Chapter Seven - A Notch in your Bedpost

At first I thought it was a joke, but I vaguely remembered a text message from my mother saying something about the police - and it sounded serious.

I thought they were going to ask something about Jared, but the real shock came when I found out who it was actually about.

"And, that would be?" I asked cautiously, trying to ignore the lump in my throat.

"It's about Bella Heyer, she's been missing for more than 24 hours without a trace. We wanted to know when you last saw her!" It was about Bella? I did not expect that. "Last Wednesday at school, after that she was ill for a few days," I just managed to say. My mouth was so dry it was really hard to speak. So hard that I actually forgot about the fact that I just saw her yesterday.

"We would like to ask you about it personally. May you come by tomorrow?" the male voice remained professional.

As if they doubted my words, but they probably just wanted to be sure.

I took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in my chest. "A-as important as this is to me, I'm unfortunately unable to do so tomorrow," I stuttered a little. "And on Friday? We'd like to question you more closely!" Mr. Gash continued to urge.

On the one hand I was aware of the seriousness of the situation, on the other hand I found it difficult to realize.

What if it was just a joke?

I wanted to run to the police station straight away to make sure, but it wasn't unusual for Bella to be absent for a few days. She had told me some interesting stories from her old hometown.

"Er, yes of course, I'll come by!" I gave in, despite my reservations. "Thanks, we'll get back to you, goodbye."

"Bye." I hung up trembling.

Oh my god. How could that be? Yesterday she seemed normal. I had spoken to her. I immediately dialed her number. My heart was still pounding in my throat. I closed my eyes when the first ring rang, praying in my heart that she would answer and reassure me that everything was ok.

But there was another beep, and another, and another, and another... before the answering machine cut it off. This Person is currently unavailable ...blah blah blah.

Exasperated, I fell back onto the railing and buried my face in my hands. What if something happened to her?

Maybe she just went away with other friends for a little bit of freedom, I tried to calm down and stop thinking so negatively. When I was grieving, I forgot all about the time. I'd have to hurry to get to Blake in time now. Even if I had no head for the visit. My motivation was actually gone too. But maybe talking to him would calm me down a little bit.

I also tried to run as fast as I could, but found it difficult and I was still far too distracted.

----

So there it was - Blake's house. Painted in a light shade of blue, a long paved but narrow path leading from the garden gate to the front door and lots of plants. His mother must have loved gardening.

It looked different than I had imagined. Should I really ring the bell now? Somehow I was afraid, but I was able to overcome it.

A woman, I guess she is around 40 years old, opened the door.

She had dark shoulder length hair and resembled Blake.

"Hello can I help you?" A faint smile crossed her lips. "Hello, is Blake at home?" I asked, although the answer was obvious.

"Oh my goodness, you must be Morgan! Blake already said you wanted to come. You're actually a lot prettier than he described you. But unfortunately he just left half an hour ago, and talked about something with Mandy and more..." Okay? She seemed surprisingly cheerful, unlike Blake's description. "Oops, I'm babbling too much again. Anyway, he wants me to let you know he will call you," the woman, who was probably his mother, explained to me.

Wow, that was quite a lot - all at once. I hadn't realized anyone could really talk that much. I was confused at the same time, and yet found it interesting to hear what Blake seemed to be saying about me.

"Oh, yeah. Well, if that's the case, then I'll go, goodbye." I bearly could make a sound due to my excitement.

"Okay, goodbye Morgan." I stepped away from the door again. How depressing that he had better things to do. But I couldn't deny that Blake's cancellation somehow suited me.

His mother mentioned something about Mandy. Probably the same as the one we met at the cafe. Will he ask her about Jared again?

I waited all evening for a call from Blake, but he didn't call yet. My phone was right in front of me and I stared at it. He would definitely call today! Most certainly!

Wait, what was I even doing? This is totally silly. He'll call if he wants anything, no matter when, but he'll do it. Besides, there were more important things. Bella and the police. I was still worried about her.

Blake didn't get in touch for the next few days either. So I decided to continue looking for clues on my own, to search everywhere and especially to look for the bag. I didn't find out anything new about Bella either. I had totally forgotten that I had seen her at the bridge and had told the police that the last time we met was at school. However, the police had called and made an exact appointment to talk, as Bella was still vanished from earth's surface.

And today was Friday, so I had the chance to clarify it.!

A little later I ran, through the unusual cold, to the police station.

I entered it tensely and immediately a woman with long blond hair that was tied tightly in a ponytail smiled at me. She didn't say anything, just stared at me with her piercing smile. It looked fake.

"Hello," I ground out nervously.

"Hello," she replied, and I could tell just how annoyed she was despite her "friendliness."

"I'm Morgan Adler, Mr. Gash told me to come over." I must have seemed totally insecure.

"Oh yes," she picked up one of her papers and read something, rolling her eyes slightly. At least that's how I recognized it. "First through that glass door and then he's waiting in the second room on the left side. Just go in." She pointed to it.

I nodded and stormed into the room, almost getting stuck in the dividing door. Miss Fake Smile was 100% laughing at me internally.

When I entered the room, someone immediately came towards me. Apparently I was expected.

"Miss Adler, please sit down," said a fairly normally dressed police officer. I sat down on the chair, totally nervous.

"We're just going to ask you a few questions, nothing more," added the second officer.

"By the way, I'm Commissioner Gash and this is my colleague Mr. Rehme," explained the first police officer. Rehme took out some papers. He had apparently written down questions here.

Meanwhile, Gash enlightened me on the usual. That I should tell the truth and so on. He also mentioned again that they had discussed everything with my parents.

They probably also arranged that these nice gentlemen did not come to our house. This wasn't the first time I've been questioned by the police. The last time I remembered was when I was a kid. A car hit one of my friends and drove on. But this - this was different.

The banal questions began. "So you and Miss Heyer go to the same school?"

I nodded cautiously. "Yes, even the same class." I looked closely at Mr. Rehme. He had rather short hair, it was only a millimeter long. The color was not to be interpreted.

He looked up sternly from his note and stared at me with his hazel eyes, making me a little afraid of saying the wrong thing. I quickly turned to Gash. His gaze was more pleasant.

"How long have you known each other?" he continued.

"A while. She joined our class a few months ago. We got along pretty well right away and since then we've just been sticking together," I answered his question.

"Lately too?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and had to realize that we really hadn't talked that much lately, I should have noticed that.

"No, we've had less contact for the past two weeks, but I saw her on Tuesday and she was acting normal." I could feel myself shaking slightly.

"Tuesday? I thought you last saw her on Wednesday, a week before?" Rehme looked suspicious and had his eyebrows raised a lot, which really didn't help me calm down.

"Yes, I had completely forgotten that we had met briefly," I stated aloud again and shifted back and forth on the chair insecurely.

"Because she's been missing for a while," he shared, looking surprised himself. Wow, that felt like a punch in my stomach again. With his firm voice, he told me, that no one else saw her on Tuesday, not to mention monday. She has been gone missing way before the last time I met her.

However, that was not the end of the conversation. They asked me many more questions, including: Understandably, also about the time of the meeting, but unfortunately I couldn't remember it exactly.

Bella's mental state was also discussed.

The whole conversation went on for about an hour, what struck me a bit was that they were asking me questions that were theoretically unrelated to the case. Still, I answered each and every one of them as best I could.

Since they didn't have any more questions, I was finally able to leave.

"Well, that was all Miss Adler. You can go" Gash's words came as a relief to me.

Both police officers said goodbye to me.

I tried to pull myself together as best I could as I was leaving the station. The blond secretary was still sitting there, looking up over-friendly again, waiting for a goodbye, but I ignored her and rushed out. I didn't have the nerve to put up with her anymore.

It was really crazy like she would know that I had just left the police station. Just as I was walking out I got a call...

"Um, hello?" I said, a little confused, not looking at the number.

"Hello Morgan," answered a harsh voice that sounded more than familiar.

"Be.. Bella?" I stuttered and couldn't believe it.  "Bella they're all looking for you, you know that?", I tried to talk not to loud. But I was shocked.

"Yes, yes! I know and it's annoying. Give it up!", she got louder and her voice lifted.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Your mom and everyone else here is worried!" I yelled back through the phone insanely.

"Oh, you can tell them that I'm not coming back! And say Jared's little brother a lovely hello from me! Bye!" Before I could say anything else, she hung up! I was totally perplexed.

What was the matter with her, otherwise she had always been so nice and now? Now she was just arrogant! This wasn't the Bella I knew.

I replayed her words in my head.

Jared's little brother? How did she know Blake?

I looked at the phone in my hand and then back at the station.

But at that moment I was just totally exhausted, my head hurt and that shouldn't be any different tonight!

_____

In the evening I actually planned to go to the bridge, but I had to postpone that until a little later. Because not only did I have to digest Bella's dramatic words, but my mother and I visited my grandma in the hospital. The doctor explained to us that she could no longer speak or at least didn't want to. I've been sitting in her room for a while and my mom was shuttling back and forth all the time.

When my mother left the room again to talk to the doctor, I tried my luck and started talking to my grandma.

"Do you need anything else?" I asked, but she didn't answer. "Maybe something to drink?... Or do you want me to change the sheets on your bed?..." I waved the sheets in front of her. She just stared into space. What did I expect?

"Mh, I'll be right back, okay?" I was about to head for the exit when she grabbed my arm and held it. She fixed me with her pale eyes.

With a trembling voice she said: "You will find your way, child. Trust me, but not with God's help... but with that of the devil!", she had pronounced the last five words with an aggressiveness that I had never heard before in her voice. Her eyes had narrowed to slits and she was gripping my arm tighter and harder, making me panic.

I tried to pull away, but even though she was an old woman and sitting in a chair, it was damn difficult. Nevertheless, I made it and immediately left the room, filled with fear. My mother intercepted me and asked what was going on, but I didn't answer her. All I said after that was that we would meet at home.

In front of the hospital I took a short break and caught my breath. That had been.. intense. I held my head in one hand and tried to organize the word chaos that is called my thoughts.

I kept running all the way home. It was all beginning to be too much.

___________________________________

A little later in the evening I had started my well-known way to the bridge. Nothing could prevent that. Maybe it would give me time to think or just a little distraction.

Once there, I looked around hoping Blake would be there too, but it seemed like he didn't care. I really needed him to talk to.

He stopped calling, he stopped looking for clues about his brother's death. Had he written off with Jared?

He just didn't do anything anymore. In any case, I didn't notice anything about it.

I was standing on the street so lost in thought that at first I didn't notice the world around me, but then I realized someone was standing behind me and throwing a bag right in front of my feet. I winced. I stopped and stared at the floor, paralyzed. That was...

An eerie voice behind me said, "Isn't that what you're looking for all along?" My heart stopped. I turned around and couldn't believe who was finally standing behind me.