chater 3

Daniel woke up to a splitting headache. He looked around the room; it definitely looked better at night. Once he cleared his head he got off the bed, there was a dizzy sensation that lasted a few moments. Once it was over he went to the nightstand and picked up his phone, the screen said it had two messages. No doubt from his mother. He must have been really out to not hear his cell phone ringing. He called Shari and three beeps and disconnected.

He thought for a moment and decided maybe he should go back to his apartment, Maybe Shari was there. It was another long shot but it was all he had.

During the drive from the hotel to his apartment, he tried again to figure out where he knew that bank security guard. He got out of his car and went up the stairs to his apartment.

Before he went in he looked over his shoulder. For some reason he got the sense he was being watched. Shari wasn’t there. Daniel sighed and plopped on the bed. Just then it came to him. That security guard was from the newspaper office party. The Modesto Bee hired security in case

things got out of hand, or they had crashers. He remembered watching him stroll around the room. He gave Shari some very intense stares that seemed really creepy, but then again that could be his jealousy at work.

He decided he should call his mom before she worried herself to death. It was a short conversation. He told her he was fine, she chewed him out for being stupid. She asked him if he called her mom. Shari’s parents live in Turlock. It wasn’t that far but Shari didn’t go there much because she didn’t like traveling on the freeway. Besides her parents disliked him, especially her dad. He disconnected with mom and called Shari’s paren’t because he was getting that desperate.

He didn’t get far with that. When he told Shari’s mom, Linda what happened and needed to talk to her. she told him ”go to hell” and hung up.

So Daniel went out the door and back into his car again. It took three times turning the key for it to start up.

After about twenty minutes on the highway, his car began to sputter and die. “S**t Daniel yelled as he turned the wheel and glided to the side of the road.

Once the car came to a stop on the side of the freeway Daniel sighed deeply and lightly banged his head on the steering wheel. “I don’t need this right now.” He said to himself. He turned the ignition to no avail. “Come on., please.” He turned the ignition, but no dice. Daniele took two deep breaths. He thought “Maybe this is fate’s way of saying it is not a good idea to go to Shari’s parent’s house.” He Didn’t want to call a two truck because he didn’t have AAA, so he just let the car rest for a few minutes and tried again. The engine came to life.

He pulled into traffic. Approaching the onramp he thought to himself “Maybe fate is right.” He took the n ramp, turned right, crossed the overpass, and got on the onramp back to Modesto. While driving

towards home he thought it might be time for a nap and collect his thoughts.

When Daniel pulled into the apartment building his heart began racing when he saw the door to his apartment open. He turned off the car and flung the door open. He shot up the stairs and burst through the entryway. “Thank God your...” he stopped mid-sentence when he didn't see her in the room.

“Shari.” He yelled. There was no reply.

“Shari” he yelled again as he journeyed to the bedroom. His heart sank at what he saw when he entered the bedroom. Shari laying facedown on the bed.

“Oh my God. He exclaimed as he raced towards the bed. Shari, honey.” He rolled her over. “ Are you okay?” He stop mid-sentence as the air seemed to get cucked out of him from the horror right in front of him. Shari’s midsection was completely covered in blood. So was the spot on the bed where she was laying. “Oh my God.” His mind was racing so fast that he didn’t know what to do. “ I... i.. oh my God. No, Shari.”

He reached into his pocket to make a call to 911. He nearly dropped his phone. Once he got control he tried calling the number but his hands were shaking too hard. He took a couple of deep breaths and then slowly punched in the number.

He stopped when he heard a commotion coming from the front room. He dropped the phone and turned around just in time to see two police officers with their guns drawn.
“Freeze.” One of the officers shouted.

They escorted Daniel to the Police car outside the apartment where he sat for ten minutes while they searched his house. Tears welled up in his eyes at the image of Shari lying on the bed with blood everywhere. “How? Why? This can’t be happening.” Were thoughts swirling in his head like a tornado in the farmland.

Once the police were finished they drove him to the police station where they put him in what he figured was an interrogation room. It was small and dingy. There was a long table in the middle with two plastic chairs on both sides.

The door opened and two gentlemen in suits entered. One was young, Daniel figured around thirty, with blond hair that was shoulder length. The other was Bald on top with salt and pepper hair on the side; Daniel figured he was pushing sixty. They both sat in chairs on the other side from where he was sitting

“I’m sergeant Phillips,” the bald man sitting in front of him said. “And this is my partner, detective Sinclair.”

Daniel just stared at them, at a loss for words.
“Why don’t you tell us what happened,” Phillips asked.

Daniel looked at both and took a deep breath. “I don’t know. When I got home I saw the door was open so I went upstairs. I figured Shari Finally came home. I was excited.”

“Came home,” Phillips said sternly. How long was she gone?” “Just a day.” Daniel said timidly.

Phillips and Sinclair just stared at him. Daniel cleared his throat and continued. “You see, we had an argument. She stormed out the door and got into a cab.”

“And.” Was all Phillips said.

Daniel fidgeted in his seat. “ And. Since then I’ve been trying to find her.”

“How so,” Phillips replied.

“Well, I went to see her friend at the restaurant she worked at. Then I went to the bank she worked at to talk to her co-workers. But none of them would tell me where she was.

And why would that be?” Sinclair asked.

“Because they don’t like me very much,” Daniel said as he looked down at the table.

“Is there any particular reason why?” the Sargent leaned towards Daniel with a quizzical stare.

Daniel hesitated a moment then raised his hands like he was surrendering. “Because of my temper.”

“Oh really,” Phillips replied.

Daniel shook his head and let out a long breath. “Yes. I admit I have jealousy issues. That led to our constant arguing.”

“Did you ever hit her?” Phillips said sternly.

Daniel sat straight up. “God no.” He said loudly. “I would never hurt her. God, I loved her. “ A tear ran down his face.

Phillips and Sinclair just stared at him with judgmental expressions on their faces.

“What, I didn’t kill her.” Daniel shouted as he stood up.

Sinclair reached over the table to grab Daniel’s shoulder and sat him back down. “We’re not saying you did. We are just trying to find out what happened to her.”

Daniel let out an exasperated sigh as he sat down and put his head on the table.

“Do you own a pocket knife with a gold handle eth with a gold dragon engraved on it?” Pillips said.

Daniel’ lifted his head quickly. “Yeah. My father gave me it for my twenty-first birthday.”

“Do you know how it ended up in the sink with Shari’s blood on it?”

”Daniel looked stunned. “ I... I have no idea. I keep it in the nightstand so Shari can use it for protection when I’m out of town. There was blood on it?” he was wide-eyed.

“Well no, because somebody washed it off, but I’m sure it did. And I’m also sure when the lab guys spray it with luminal on it will be confirmed.” Phillips got up and left the room with Sinclair following right behind.

Daniel sat in the interrogation room for about half an hour before Phillips and Sinclair returned. Phillips walked right up to him, told him to stand up, and cuffed him while reading him his Miranda rights. He was then walked outside and placed in police car and escorted to the jail cell .Phillips placed him in forcefully and slammed the door shut. Daniel walked over to sit on the tiny bed. He looked up to see the officers staring at him. Phillips star was cold, but Daniell could swear Sinclair had a sympathetic Look on his face.

A few moments later an officer open the cell door and told Daniel he could have one phone call. He used it to call Orlando Thompson; He was an attorney for the local athletes. Danielle met him while giving an interview about a little-known quarterback for Modesto Junior college accused of murder. They got along well so Danielle figured he was the right man to represent him.

Orlando wholeheartedly agreed. He said he saw the article and said he knew instantly that he knew that he didn’t do it.

During the arraignment hearing the district attorney asked for no bail. Orlando argued that Daniel was a respected member of the community

with ties in the forms of Daniels's mom and the job at the Modesto Bee, plus he had no priors.

The judge agreed and set bail at a five hundred. Daniel Had Orlando take the money out of his savings account.

When he returned he gave money to Daniel he said. “Now you realize you need to stay out of trouble, and not talking to the press.”

“Oh, you know that I know better than that,” Daniel replied. “And thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. There is still a long way to go.” Orlando replied as they shook hands. “Be safe, and I’ll see you at my office tomorrow morning, say nine.”

Daniel nodded. “I’ll see you at nine.”

Orlando walked away. Daniel left the courthouse and got in his car.
On the way to his apartment he had to pull over for a moment because he no longer could hold his emotions in. He sobbed uncontrollably as he thought about the love of his life dead.

Before reaching his apartment he stopped at a furniture store in the local mall and purchased a new mattress. He knew the police took his old one for evidence. Which suit him fine. He would never sleep on it anyways. He wondered if he would ever be able to sleep again. 

Reviews

[Corset]

I am heartbroken, what a twist, poor guy certainly can't make it right with her now. Dale, I must say I am very impressed so far, not a single ho-hum moment yet! I'm a little bummed about the hopelessness in this guy's case and makes me wonder...how? who? why?

[Coyote Poetry]

Wow Dale. Old girlfriend dead in his bed. I liked the desperation in the chapter and I was surprised by the ending. A outstanding chapter my friend.
Coyote

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

Thank you so much. I love surprising people.

[Coyote Poetry]

You did Dale and you are welcome.