Prelude To Insanity

by Timothy P. Carnahan

  “Let me go first then you come out behind me.” He offered. In spite of the current situation, he smiled warmly. “I love you.” He said.

  Laila nodded. She was afraid, shaking even, but Cole took her hand gently seeming to promise that everything would be ok.

  Cole sighed deeply wondering if he would be taken down abruptly. He wasn’t certain if the officers would give him a chance to give up but, upon taking one more look at Laila he knew that he couldn’t delay any longer. Although she wasn’t shaking as much, her eyes glistened wetly and her hesitation grew more and more evident. He opened the door to see three officers waiting just at the foot of the front porch with Detective Reese. Seemingly overly proud of himself, he flashed a wide grin upon seeing Cole.

  “Going somewhere?” the pompous young detective asked. He was doing what was ‘right’ and this time he wouldn’t have to follow the older detective’s directive. This was his show.

  Cole did his best to disregard Reese. He felt compelled to hate the man and found himself preferring to deal with the uniformed officers instead. He began by speaking to the closest officer, a man about Detective Reese’s age but, clearly, he hadn’t aspired to anything higher than patrol.

  Cole knew that the more time he and Laila would be able to spend away from Detective Reese the better off they would be. “We saw you pull up. Is there a problem?” Cole asked hoping against hope that he was mistaken about the officers’ intentions, however, the cop he was speaking to pulled out a pair of handcuffs walking up to Cole while he spoke.

  “I need you to turn around and put your hands behind your back.” The young officer said trying to remain as cordial as he could with the younger kid. Cole quickly did as he was instructed cupping his hands behind his back and Laila stepped out of the doorway following suit.

  “I guess that means me too.” She said and another one of the uniforms began to make his way up to her, however, Detective Reese stepped in with his own pair of handcuffs causing Cole to become increasingly uneasy.

  “I got this one,” Reese said causing the patrol officer to simply put away his own set without retort to the young detective.

  Cole didn’t want Laila riding with the arrogant man and he knew that Reese would do everything in his power to break the young woman’s spirit. Feeling helpless, he knew that his protests now would only make matters worse.

  Laila was nearly pulled backward when Reese grabbed her left hand tightly. He twisted her wrist awkwardly, before locking the cuff into place. “Where’s Detective Martinez? I thought he was in charge of you.” She asked passive aggressively. In response, Reese jerked her arm painfully but she didn’t give the young detective the satisfaction of knowing he hurt her. Instead, she steeled herself against the pain feeling the other clasp lock tightly into place.

  “He put me in charge so I am going to get the truth out of you two before he gets back,” Reese promised in no uncertain terms. “Ok Streitler, you can leave now and I’ll have Richards and Frank take these two back to the station,” Reese said to the short heavy set officer who seemed content to remain off to the side monitoring the situation rather than becoming a part of anything in particular.

  “Ok. It’s your call detective.” the one Reese referred to as Streitler replied quickly obliging the detective before turning away and heading for his cruiser without looking back.

  “You two,” Reese said addressing the two officers. I have some things I have to check out but, I want these two booked by the time I get back to the station.” He ordered flaunting his new found authority with an almost venomous appeal. He started down the steps making his way for his own vehicle turning back only once as he reached the foot of the stairs, “oh and try to come up with anything you want but, it won’t do either of you any good.” Reese mocked the young lovers. He pulled the wrapped cell phone from his pocket. He waved it at his two suspects mockingly before turning and resuming course to his vehicle.

  Neither Cole nor Laila listened as their Miranda Rights were read to them. Instead, they both kept their eyes on each other taking in what little strength the other had while attempting to combine it with their own. “…You are now under arrest.” The officer reading their rights finished and both knew that their lives were soon to be forever changed. They were lead to the only remaining cruiser in the driveway.

  * * * * *

  Laila and Cole said nothing amidst the intermittent questioning the uniformed officers prodded them with as they were fingerprinted, booked, and photographed. Both were put into tiny holding cells lined with brick walls and old barred doors. In the upper corner of each cell rested a fine mesh window that provided absolutely no view of the outside world hinting that the most stable of people would become ridden claustrophobic in the tiny room. Thankfully for the two, the jail was relatively small and they were placed in cells directly across from each other but, the feeling that they were so close and yet, simply out of reach seemed to play out like a cruel joke.

  “What do you think they’re waiting for?” Laila asked wearily. Her afternoon had been spent in quiet contemplation of what Detective Reese had in store for them.

  Cole remained stoic feeling lost, trapped, and knowing that he didn’t have an answer for her made him all the more frustrated. “Maybe they’re just trying to scare us.” He mused knowing that if he were to believe that to be the truth he would have to be ignorant but, he hoped that Laila wouldn’t pick up on his unspoken quandary.

  “I doubt it Cole and with Red blowing up anything that would have given us proof we really don’t have a leg to stand on. Do we?” She asked.

  Cole realized that she had just touched on an important part of their endeavor. “What about Red? He’s the one who started the fire and he’s the one that can get us off the hook.” He said pointedly.

  Laila honestly wondered if the old man would truly come to their aid but, it was a hopeful consideration. “But who do we….?” She quieted as a smug looking Detective Reese walked into the holding area. He was followed by the two uniformed officers he had referred to as Frank and Richards earlier that day.

  “Bring them both,” Reese said regarding Laila first then glancing at Cole. Almost immediately he turned on his heels and walked out of the holding area. Frank took Cole and Richards Laila. Although the two officers seemed disinterested, they loosely handcuffed the teens’ hands in front of them before allowing them to move out of their cells.

  “Where are you taking us?” Cole asked as he was grabbed by the arm and lead out into a long narrow hallway with Laila close in tow.

  “That’s for me to know and you to find out.” Officer Frank remarked without skipping a beat.

  Cole didn’t press the issue. He knew that he wouldn’t get a straight answer no matter how many times he asked. They were lead down one long corridor before taking a left into a smaller hallway. They lead Cole and Laila to a room marked ‘Interrogation.’ The room was inhospitable and cold. A single fluorescent light hung from the ceiling giving the unremarkable table in the small place an all-important appeal. It was a slight improvement over the small cells they had been in a few minutes earlier since it provided a window about eye level revealing that it was almost nightfall. Laila and Cole were led to hard metal chairs sitting side by side. Still in handcuffs, they were told not to speak until they were spoken to. Through closer inspection of their surroundings, both noticed the one-way mirror on the opposite side of the room. A video camera caught their every movement with its unblinking eye up in the corner to their left. Cole chanced turning around to look at the door they had been escorted through however, Frank and Richards stood to either side of it and Frank was quick to tell him to turn around. Laila on the other hand made no signs that she intended to move or even speak but, upon hearing the door open up behind her she jumped, visibly startled. The mocking laugh she heard coming from Detective Reese reminded her all the more that she hated the man.

  “So are you worried about something young lady?” He asked tossing a couple
of file folders onto the table as he moved to take a seat in the much more comfortable chair across from them.

  “Look, we want a lawyer and we won’t talk till we get one.” Cole was quick to remark and Reese eyed him curiously.

  “Oh, you want rights? You want to have an attorney present is that it? Well, let me tell you something boy, you have no rights when it comes to me. Do you understand that?” Reese quickly interjected and Cole was astonished to hear the detective be so blatantly unconstitutional. “I want to know why it is that you two were at the house that ‘mysteriously’ exploded the other night.” Reese said using his fingers to put an emphasis on the “mystery” aspect of the case.

  Laila glanced at Cole but was immediately drawn back to Reese when he slammed the table sharply.

  “Alright, you two want to give me the silent treatment then I’ll tell you what I think happened. You two were responsible for the death of John Hardcastle…” He began.

  Laila immediately shot forward almost falling but, she managed to keep her footing as she spoke in an exasperated huff. “We had nothing to do with that you son of a bitch.” She yelled however, Officer Richards was quick to come up behind her yanking her down to the chair by her shoulders. He stood behind her for a moment longer before returning to stand sentry by the door.

  “Don’t say another word young lady, as your boyfriend put it, neither of you will speak until you have lawyers so I suggest you keep your mouth shut,” Reese said hinting that he was thrilled that he had gotten to her so quickly but, he let his antagonizing stare remain only a moment longer before returning to his accusations. “So as I was saying…You two killed John Hardcastle and lit his truck on fire to hide the evidence, however, I think you believed that the people living in that house may have been witnesses so you went back later to make sure they hadn’t seen anything. You then took it upon yourselves to make sure they would never expose the truth and you murdered them. When you realized that it would be hard to cover up your tracks you simply decided to blow the house up. Sound about right so far?” He asked.

  Cole felt exasperated. He honestly wondered if the detective truly believed his own theory. It sounded preposterous at best. “So are you going to say that we were responsible for all of the other disappearances around the area in the last few weeks or is this one special?” Cole asked flippantly.

  Reese immediately went on the offensive. “So you think that you’re clever huh?” Reese asked pulling open one of the file folders open, thumbing through it before producing a picture of what looked to be a charred bolt similar to those that Red had used from his crossbow. “Explain why we’ve found several of these at every crime scene and why you two are the closest suspects we have to the most recent one?” He asked pointedly.

  Cole’s heart sank as he thought about what he should say next, however, Laila was the first to respond.

  “They belong to a guy named Red.” She said pointedly and Reese focused his full attention on her.

  “Who’s Red?” He asked outwardly showing that his curiosity was obviously peaked.

  Laila looked down. She was ashamed that she had just pointed the finger at the old man that saved both hers’ and Cole’s life the night before.

  “This is an interrogation, not twenty questions young lady so I suggest you start talking,” Reese added drawing bluster.

  Laila turned her attention out the barred window using the blackness beyond to lose herself. She didn’t want to say any more. She cringed visibly when something came into view amidst the pervading darkness. ‘It couldn’t be, it’s not possible,’ Laila thought. She could hear Reese continue his questioning however, he sounded as if he were an echo underwater. She became more and more distant as the young girl that stared back at her began to smile with feral implications. “She’s here.” She murmured turning to Cole who immediately knew who she meant.

  “Who’s here?” Reese asked turning to look out the window though all he could see was the fading image of the open lawn that stretched along the expanse of the front of the building.

  “You need to get us out of here!” Laila screamed at Reese. She was unable to hold herself any longer and the young detective seemed surprised for the first time since he had entered their lives. “She’s out there and she’s coming for me. She wants me!” Laila continued flying into a frenzy but, Reese seemed to take some amusement from her outburst as he composed himself.

  “Trust me. Nobody’s going to be able to get you out of this except for you as long as you tell me the truth. He put you up to all of this didn’t he?” Reese asked looking over at Cole accusingly.

  Cole was genuinely afraid. He glared at the detective with dangerous implications evident in his eyes. “Sir she’s telling you the truth, I’m telling you the truth, and if you don’t get us out of here something horrible is going to happen,” Cole remarked stoically hoping that his quiet attitude would impact the young detective even slightly.

  “I don’t think so.” Reese laughed however, he was cut short when a gunshot erupted from somewhere in the precinct. “What the hell was that?” He asked and the two uniformed officers rushed out of the room drawing their guns as they ran down the hallway.

  “Don’t you get it!? You have to get us far away from here.” Laila said pleading with Detective Reese.

  Although he had always held up under pressure, the desperation of his two suspects made him feel uneasy. He breathed hard and steeled himself against any feelings of fear that were now threatening his own resolve. “Look, I’m going to take your handcuffs off but, if you try to escape I won’t hesitate to shoot you. Got that?” He asked moving around the table to where Laila and Cole sat. Both nodded their accordance to the young detective’s stipulations and he produced a small key unlocking the young lover’s handcuffs before discarding them on the table along with the file folders. “Don’t move.” He said making his way for the door, however, when a loud shriek followed by a painful scream echoed from the hallway, he pulled his own gun from inside his shoulder holster. He opened the door slowly peering out in time to see Officer Richards being thrown from a connecting corridor into the hallway where he crashed against the wall with a sickly splat. He fell to the ground in a heap and Reese could tell even from this distance that the officer was dead as a pool of blood formed around his unmoving body. He shut the door quietly turning to Cole and Laila. “What the hell is going on out there?” He asked before setting his revolver on the table. He grabbed Laila yanking her out of her chair shaking her intensely. “Answer me!” He screamed in her face.

  Cole took the only opportunity he’d been given. He grabbed the gun from the table and turned it on the young detective. “Let her go.” He said sternly and Reese seemed to be awestruck by Cole’s audacity. He threw Laila, still in her chair, off to one side holding his arms wide.

  “Do it punk. I dare you.” Reese said slowly closing the distance between them but, Cole thumbed the hammer back and the audible click of the gun stopped Reese in mid-stride.

  “Cole, don’t do it. We need to find a way out of here before she finds us.” Laila pleaded moving around Reese to stand beside him.

  “You won’t get away with this.” The detective remarked as the two made their way for the door with his own gun still trained upon him.

  Neither Cole nor Laila paid him any more attention than was necessary to keep him at bay instead, their attention was more focused on what lay outside of the room. Laila took point gasping audibly when she saw the broken body at the end of the hall. Cole smiled at Reese feeling that poetic justice had just been afforded to them in regards to the detective. He was more afraid of what awaited them but, Reese’s iconic glare gave him a small sense of victory.

  Reese fumed. He had to force himself to not rush the teenage boy holding ‘his’ gun on him.

  “Come on, the corridor’s clear,” Laila whispered to Cole.

  He followed her backing out of the room still keeping the revolver level with Reese until the door slammed shut.
“Holy shit!” Cole said when he first glimpsed the remains of Richards at the end of the hall whose lifeless body seemed almost unreal against the white backdrop of the corridor.

  “Laila, you promised. You promised that you would be my big sister.” Marissa’s voice echoed through the hallway as she stepped out of an adjoining corridor close to the misshapen body.

  “Stay away from us,” Laila yelled at Marissa however, the young girl continued walking slowly towards the two.

  Cole leveled the revolver and took aim at the young girl. He squeezed off three shots and Marissa jolted minutely from the impact of the bullets that passed into her shoulders and chest seemingly unaffected otherwise.

  “Shame on you,” Marissa laughed.

  Cole fired another shot to no avail. He looked at the revolver in disbelief before dropping it to the ground. It was plain to see that the simple weapon would have no effect against the young girl. “Come on Laila,” Cole yelled grabbing her by the wrist and running in the opposite direction of the oncoming creature. Several doors lined the corridor each with their own designations; evidence, holding areas, and records which all seemed to imply that they wouldn’t lead the two outside of the building.

  “We’re in a police station Cole. How the hell are we supposed to get out when everything’s locked up?” Laila questioned as they ran along before coming to an adjoining corridor that was nearly pitch black save for a minimal amount of light that shone through the mesh windows lining it. They looked back just in time to see Marissa pass by the revolver and she regarded them as a lion would its prey before it struck. Slowly the door of the interrogation room opened behind the young girl and Detective Reese came out behind Marissa seemingly intent on taking her down. Cole and Laila both knew that the detective wouldn’t have a chance against her but, they didn’t make it known that they saw him.

  He remained silent until the second he charged the young girl. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her from the floor with her arms seemingly locked at her sides. “Look bitch, I don’t know what you think you’re doing or what the hell you’re planning but, not under my watch.” He said confident that he had the girl entirely subdued.