“Yep.” What Marcus couldn’t tell her was that the last time she died, back in 2028, was when those ripples began. But that was a guess. The first death that was recorded in history was actually the second. He couldn’t remember what grabbed their attention. He couldn’t tell her that either. The only suspect they thought was responsible was heading their way, but the more Marcus thought about it, the more he believed Ryan. He didn’t tell Billie that either.
Billie finished her noodles. They didn’t speak for a little while, giving Marcus a little peace. He checked the time. It was just after noon. Another car filled with people drove into the parking lot. None of the people inside the car were Ryan or the man Billie had recognized earlier. And now he had to take a piss. “Hey, here’s a picture of Ryan. Do you think you can watch for a minute?” He handed the communicator to Billie, and she looked at the photo.
She smiled. “Yeah, what are you going to do?”
“Bathroom.”
She began to laugh. “Go.”
Marcus rushed to the bathroom and relieved himself. It felt so good. He hadn’t kept track of how long he’d been holding it. It wasn’t good to do things like that, but he was always too busy. Since Billie already knew what the other man looked like, she’d be able to watch for this Charles guy, and Ryan, while Marcus did what he needed to do. He was confident that she’d see either one of them.
Marcus washed his hands and returned to the window. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She sat down on the other bed and turned the TV on with the remote. She flipped channels and Marcus kept his eye on the outside area. He heard her put the remote down, so he turned and looked. She was watching a gardening show. He didn’t know about that kind of stuff, so he ignored the show and continued what he was doing.
The hotel was never too busy, which was why he liked this location. He could keep his eye out for anything out of the ordinary without the fuss of people coming and going around the clock. Mornings were a little busier than evenings though, especially on the weekends.
Time seemed to drift by and before Marcus knew it, an hour was gone. Billie was sleeping and he was anxious for Ryan. He still wanted to punch him in the face for what he thought he did with Sara. But he did understand Ryan’s position. Lose a friend or lose his desired job? Marcus thought back when they were in the academy together, and he noticed how much Ryan enjoyed the experience. When they went on an exercise, Ryan always volunteered, and then wanted to do it again. He smiled at the thought. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he was wrong for being mad at his best friend. He was wrong for thinking he’d do something like sleeping with his fiancé. He was going to make it up to him by finding who really killed Billie all those times. And then he was going to try and fix their friendship. And then he spotted the taxi. It stopped right in front of their window and Ryan stepped out.
Marcus looked at Billie, who was still sleeping. He grabbed his weapon and opened the door.
“Marcus, I’m so glad you’re here. I got something to tell you.” He paid the driver and the taxi took off. “You still have the girl?”
“Yeah, she’s safe. Hurry up and get in here.” Marcus kept his eyes open for any movement. He still hadn’t seen the man from before. He was wondering if he was ever going to appear. Maybe he didn’t know about this hotel?
Ryan rushed into the room, and Marcus closed the door behind him. He pulled up a chair and sat down. He looked over at Billie. “I’m glad she’s safe, Marcus.”
“Yeah. Billie spotted a man who I believe could be the killer.”
“So, you believe me?”
“I’m beginning to, yeah. What can you tell me about a man named Charles?”
“Charles? That’s what I was going to tell you about?”
“All right. Go ahead.”
Ryan confirmed what Billie had told him. When Billie woke up, more memories were discovered. Now Marcus was sure, without a doubt, that Ryan was innocent.
“When I saw Ryan’s picture, I knew I’d seen him somewhere, but it didn’t hit me until now,” Billie began saying.
“What do you mean?” Marcus asked.
“It was such a long time ago. It was back when my father died. Charles was there.”
“I think I remember that, Billie,” Ryan said.
“You should remember. You took Charles into custody, but then I was told my father had a heart attack, so I had been confused. My mother wasn’t any help, but she always acted as though she knew more than what she was letting on. She died a year later.”
“I’m sorry, Billie,” Ryan said.
“So, tell me the truth. What really happened that day?”
Ryan sat straight up and looked her dead in the eye. “For whatever reason, Charles did kill your father. I had the evidence that proved it. But something happened to it and the judge closed the case. After that happened, I began making copies of all evidence found for each case. I wasn’t going to let another criminal go free.” He looked at Marcus. “It was my first case alone after we graduated from the academy. A while later, you and I were assigned as partners.”
“Yeah, I remember. Do you recall the actual cause of death, Ryan?”
“Asphyxiation plus there was evidence of blunt force trauma to the back of his head.” Ryan paused for a moment. “A pipe was found near the body, which was taken as evidence. Charles’s fingerprints were on the pipe as well as your father’s blood and a couple strands of hair.”
Billie’s jaw dropped, and her eyes filled with tears. “I knew it wasn’t a heart attack. My father was always healthy.” Billie looked away for a moment. “There’s something else. I don’t know if it’s important, but it stands out in my memories.”
“What is it, Billie?” Marcus asked.
“Charles always spoke to my mother first as if he had known her longer. He spoke to her kindly, but when he walked away from her, he always had this look in his eye. It always scared me when I was younger. Thinking back about it now, I could have sworn he was intending on killing her, but chose my father instead. Why would he do that?”
“Maybe he thought of her as a mother figure, I really don’t know. But it is something we should look into.” Marcus tightened his lips as he peered at Ryan sideways.
“I’ve got a lot of video tapes back home; we could look at them. Maybe there’s evidence on them that could help bring in Charles. At least for questioning or something,” Billie mentioned.
“Good idea. With the three of us, we should be able to investigate while keeping you safe,” Marcus said.
“I agree. We need to end this once and for all. So, is it agreed? Go in, in the morning?” Ryan asked.
Billie nodded her head. The rest of the day, Marcus and Ryan took turns staring out the window. Marcus finally took his shower and ate. When it was his turn to take watch, Ryan showered and ate as well. Billie slept. When she wasn’t sleeping, she was watching TV with the sound low.
Chapter Twelve
Morning finally arrived. Marcus and Ryan had taken shifts throughout the night, keeping Billie safe while she slept. Before they headed to the car, Marcus walked around the hotel in a discreet fashion as he sipped a cup of coffee from the lobby. There hadn’t been any visitors on foot that he could find. He returned to the room and woke Billie up. She gathered her things and they hurried to the car. Ryan took the backseat with Billie.
Marcus drove around the block, checking anyone who was out and about. He didn’t see anyone who looked out of place. Charles hadn’t been seen since yesterday, but he knew he was out there. He had known to be at the bridge, so he assumed the man had something to do with putting the body there, but he began questioning how he had access to the body in the first place. The idea was absurd, so he shook the thought and tried to come up with something else. Then he began thinking that maybe this time period was his next target, which meant Billie was in more danger than he thought before. But he was puzzled as to how he just happened to be in the same time period
as the killer. He didn’t believe in chance. Everything had a purpose; he just needed to find out what his purpose for being in this time was.
“You look like your head is going to explode,” Billie said as he passed the house a second time.
“Huh?” Marcus asked.
“You’ve got a lot on your mind, I can tell. Besides, you passed my house again. Are you checking the area to make sure it’s safe?” she asked.
“Yes, I am. Normally, I do one sweep but I felt it was necessary to do it twice.” He finished the second lap and parked in front of the house.
Marcus climbed out of the car, surveying the area as they walked to the front door. The crisp morning air hugged him and wouldn’t let go.
He led the way with Billie between him and Ryan. If the killer was there, he’d have to go through him and Ryan to get to Billie. He felt confident she’d be safe.
“I’m going to do a full sweep of the house and close all the curtains,” Ryan said.
“Good idea. I’ll help Billie sort through the videos and pictures. Maybe we’ll find something incriminating.”
“Yeah, that’ll be good. I’ll join you as soon as I can and help.”
“Thanks, Ryan.” Marcus checked the downstairs area with Billie next to him before heading to the living room. She quickly began rummaging through old albums displayed on a shelf in the back of the room. The built-in was covered with framed photos, albums, and CDs. Some of the CDs were just filled with music. Marcus checked through them to make sure something else wasn’t hidden inside the cases, and he was glad he had. He noticed something disturbing inside the first one and peered down at Billie, who was working on the bottom shelf with the albums. “Did you know about this?”
“About what?” She stood up and looked at the home-made DVD.
The label read Billie’s blood is on your hands.
Chapter Thirteen
Charles arrived in the year 2035. He held his video camera in his hand. It would make a fine gift to his mother, giving her a visual of what his special gift would entail. He swiped it from his mother’s closet when he visited her in his last time jump.
He chose the anniversary of his mother’s death for the day he’d visit Billie Reynolds. He thought it would be a good reason to visit his little sister. Only she didn’t know they were related yet. This would be the day he’d tell her. He felt the goose bumps as the taxi dropped him off in front of the house.
Ryan’s weapon was hidden behind his jacket, waiting to be used. He wondered if he would ever tell Ryan how he managed to unlock the weapon and alter it to use lethal bullets. He had thought about it. Maybe the day he got caught, he’d spill everything. Of course, he wasn’t planning on getting caught.
He walked up the path, smiling. It was such a nice summer day. The sun was high, only a few clouds were seen, and the birds were chirping loud and clear. It was as if they knew what was going to happen and were trying to warn the world about what he was going to do. The universe would become cracked over what he was going to do, starting here on this day. The revenge for hurting his mother was so strong, he just couldn’t end it, even though she had passed away.
Charles knocked on the door, knowing she’d be home even though her car wasn’t visibly seen. He waited for a response and knocked on the door again. Billie answered the door and smiled. “Hello, Charles. It’s nice to see you. How long has it been?” she asked, smiling. This was the first time she had remembered him, and he was shocked.
“Oh, it’s been a few years. I’m glad you remembered me. How are you doing today, above all other days?”
Billie stared at him for a moment and realized what he was talking about. The smile disappeared quickly. “Better than last year, I think. You know, I thought it would have gotten easier but then the day comes, and I just can’t get through it. I’m so glad I don’t have to be alone today, thank you so much for coming by.”
“Yes, she was a good woman. Mind if I come inside?”
“Oh, yes, please.” Billie stepped back and allowed Charles to step inside.
Nothing inside the house, from what he had seen, had changed over the years. It was the same, plain no-fuss design that their mother enjoyed. She always liked things simple but never did care for the modern look of 2244. Their mother was more of a country design lover. In 2244, there weren’t too many people left who enjoyed wood in their designs. Most people had metal and plastic. In the higher altitudes, they lasted longer. Of course, a person could live on solid ground instead of having a floating apartment. It was cheaper. He hadn’t visited too many ground dwellers, he called them, even though he lived among them.
Charles walked over to the large floral print sofa, trimmed in wood, and sat down. His hand slid across the material. “Still as smooth as the day she bought this,” he told her.
“I was too young to remember that. Where did she get it?” Billie asked.
“Some flea market, I think. She went crazy over them.”
“That part, I do remember. The dining room table came from a flea market.” Billie looked over her shoulder at the table in the next room. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Sure. Some tea would be nice.”
Charles began thinking about those flea markets. They didn’t exist in 2244. People recycled differently than they do now. He didn’t understand it and didn’t care to try.
Billie started toward the kitchen and Charles stood up a couple seconds later, coming out of his trance. “I can bring it to you, Charlie,” she said.
He cringed at that name. It was something their mother called him from time to time. He learned to detest it over the years. “Why bother when I can just drink it in the kitchen? Besides, it’s been a long time since we’ve spoken, and I have things to share with you,” he finally said.
Billie accepted, and the two walked into the kitchen. She poured him a glass of sun-warmed tea and handed him the glass.
Charles stood by the counter and took a sip. He set it down and prepared his camera to record.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Oh, a little something I found in my mother’s old things. I wanted to capture this moment and share with my video club. We discuss angles, depth, and what-not about our recordings. It’s a club about improving our skills.” He pressed the record button.
“That sounds like fun.” Billie slid her fingers through her hair and adjusted her shirt.
Charles smiled, knowing he was lying to her. He didn’t belong to any club and there was only one person who he was sharing the video with—his mother. Just the idea of her reaction to it was going to be beautiful. Maybe it was the reason she died?
“Do I look okay?” she asked.
“You…look…amazing.” And she did. Her blonde hair was in place, her clothes were pressed and clean, she had a smile that would knock anyone out of this world, and she had to have the personality to match. He hated that she had everything, her beautiful face, her care-free personality with a side of compassion, health, and their mother's love. This was his sister and he thought she was a knock-out. He shook his head so shake his thoughts. Maybe she didn’t notice. He hoped she didn’t notice.
He couldn’t believe she hadn’t found anyone to call her own. Maybe she wanted to be alone—that was his only explanation that he could come up with. “Okay, I’m ready.” He picked up his tea and took a big swallow.
“So, what would you like to talk about, Charlie?”
Charles cringed again. “Well, for starters, stop calling me that. My name is Charles.” He raised his voice. He came close to slamming the glass on the table, but he stopped himself and set the glass down softly.
“Okay, I’m sorry.” Her face revealed shock.
“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t let my emotions ruin our conversation. My mother always called me that and it’s upsetting now.”
“Your mother?” Billie asked. Her face quickly changed from shock to confusion. “I heard my mother calling you that, so you meant your mot
her and my mother. Didn’t you?”
“No, I meant my mother.” His voice was calm and level. Of course, he meant his mother. There wasn’t anyone else who called him by that name.
“You’re mistaken, Charles. She’s too young to be your mother.” Billie sat down like she had just won an argument. It was like she was just going to brush it off and act like he hadn’t said it.
Charles tried not to get angrier, but it was difficult. He just wanted to kill her right then and there, save the conversation for another time, but he forced himself to calm down enough to speak to her. “Now, that’s where you’re mistaken, Billie. Mother isn’t as young as you believed she was.”
She stood up and approached him. She reached for the camera.
Charles grabbed it before she could come close to touching the camera. As he did, he pulled out the weapon. “Now, sit down Billie. I will explain.”
“Why do you have a gun? What are you planning to do, Charles?”
“Well, first, I want to explain.” His voice was still calm. “Sit down!” He made his point very clear.
“All right—I’m sitting. Talk to me, but put the gun away.”
“No, I think I’ll leave it out—if you don’t mind?” He leaned up against the counter as he adjusted the camera in his one hand and lowered the weapon in the other hand. “You know about time travel?”
“Yeah, it’s science fiction.” She paused. “Okay, now I know you’re joking around. Put the gun away and let’s talk.”
“No, I will not put the gun away. And I’m being serious. I don’t joke.” His voice was raised just enough to show her how serious he was.
“That much I do know. So, you’re from the future?”
“Yes, and so is our mother.”
Billie looked as though she was going to stand up.
“Sit down!”
“I am—I am.”
“I had a great life once. Mother and father were happily married. Then we went on vacation, and something happened. They were divorced faster than you can spit. Mother remarried and had you. I couldn’t convince her to come back to where she belonged. Father wasted away and killed himself because of that woman.”
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