Crow's Path Ch. 02

"You're saying you don't feel like you have control of your emotions?" Sam asked.

"Only about this. Everything else, I feel normal. I can't explain it, I really can't."

Crow nodded thoughtfully. "Is there anything else you can remember? Anything before or after it all happened?"

"I remember being taken out the bed. I was naked, and cold, and I remember being annoyed that someone had taken me away from the warmth. I remember he was there, talking to Jen." Claire looked over to Roger who simply nodded I acknowledgment.

"I have to ask a personal question," Sam continued. "Did you take any drugs or accept any drinks from strangers during the hours leading up to what happened?"

"We all smoked pot the first day we were here but it wasn't much, and it was from one of our friends. I don't think it had anything to do with what I saw, or what I didn't see."

"Do you think it's possible that something was causing you to hallucinate?"

"Believe me, that's the first thing I thought. But the tests didn't show anything weird in my system. Maybe I'm just crazy?"

"No one is saying you're crazy, Claire," Crow interrupted. "One last question: Is there anyone here that you think might have been trying to hurt you? Maybe someone who would have a grudge and want to take it out on you?"

"I'm here with my closest friends," she replied. Crow couldn't help but notice that none of these close friends were anywhere to be found today. "My ex boyfriend doesn't even know I'm here, and so far everyone has been super friendly to me, even before I ended up here."

Crow needed to ask the question. He hadn't ruled out yet that Claire was making up her story to protect someone she knew. It wasn't uncommon for women to lie about being assaulted when the assailant was their boyfriend or husband. Still, he believed her when she said she couldn't remember.

"I understand. Well, Claire, I think we've got all we need for now. If I have any more questions, can we give you a call?"

She nodded. "I'll leave my number with Miss LeCroix if you want, but I doubt I'll have much else to add."

The group stood to leave, most of them feeling slightly disappointed that so little new information had come out of the interview. The detail about the foot imprints in the water was a nice addition to the evidence they found last night, but Crow still couldn't rationalize it in his head without sounding ridiculous. This case was starting to look like it would end in failure.

LeCroix hauled Roger out first so that he could fill her in on what they had found in the room, leaving Sam and Crow in the doorway when Claire spoke behind him.

"There was a light," She said in a calm, pondering voice.

"A light?" Crow asked as he turned.

"Yeah. On the mountain. I remember seeing it before I went to the shower. It was so pale, but I could see it through the balcony window. Then, it was gone." Claire let her words trail off as if she were distracted, her eyes aimed at the wall as if she were speaking to herself the whole time. She went quiet, and then as if nothing had happened she went back to checking her overnight bag to make sure all of her items were accounted for.

Crow exchanged a worried glance with Sam, but realizing there was nothing else to ask, they left Claire to herself.

----

"Foxtrot Twelve to Sierra One."

"Sierra One."

"Sierra One, be advised, I think we found those two bikes that went missing earlier today. We're on Trail Six, about two miles in."

"I copy, Trail Six. Any sign of the individuals that were using them?"

"Standby, we're still looking around." Officer Dunn secured the hand-mic to his shirt and stepped off of the trail. His partner, Officer Compton, was already in the area searching for the boy and girl that had rented the bikes. He found her in a small clearing in the bush, and it was clear without asking that this was where the two had come after ditching the bikes.

"I don't like the looks of this," she said without turning to look at her partner. There was a crumpled blanket in the center where she stood. Scattered all around were clothing, the same clothes that Wallace and Vanessa had shed before making love and then vanishing into the forest together.

"Wherever they are, they're naked, that's for sure." Dunn pointed to the where Vanessa's panties had landed.

"I bet those two were out here fucking when they heard us roll up. Must have ran into the woods to keep from getting caught. We'll have to wait till they give up."

"Look, footprints." Officer Dunn pointed to the two sets of shoe-less prints leading off of the trail. That's when he saw the phone exactly where Wallace had dropped it. "I've got a phone here."

"I'll check the pants for identification. God knows he's not carrying it with himself at the moment." Compton began to check the clothing while Dunn secured the phone.

The first thing Officer Dunn noticed was that the battery was nearly dead. This phone hadn't been charged in a very long time. The second thing he noticed were the missed call messages from a contact labeled to be the owner's mother. There were three of them. Below this were two text messages. One was from the mother again, asking why he hadn't answered her calls for several hours. The second was from a contact labeled "Jessica," asking why Wallace hadn't been at the dock to meet her on arrival as they had planned. That message was sent just after eight, and it was now approaching noon.

Officer Dunn turned to find his partner watching him. "Anna, something's not right here at all."

She nodded in agreement. "I think you're right. These clothes look like they've been out here for a while. There were ants crawling in a line to his pocket. An open pack of Lifesavers."

"Did you find his ID?"

"Yeah, managed to grab that at least."

"Good, let's call it in. I don't think those kids are going to be coming back."

TO BE CONTINUED