Free Deadly News: A Thriller by Zooey Smith

to look at Fe, raised her eyebrows in a question.
    “If nothing happens, I’ll talk to Delano about your idea.”
    “Is this his case now?”
    Fe shook her head. “Not sure, think it might be Masterson’s.” She smiled. “In any case, tomorrow. Good enough?”
    “Better than nothing.”
    “Good. Now hand me that menu.”
    …

    The next morning came and went. Nothing else was found. There was evidence in the car, but that would take a while to process. And so, with no other prospects, Fe agreed to take Abby into the station, and see about using her as bait.
    This was not to be however, because as they were walking out the door to their hotel room, Abby’s phone rang.
    “Hold up,” she called to Fe, as the door shut behind her. She answered. “Hello?”
    “Hello Abby.”
    “Hi. Who’s this?”
    “Who, what? Where, does it matter? No.”
    Abby waved frantically at Fe. Maybe they could trace the call? Or would they know already where it was coming from? Unless he was using a burner.
    Fe held out her hands, mouthed ‘What?’
    ‘It’s them,’ Abby mouthed. It had to be. Or a prank call. Either way, tracing it would be a good idea.
    “Abby,” the voice said, almost playfully. “Are you there? Please tell me, you didn’t, drop the call.”
    “I’m here. Who is this?”
    “I think you know. I think, I think,” he repeated, putting emphasis on ‘think’, “that you know exactly, and, so does your friend there. Say hi to her for me.”
    “My friend?”
    “Oh I’m sorry. Is she not your friend? Officer Fe?”
    Abby said nothing. She looked around for anyone, any cameras. There weren’t even windows though. Then her eyes fell on the peepholes in each and every hotel room door. Suddenly, nowhere felt safe. She gestured for Fe to open the door to their room again.
    She frowned, but did so.
    “Abby Melcer? What are you doing?”
    “I’m going to hang up if you don’t tell me who you are and what you want.”
    He sighed, like one might sigh at their child. “Very well, if you insist on forcing my hand.”
    The two of them entered back into the room, and Abby quietly shut and locked the door, then put a finger to her lips and put her phone on speaker.
    “I want,” he continued, “we want you. As for who I am? That’s not something you need be concerned with.” There was a pause, then he said, sounding like he was smiling, “Am I on speaker?” A chuckle. “How quaint,” he added quietly.
    Shit, Abby didn’t know what to say. “You want me?” At least this confirmed that her bait-plan might have worked.
    “Of course we do. The problem is how to get you. Not as easy as it was.”
    “What do you want me for?”
    “Oh, nothing. Just to talk.”
    “What about?”
    “Oh, look at the time. I have to go. I just wanted to check in with you, let you know that we’re still here for you. Talk to you soon.”
    “What do you—” Abby stopped herself as the call time stopped ticking and started flashing. “Fuck!”
    Fe was breathing fast, lower lip entirely in her mouth. “We can contact the phone company, see where it was coming from.” She looked at the phone, Abby, phone. “He sounded crazy.”
    Abby let out a burst of air. “No shit.”
    “Could be an act,” Fe said more calmly, seeming to parse the situation. “I’m not so comfortable leaving here now.”
    “I agree, but probably for a different reason. I think he could see us.”
    “See us?”
    “Yeah, he said he could. Like he was watching us.”
    Fe shook her head. “Nope. Even if he could somehow get access to the cameras, there are none out there. Safer that way for us, and the identity of anyone we’re protecting.”
    “I noticed. But there were doors.”
    “The rooms? We would have heard him talking.”
    “Maybe not. I can’t think of any other way he would know. Maybe he—or they—had someone looking out a peephole.”
    Fe was still shaking her head, but she said, “I’m going to call for backup, just in case.