope she doesn't sleep in that cramped office.

I light up a cigarette and decide to head to the town diner for a cup of coffee before the interviews. I pull into the road and roll down the window, thankful for fall days.

I started to like driving again, which usually takes longer after a road trip. I can see the actual town starting up ahead when I hear the sirens behind me flare off and on a few times, I toss my cigarette as I pull over.

I turn down my music and watch as a tall, tan, country boy of a police officer walks up to my car.

He stands a fair bit away from the car so he doesn't have to crouch down.

"Afternoon Officer," jumps out of my mouth.

"Miss Abigail Abernathy?" He asks, taking his aviator shades off.

"Uhm, yeah, hi."

"Sorry, Officer Brooks," he points to his badge and name tag.

"Oh, hey, I was just coming to see you guys," I smile.

"Great, well I can give you a police escort if you'd like? I was just heading back, took a chance checking the motel lot when I recognized the car from your file."

"Well I was going to try and find some coffee first, is the coffee any good out here?", I ask

 "Oh, no god no, absolutely not ma'am," we laugh, He continues, "But I tend to grab coffee from the local spot across the street, that stuff is heavenly if you like it strong."

"I love strong coffee, and I wouldn't mind the escort into town." I relent, it's easier just to go with the police first at this rate, though I'm curious about how true it is, him just happening to see my car.

"Great, I'll pull up to the diner, nice music by the way." Officer Brooks walks back to his car.

 ****

After we pull into the Station's small lot, Brooks walks me through the front door, right by the front desk and into a bull pen, we stop at his desk, framed photos of farmland and who I can only assume is his parents.

He sits at his desk and invites me to sit down on a flimsy fold up chair.

He pulls up my sisters file on his computer and I'm seeing her face, a few dark bruises crest her cheeks, in this instant I wonder how long it's been since she's sent me a recent picture or updated her online pictures, I try to remember while lodging a bug into this shitty chair.

I'm shaken back to the moment by three large cups of coffee being gently placed in my periphery, I look up to see a very tall and plump man in a cowboy hat.

His Grey hair filed out the back of his hat and I wonder if he has a mullet.

The man grabs a cup, followed by Brooks who starts mixing in sugar and cream from small packets, "Well hello lil' miss, you must be the Abernathy sister, Officer Brooks here abused his authority by seeking you out before letting you settle in first, but he is a dedicated one. They don't make 'em like this anymore."

Brooks smiles, then points casually with a creamer in his hand, "Miss Abernathy, this is the Chief of Police, Teddy Fredrickson." They both smile and take a sip of coffee, almost in unison.

"Why don't we head into my office William? Little more privacy," The Chief says, as he looks around the small mostly empty bullpen style offices. I want to laugh but I stand up with a smile and grab the remaining coffee from the cardboard tray. "Sure, thanks for the coffee guys."

We repeat the seating process in the much nicer office of Chief Fredrickson. He sits behind his desk as Brooks and I take up the guest chairs. He breathes deeply then begins, "Sweetheart, it doesn't look great.

Your sister was expected at the library for her volunteer shift. We put out the call after 24 hours and an officer found signs of struggle but no blood, no bodies. It appears they were using a popular campsite on the outskirts of the county."

Officer Brooks responds to a radio call, excusing himself and exiting the room. "I'm guessing that's the one on the other side of town? I glanced at the motel map earlier today."

He smiles, "Yes ma'am, so with a due respect, I can't imagine you should really want to be here." I smile in return, annoyed with myself for doing so. "I'm sure you know Chief, but we spent a lot of our childhoods in the system, and Cora ran away from our new home a few times. I suppose part of me is just hoping she'll show up because I'm here, which I know is ridiculous."

He nods affectionately, "I didn't know that but I can certainly understand," He turns around pointing out a picture of his family and kids "I can't imagine my kids having to go through that."

I take this opportunity to plant another bug under the this chair. "I'm just here for the week sir," I implore as he turns back around.

"Well in that case, I suppose you may have heard that your sister is a known associate of a pretty big gangster, or former gangster if her story is to be believed. A miss Violet Clement.

We're currently investigating her and several others she may have come into contact with, so when I heard you've just about graduated to be a journalist, well you can imagine part of my brains tells me to vet the girl, you know?"

He asks empathetically. "Oh absolutely sir, my post-grad internship is with a website that's itself very derivative of Teen Vogue, not exactly proper journalism,"

He chuckles. "I don't want to hold up anything, I'll just enjoy the town she loved for the week and head out, I just can't do nothing, you know?"

He nods and smiles. "Well, dear. I've got no problem with that, and I hope you enjoy all the town has to offer. I promise you, we'll do everything we can to find Coraline."

I stand up, "Thank you. Um, do you mind if I use the bathroom before I head out to breakfast?"

"Not a problem darling, head back out to the offices, far right corner, beside the emergency exit."

He gives me a half hearted salute wink combo and I almost laugh again, but wave and smile instead.

I was able to bug both bathrooms under the sinks and make my way back through the offices and past the front desk in under five minutes. I dump the half empty coffee cup into the trash can just outside of the Police Station.

Walking over to my car, unlock it and sit down, starting the car to warm it up, the volume of my music startles me.

The knock on my window makes me jump and I have to stifle a very loud, very creative curse. It's Officer Brooks, "Hey there." I turn down the music, "Hey, I thought you were off doing, cop stuff?"

He leans down close to the window now, "Nah, that was nothing. Listen, there's at least a few people watching right now, I'm going to pretend to ask you out on a date and I would really love if you agreed. I don't know what the Chief told you, but there's more to your sisters case. We should talk."

I made my eyes go wide and smiled like a smitten little girl, playing the game I wasn't sure was even real.

He was nice so far, but my life has taught me most small town cops are lazy and incompetent, or cruel as fuck.

I curbed this mentally and go along with it. Tilting my head sideways, "When and where?"

He smiles, "Betsy's Burgers downtown, it's just a few minutes away. Here.." He hands me a card with his name and phone number on it.

"I know you drove into town from Ontario, so just call or text when you're up for it, if you're up for it."

I smile sweetly as he walks back to the Station, then I turn the music back up and pull back out onto the main road while Frank Ocean pulses through the speakers.