Nevermore

by Wrenn Montgomery

  “We’re waiting for the blood test results to come back to see if she’s been drugged,” I say, speaking up for the first time, my voice shaky.

  Emmett looks my way for half a second, something flashing in his eyes, and then turns his attention back to Elli.

  I know we’re both thinking the same thing. The man she described sounds just like the creep from the bar last night. I feel sick to my stomach, and guilt is creeping up my spine. Logically, I know it’s not my fault this happened to her. But the thought that it could have been me, had Emmett not been there, makes me feel horrible that it was Elliott instead, and that I wasn’t there to save her from what happened.

  “We’ll need the contact information of the ladies that were with you last night. Maybe one of them remembers something distinctive about this Brent guy.” Venom drips from Emmett’s voice when he says the perpetrator’s name. “It doesn’t appear that anything was stolen from the apartment, but we’ll have you confirm that when we can get you back home.”

  “Hopefully that’ll be today.” Elli’s voice wavers at the end of her sentence, and I know she’s trying to keep it together in front of the detectives.

  “If you guys are finished, maybe we can give her a break for now,” I say.

  I know she probably needs a good cry and doesn’t want any of us in here for it. She’s strong but she does break occasionally, and when she does there are no witnesses. I learned that early on in our relationship during one finals week. She’d failed one of her exams and then holed up in our apartment for a week, not answering anyone’s phone calls or coming out of her room except for when she had to eat or use the bathroom.

  “Yeah, we can work on these leads and get back to you later when you’ve rested. We’re here if you need anything. Please don’t hesitate to call either of us.” Officer Tropp’s tone is gentle and steady as she hands Elli her business card.

  I can tell she’s really good at putting people at ease, which must come in handy in this field of work.

  “Raven.” He gives me a single nod as he follows his partner out of the room.

  “What was that?” Elli looks over at me, eyelashes batting a mile a minute, even though her eyes are still swollen.

  If anything can break her out of her silent and brooding spell, it’s her curiosity with me and the men I involve myself with.

  “Nothing,” I say.

  “Bullshit. How do you know him?”

  I shrug. “Is this really important right now, E?”

  “You bet your ass it is. I need something to take my mind off of this shit. Spill.”

  How am I going to say no to her, while she’s lying in a hospital bed, body swollen and black and blue?

  “All right, all right,” I say, relenting.

  “Yessss. I can’t wait.” Elli is almost giddy, and I’m glad I can provide a little lightness to one of the worst days of her life with my questionable decisions.

  Twenty minutes later the beans are spilled and she’s staring at me, mouth agape.

  “Rave, what in the hell? You don’t do this kind of thing.”

  “I know.” I didn’t tell her about the creep in the bar; I figure we should save that for when we’re not sitting in a hospital room just hours after she was attacked.

  “I mean, he’s hot. He’s really hot.”

  “I know.”

  “Like really hot. Did you know he was a cop?”

  I consider the question for a second, nervous to tell her the truth.

  How am I supposed to tell her I had no idea what he did for work, or that he walked me home because a creep—who sounds like the guy who attacked her—was watching me?

  “Nope. I mean I knew there was a chance. The haircut gave him away, plus he’s clean shaven and he’s definitely in shape.”

  I stand outside of Miss James’ room listening to Raven tell her friend about me. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I caught the last snippet of the story and couldn’t stop listening.

  “And you were planning on never seeing him again, am I right?” Elli asks.

  I hear a muffled noise that sounds like a yes.

  “And now he shows up here to investigate my incident, how convenient!” Elli says, and I can hear the sarcasm loud and clear. “And now you have to see him, so you can’t run away. I love it!”

  More grumbling from Raven.

  “Well, how was it?”

  “How was what?” Raven asks.

  “You know exactly what, Raven Elyse.”

  Raven Elyse Jackson. Nice.

  “I’m not going to talk about it with you right now, Elli. Come on.”

  “Yes, you are. You haven’t gotten laid in how long? Six months? You are going to tell me. I’m playing the injured victim card this one time and this time only. And this is like, divine intervention or some shit. Spill it, Rave.”

  “I swear to God, E. Why are you like this?” I hear her chuckle at the end and imagine her grinning. “It was…much needed.”

  “Nope, I need more than that.”

  “It was great, okay? Fantastic. Best sex of my life. I came three times. You happy?”

  “Very. You better hit that again.”

  “Elliott! You’re relentless. I don’t double-dip, you know that. And he’s working your case, so that would be some sort of conflict of interest or something. Definitely weird. He’s nice, he’s cute, but I don’t know anything about him and I’m not getting into a relationship, so what’s the point? It was a good night. It’s over and done with now.”

  “You’ve got to let it go. Landry was five years ago, babe. I know it still hurts, but you can’t shut everyone out for the rest of your life and live alone above your bookstore forever. You’re like a cat lady, but with books.”

  I hold in a chuckle and imagine the eye-roll Raven is giving her.

  “I’m not doing this right now. I love you, I know you mean well, but this isn’t the time or the place for that conversation. I need to go out and call Missy and Jason to check on the shop. You okay if I head out for a few? I’ll be back, and I’ll try to sneak a burger in for you,” Raven says.

  “Yes, finally. Go. I need a few minutes to myself, anyway. Love you. Extra pickles.”

  I start walking away from the door when I hear Raven rise from the chair she’s been perched in all morning. I was coming back to ask if Elliott would be willing to meet with a sketch artist, but I’ll come back in a few hours. It sounds like she needs her space right now, and I can respect that.

  I’m waiting for the elevator when I feel Raven come up behind me. I’m holding my breath but I’m not sure why. The warning Monica got about the ferocious best friend now makes sense.

  “You’re still here?” She sounds annoyed, but there’s a hint of sadness in her words.

  I know it’s been a rough morning for her.

  “Yeah, I’m heading back to the station now to start up some paperwork, but I’ll be back later to talk to Miss James some more. Is she holding up okay?”

  “Nope. I mean, I know she looks strong and pretty normal considering what just happened to her, but I can tell she’s a few minutes away from a breakdown, so I’m letting her have her peace for a bit. She doesn’t like to cry in front of anyone.”

  “You sound like you really understand her. It’s good that she has you.”

  She wraps her arms around herself, fists grabbing handfuls of her hoodie. I can see the worry on her face, so different from the last time I saw her, wrapped in a towel this morning.

  “Yeah, we’ve been best friends for over six years. Met in college. She was pre-law and I was getting my undergrad in psychology. We’re night and day but we work.”

  “I can tell,” I say.

  The elevator doors open and we step inside, both reaching for the ground floor button. I swear I feel a zing when our hands touch.

  How cliché.

  “You heading back to your apartment?” I ask her.

  She throws me a dirty look. “You mean my store? No, not until
later tonight when I can get her settled. And no, you’re not invited.”

  “Ouch. I’m still on duty, you know, wasn’t looking for an invite. I’ve got a pretty big case to work on here.” I see the hurt in her eyes and realize how clipped my tone sounded. I feel like an ass but it kind of serves her right. Everything I say isn’t a come-on. But then again, given last night she probably isn’t sure what’s a come-on and what’s not. I need to work on my delivery.

  “Oh, right. I’m sorry. I can be a bitch. It’s a defense mechanism. I won’t bore you with the psychology of it. Just know it’s not your fault. Not always, anyway.”

  “Yeah, I read that in a note I found this morning after you bailed.” I nudge her shoulder with mine to let her know I’m playing as the doors open and we head into the lobby.

  As the physical distance grows between us I get a whiff of her perfume and for a second, I recall how she looked last night underneath me.

  “Right, so yeah, I guess I’ll see you around.” She snaps me out of my daydream. “Let me know if you have any leads, or if you need me to identify him. I think it’s the guy from the bar last night. It has to be.”

  “I’m thinking the same, but we can’t be sure so I’m going to explore all the options first. I’ll let you know if we need your assistance, though. Thank you.”

  I watch her walk away, hips swaying naturally as she walks.

  I feel a heaviness in my chest thinking about what she went through, finding her friend the way she did this morning. These women are tough, no doubt about that.

  I just hope I can do them justice and put this fucker behind bars.

  I climb into my car and lean my head back against the headrest. It’s not even lunch yet and I feel like I’ve been up for forty-eight hours. I’m sure the late night with Emmett didn’t help matters.

  I cannot believe the events that have transpired in the last twelve hours.

  Last night was amazing. This morning has been hell.

  They ran test after test and Elli didn’t want me to leave her side during any of it, not that I would have. Then lo and behold, Emmett Mystery-Man Fisher shows up out of the blue. Of all the cops. Of all the detectives.

  I think back on the night before and try to remember every detail about the man at the end of the bar who gave off the creepiest vibes I’ve ever felt. He was wearing a navy jacket, I think. Maybe black. His hair was shaggy and dirty blond. He looked a little unkempt. I wish I could remember more, but all I can recall are the vivid feelings of dread and disappointment that radiated off of him when we walked past him.

  He was definitely pissed I was leaving with Emmett.

  What if that made him so upset, that he then took that anger out on someone else?

  Elliott being the random victim in the wrong place at the wrong time. I should have stayed longer. She always goes out with her girlfriends from work once a month, but they usually stay uptown. I don’t think they’ve ever ventured to the bars downtown. Elli usually goes to the high-class, twenty-dollar martini places close to her condo. I would have never have guessed that she would have gone to the bar by me. Logically, I know it’s not my fault, but the guilt is still nagging me.

  I pull my cell phone out and check my texts and calls, all Missy and Jason checking on Elli and letting me know everything is fine at the shop. I call Jason and he answers on the first ring, saying he’s made about ten sales and Lacey didn’t show for her shift. Typical Saturday at Poe’s.

  Yes, Poe’s. Edgar Allen Poe. My name is Raven. I had to do it.

  Lacey. Ugh.

  I’m going to have to bite the bullet and fire her, and I really don’t want to deal with that hot mess. She’s a college student that stumbled into the store a few months ago, raving about its quirkiness and how it was the perfect place for her. She was so in love with the atmosphere that when she asked if we had any staff openings I couldn’t refuse her. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and it made me feel like I’d finally accomplished what I had set out to do—make Poe’s one of a kind, and a place that called to every bookworm’s heart.

  Unfortunately, that enthusiasm was short-lived when she realized she’d have to do actual work during her hours in the shop. Binding and repairing old books, serving refreshments when the occasional patron wanted a coffee, ringing people up, taking inventory. None of that sparked joy for her and now she’s flaky at best, coming in for her shifts whenever she feels like it. I should call her now and get it over with.

  She answers just before her voicemail picks up. “Raven! Oh my god, hey!”

  “Hi, Lacey. What’s going on?”

  “Oh, nothing. I’m in Sedona. It’s amazing!”

  “Sedona, Arizona?” I ask her.

  “Yes! Isn’t that awesome? A friend had last-minute tickets to a festival out here and I tagged along. You should see this place, Raven! The atmosphere!”

  I roll my eyes and take a breath. “Lacey, you know you were supposed to work today, right? And the rest of the week?”

  “Oh, right. No, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Sorry, you know how I get swept away…”

  “Mm hmm, well, this is the fourth time this month that you haven’t shown for your shift, and I could’ve really used the help today. I don’t think this is working out, unfortunately. When you get back into town you can pick up your things and your last check. I hope you have a great trip.”

  “Oh, all right, I understand,” she says, and I’m surprised to hear actual disappointment in her voice. “Well, I’ll see you next week then. Thank you for understanding.”

  I end the call and shake my head. If firing you is understanding, so be it.

  I don’t want to go anywhere. In fact, I’d love to take a nap right here in my car, but I promised Elli that I wouldn’t be gone long and would get her a burger so I better get a move on. It’s a little before eleven but I know she’s hungry.

  On the way over to the closest burger joint I call one of my psychology friends who specializes in rape victims and their trauma. She does great work with rebuilding their sense of self-worth and confidence. As much as I want to help Elli myself, I know it’s a conflict of interest and I’m too close to the situation to see it unbiased. She’ll be in the best hands with my friend.

  She agrees to come by the hospital later this afternoon. I’m still hoping Elli can go home today, but that will depend on the blood test results that have yet to come back.

  I get our burgers and head back to the hospital, sucking down my huge coke on the way to replenish my caffeine levels. I’m not a huge coffee drinker even though I meet Elli at Missy’s every Saturday morning. I’d rather have the sugary artificial stuff any day of the week.

  Pulling into a spot farther away from the main entrance, I gather my thoughts before going up to Elli’s room. I need to put my happy face on. I’m sure Emmett and Detective Tropp are doing their best to catch this guy, and one of the cops that were staying with Elli earlier said that rapists almost never repeat victims when they’re random like this.

  I don’t think he’ll come back to hurt her again, but I’ll feel a lot better when he’s off the streets and paying for what he did.

  “The lab tech just called, she was definitely drugged. A mixture of a few things, including Rohypnol. That explains why she doesn’t remember anything after the elevator. The only broken bones are two ribs on her left side, everything else is just bruised up pretty bad, and the cut above her eye is where most of the blood came from,” Monica says.

  She’s scanning the rest of the reports from the responding officers that we collected earlier. I get a sinking feeling in my chest with the news, but that’s quickly replaced with anger.

  “It’s probably a good thing that she doesn’t remember, as awful as it is to say that,” she adds. “Maybe that’ll help with some of the trauma and the nightmares that are sure to come. She must have put up a hell of a fight, even after being drugged. That apartment was destroyed. Some of the blood on the carpet doesn’t belong to her, like we
thought. They’re running the DNA, but it’ll take a few days to get it back.”

  I nod, hating the way the system works but understanding that our hands are tied. “Have you been able to get in touch with the other two friends of hers from last night?”

  “Yep, I spoke with all of them. Beth said that Elliott was talking with a man when she and Lauren left, but neither of them got a solid look at him. Lauren did say that she thought he looked disheveled, and not like someone that Miss James would normally give the time of day to, which corresponds with what River told us.”

  When we had first gotten back to the station after leaving the hospital, River was there waiting for us, extremely distraught. It took a lot to get her calmed down enough to get a good statement from her. She blamed herself for leaving with the guy she met up with and not staying with Elliott.

  After we settled her down enough to talk, she told us that Elli wasn’t very into the man, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer and she eventually gave in and let him dance with them. River said she thought he was strange, but she wasn’t uneasy around him. He just seemed to be trying too hard and got very attached very fast.

  “I’m going to head back over to the bar and see if there are security cameras that caught him,” I say to Monica. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll have paid his tab with a card last night. I’ll meet you at the hospital in an hour with the sketch artist.”

  “Sounds good, Fisher.”

  It takes me a good ten minutes to get to the bar, and when I do they’ve just opened for the day. The bartender from last night happens to be working the day-shift today and he remembers me. I ask him about the guy at the end of the bar and he says that he’s not a regular and he doesn’t recall ever seeing him before. I ask if he could check the receipts from last night to see if Brent paid with a card and he goes in the back.