Slender Man Ch. 02

"Thank you, sir." Teresa replied.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Teddy Parker and Jerome Davis were sitting with me and Cindy in Classroom 'E' at 1:30pm, Friday, March 10th.

"We interviewed them individually and kept them apart." said Parker. "All their stories were the same. The figure was there, then was closer, then disappeared. They all turned their heads when they heard a noise behind them, and that's when the figure disappeared."

"There were a lot of old footprints in that area, sir." said Davis. "They said they retrieved home runs and foul balls all the time. But no fresh prints at all. The kids said they didn't go over there after seeing the Slender Man."

"I'm glad Davie Marsdon wasn't there." I said. "He'd go right over and investigate."

"Hell, sir," said Cindy, "Davie would go over there and confront Slender Man, and likely get himself into some trouble." I smiled and nodded.

"The point is that it's strange that none of them went over to investigate." I said. "What do you think, Parker, Davis? Think this is on the up-and-up?"

"Sir," said Davis, "if it weren't for the other sighting at your Cabin house, I'd definitely think the kids were pranking us. I'm not sure they were going to bring the tape to the Police. It was the batting instructor that made the kid that owned the video camera come forward."

"Did he see Slender Man?" I asked.

"No, he was in his office, waiting for them to finish their taping so he could lock up the facility. They came running in and showed him the video."

"That... sounds very strange." I said. "Okay, thanks guys. What are your plans for tonight?"

"I'm taking Janice Holloway out to dinner." said Parker. "Then home to... watch a movie." I just grinned and gave him the thumbs-up sign.

"I'm on call this weekend, sir." said Davis.

"Wow, young Detective still wet behind the ears, and already on call, eh Captain?" I asked, teasing Davis.

Cindy smiled. "He's doing a great job, sir."

"So I'm told." I said. "All right, keep up that great work. Davis, do stay by the phone... I have a feeling about tonight...

Part 14 - Disappearing Act

Laura had invited Callie and Cindy to have supper with us at the Mountain Nest. My mother had plans to eat dinner with the 'Crowbar Crew' old folks from the Community Center, so she was not here.

To my surprise, Carole was a little shy about meeting Callie, who was looking very beautiful and was outgoing as always.

"This is my friend Callie." Cindy said, to introduce Callie. Carole was hugging Cindy as Cindy held her, and had her head down on Cindy's shoulder.

"Hi Carole." Callie said. "Oh, and this must be Bowser." she said, looking down and seeing a handsome almost-white-haired dog sitting on his haunches and looking up at her. Callie let Bowser sniff her hand, then petted him. Buddy would come up in a few seconds for his attention.

"See, Carole, Bowser like Callie." Cindy said. But Carole still clung to Cindy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Carole seemed a little better by suppertime. Jim had no reservations about Callie, and smiled brightly in return when Callie talked to him. He was going to be his father's son, and that with his cousin Todd's flirtatious ways with the women, I noted. Callie had been holding him while we talked before supper.

"Oh, it's great, so far." said Callie. "Annemarie is essentially running the film company. She's got a really great eye for camerawork, and she likes the loving, romantic films like I do. I sold her 30% of the company, so she's got skin in the game now."

"That'll help tremendously." said Cindy. "My gym is going great now that I'm out of the way and Ariel and Wanda are running it."

"How has Annemarie been doing?" asked Laura. "You know about her ordeal?" She was referring to the 'Point Hollow' case, where Annemarie and another student had been kidnapped, gang raped, and left to die.

"She's doing okay." said Callie. "I've really watched her, and we've had a couple of good conversations. She won't do any rough films, and she insists the actresses be treated right, which is good. She's a tough girl, a survivor."

"Speaking of tough girls," I said, "someone is not being that. Carole, what are you doing with your peas?"

"Giving them to Bowser." Carole replied. At least she didn't lie to me, even when she was going to be in trouble, I thought.

"Carole, peas are people food, not dog food." I said. "You need to eat your peas without Bowser's help."

"I don't like them." Carole said simply.

"Carole," I said, "because Callie and Cindy are here as our guests, we're going to have ice cream for dessert. But if you don't eat your peas, and if you give them to Bowser, you will not be getting any of the ice cream." I was met with a three-year-old's eyes cutting back at me, and I matched my daughter's look.

"Ohhhh-kayyyyy." Carole conceded. She made a fuss, but she ate her peas. Cindy was trying not to laugh, and Callie was watching with fascination.

"Wow." Callie said. "I always got the 'Because I said so' treatment."

"So did I," I said, "and I hated it. So I try very hard to not say that... though I'm sorely tempted at times."

"You're a great father." Callie said. Then she said "You know, it's funny. Don't take this the wrong way, but I never thought of cops--- er, police officers as being normal people, with families and all."

"Yes, we are." said I said. "And some of my Officers have lovely girlfriends."

"I think your son is trying to acquire that girlfriend for himself." Laura said, noting little Jim's fascination with Callie. He was giving the beautiful blonde his peas as 'gifts'...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As Laura, Callie and Cindy talked after dinner, I was petting Bowser and pretending to listen. But I was in my own little world, trying to put the puzzle pieces together:

--- The attacks on me by the Press, Craig, and the Sheriff were too concurrent to be coincidences. What was behind those attacks?

--- Why was Les Craig so desperate to find Leonard Lotz?

--- Who was the power behind the Superior Bloodlines group?

--- What was the role of the Mob, of Jerry Morelli, in all this?

--- Where was Richard Ferrell?

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was Cindy's Police cellphone going off, followed closely by my own. Bowser began barking angrily until Carole said "Hush, Bowser!", whereupon the redoubtable Bowser promptly stopped barking.

"Oh boy." Cindy said as we hung up our respective phones. "We gotta go."

"Yep." I said, then said quietly to Laura so Carole wouldn't hear: "Another child has disappeared."

To be continued.