Puzzle Pieces

Chapter 14

I jumped up awake. Why did I dream of that? That doesn't help me at all! I already know that's how he first found her. I need to learn something important that pertains to now or close future. Something that will help me save Katrina. It's something I need. My phone ringing distracts me from my unhappy rant.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey. It's me. We're looking for a Ms. Judith Sky," Noah said through the phone. I can tell that he's walking at a brisk pace from the sound of his voice and air intake.

"How did you figure that out?"

"Please, it's me. Do you really have to ask?" Noah replied. I rolled my eyes fully aware he couldn’t see me.

"Okay, did you also happen to find out where she lives?” I asked, sitting up in bed.

“No, not yet.”

“So how are we going to figure out where she lives?" I asked, crossing my arms. It’s one thing to know her name, which is good. However, knowing where she lives is even more important. Or at least a phone number for her.

"That might be a problem. It may need a little help from our mother, the realtor."

"Ha! As if she would tell us! You know her. She'll be all 'I am not breaking my clients’ confidentiality and betraying their trust just so you guys can bother her,'" I said, getting out of bed. I began to pace in my room.

"I know, but unfortunately, I don't think we have any other options," Noah said before I heard a car door slam. I guess he's on his way back home. I sighed.

"Did you get a phone number? Maybe we can give her a call.”

“No.”

“So the name is all you got?” I asked, stomping my foot.

“Hey, a name is something. At least I got that. Just be patient. We’ll figure this out,” Noah replied. I guess he could hear the frustration in my voice. Anyway, I'm on my way. There's something I have to do first though, so don't wait for me to come up with a story to get Ms. Sky's address," he said before hanging up. I put my phone back on my nightstand and laid back down, putting the blanket over my head.

"I'm telling you, you can't have her!" Mrs. Peterson shouted into the phone. I'm in the Peterson home. Katrina sat down at the top of the stairs watching her mom argue with someone on the phone in the living room. She wore black floral pattern pants and a teal shirt. The same outfit I saw her in while I was walking. Her hair is now up in a ponytail. She had a sad look on her face. I started walking up the steps slowly. She doesn't look at me. It's as if she doesn't notice me here. I turned and looked at Mrs. Peterson hunched over, whispering furiously into the phone.

"Katrina is not going with you and that's that! We just moved here, she still needs time to settle in. School is still in progress. We agreed that she wouldn't live with you until this summer. That's still a few months away Daniel," Mrs. Peterson said a bit louder. I looked back at Katrina, but there was no one there. I am sitting at the top of the stairs in black floral pattern pants and a teal shirt with my hair tied into a ponytail.

Why do they always have to fight? Can I not live with anyone? Can I go far, far away so I don't have to deal with anymore fighting? I wish things could go back to the way they used to be. Before Daddy met Linda and they started fighting. The voice in my head says. It's Katrina's voice, of course. I kind of know how she feels. I wish my dad was still here all the time. I wish I could go back to a time that was better too.

"No. We're done talking about this. Goodbye Daniel," Mrs. Peterson said before hanging up the phone. She walks to the steps and stares up at me with teary eyes. "Sorry baby," she said as she continued walking up the stairs. When she gets to me, she sits next to me and wraps her arms around me. She begins to slightly rock me while kissing my forehead.

The doorbell ringing startled me awake. I stretched and slowly climbed out of bed. Who can that be? I ran down the steps as the doorbell rang again. "I'm coming!" I shouted, making my way to the door.

"Annabel James?" Sheriff Silverman asked when I opened the door. Part of me wanted to run in the opposite direction after slamming the door in his face. Of course, Leslie probably told her dad what I did and he's here to arrest me or something. That was a threat she often used when anyone messed with her.

"Yes?" I said slowly, with a nod. Sheriff Silverman isn't very much bigger than me. He is maybe a couple of inches taller and has a slightly bigger body build. He has chestnut colored hair and dark brown eyes that go well with his skin tone. Right now, his eyebrows are lowered in the front as he stands on my porch analyzing me.

"I'm here because Lieutenant Menedez told me you had some information regarding our case. Now I don't believe in dreams or any other mumbo like that, but he said you seemed very persistent. I'm guessing that you know something, young lady."

"It's okay that you don't believe me. All I know is what I've already told Mrs. Peterson and Lieutenant Menedez. All I ask is that you talk to a Ms. Judith Sky, a teacher from the Elementary School. She might be able to help you figure something out. In my dream she saw me staring into the school yard, so I'm guessing she saw him. The man responsible for k********g Katrina. That gives you probably cause, right?" I said, wrapping my arms around myself. I can see his eyebrows lower deeper in confusion.

"How could this help? If she saw you or didn't see you? We're trying to catch a child abductor Ms. James," he said sternly. “And if you were there and she saw you, didn’t you see the person responsible?”

I took a deep breath to calm myself. I wanted to say "I know that moron!", but I held my tongue and just explained, "Sheriff Silverman, in my dream, I was the abductor."

He took a step back and went back to analyzing me again. This is going nowhere. Either he believes me or he doesn't. Either way, I want him to get off my porch and find Katrina.

"So do you know what he looks like?"

"Yes. I do, but how is that going to help? I mean it would help you find the guy, but on what grounds can you make an arrest? Surely someone having a dream won't allow a judge to issue you that warrant," I answered, almost mimicking my mom. He beamed at me with a soft smile.

"So you know how crazy this sounds?" he asked, making me want to roll my eyes and call him a moron again.

"I am aware of how this sounds, Sheriff Silverman, and I can promise you that I don't like having the dreams period, but the fact is I do. I want to help Katrina. That's the only reason I went to Mrs. Peterson's in the first place. Well, first I tried to look for Ms. Sky, but I was unable to find her at the school. Now here I am talking to you."

"I want you to come down to the station to talk to a sketch artist. I'll find Judith Sky and see what she has to say, but I'm going to need you to help identify him, okay? So we can show Judith the sketch and see if she's seen him around the school before."

"Okay. When my mom gets home I'll have her take me," I said with a nod. Sheriff Silverman turned his head and narrowed his eyes at me speculatively.

"Speaking of school, is there a reason you're not there right now?"

"I passed out this morning and my mom didn't want me to chance passing out at school, so she kept me home. The high school already has my notice," I answered with the biggest smile I could muster. I mean that's not all I did at the high school. I’m guessing he’ll find out once he talks to Leslie. Then again, would she tell him she’s having s*x at school?

"Okay, well take care. I'll see you down at the station later," he said, turning and walking to his patrol unit. I let out a breath and shut the door. I should call Noah and let him know that Sheriff Silverman is going to talk to Ms. Sky, so he doesn't have to anymore.

When I got to my room, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and saw that I had a missed call from Noah. I pushed the button to call him back, but it went to voicemail. Rather than leave a message, I hung up and put the phone back on the nightstand. Laying back on the bed, I felt some relief. Finally! Finally, I am actually helping. Hopefully, now that I've pointed Sheriff Silverman in the right direction, I can stop having the nightmares. Before you know it, Katrina will be back at home with her mom safe and sound. I let out another deep breath, snuggling deeper into my pillow. Finally, now I can get some rest.