S2W44: “Police Tape”

© 2022 Phylicia Joannis

Sydney stared at the yellow police tape stretched across the front of Dr. Jengal’s office. She spotted Detective Gates, who was squatting near the blood-soaked carpet by Dr. Jengal’s desk. He made eye contact with Sydney, then waved her over.

“Looks like we were too late.”

“We got here as fast as we could.” Detective Gates sighed. “Perp ran out the back when we got here, and we lost him. Forensics went through with a blacklight. No blood anywhere but here, which suggests he was unconscious before he was stabbed.” He grunted and looked at her. “You said Dr. Jengal called you? Any idea who might have done this?”

She shook her head. “He said he was being followed, but I don’t know. Thanks for doing this, Roger.”

He sniffed and handed her a pair of gloves. “Don’t mention it, Sid. To anyone. And don’t contaminate my crime scene. You’ve got five minutes.”

Sidney pulled on the gloves and walked around the office. If you ignored the blood on the floor, everything else looked in perfect order. The pictures on the wall still stood at sharp angles, and Dr. Jengal’s desk was clean and clear, minus the porcelain Cheshire cat that sat on top.

Sydney took a closer look at the desk. She stared at the cat’s face, which was turned towards the door. When she’d gone into Dr. Jengal’s office before, it had been facing the wall. He was a very meticulous man. So meticulous that his colleague had repositioned it when Sydney had moved it during her last visit.

She tapped the desk. Aside from the cat, not a single thing was out of place. Had the perpetrator accidentally moved it? Or could it be something else?

Sydney lifted the Cheshire cat from the desk. A USB flash drive fell from the hollow middle, landing on the desk with a light clink. Her eyes widened and she swiped it, just moments before Detective Gates barked behind her.

“Time’s up, Sydney.”

She replaced the Cheshire cat and gave him a solemn nod, slipping the flash drive into her belt. She removed her gloves and handed them to Detective Gates on the way out.

***

I was halfway down the block before I realized Marcos was calling my name. I slowed, but didn’t stop. I needed to catch the train uptown to get to my mother’s house. We were running out of time.

“Miracle, stop!” Marcos grabbed my hand. “Where are you going?”

“To see Donna Ellison.” Marcos didn’t seem like he was letting go, so I dragged him with me. “She’s the only one who can stop it, Marcos. I have to talk to her.”

“She’s not gonna listen to you.” Marcos squeezed my hand and pulled me to a stop. “Miracle, it’s too dangerous.”

I sniffed and wiped at my eyes. “Someone has to stop this.”

“But why does it have to be you?” His eyes searched mine. “You’ve done enough, Miracle. Let someone else handle it.”

“There isn’t time!” I pulled away from him and continued down the street. “If we don’t stop those bombs, people are gonna die.”

“But if you go to your mom again . . .” Marcos didn’t finish his thought. I felt his hand slip back into mine. “I won’t let you go by yourself.”

He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as I looked up at him. I nodded, and we ran towards the subway entrance. Marcos flew down the steps, but I froze at the top of the stairs.

“What’s wrong, Miracle?”

I shook my head, feeling foolish. Aside from the fact that what I was doing was very dangerous, and probably very stupid, there was one huge flaw in my plan.

There was no way Donna Ellison would let her dead daughter walk back into her house.