There was glass everywhere. Sarah's hand shook as she stared at the wooden floor in her kitchen. She arrived home from the hospital two weeks earlier. The glass cup which held her ice tea was shattered on the floor.382Please respect copyright.PENANAZkRZ8dPIJf
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"I picked up the ice cream. They didn't have plain peanut butter, so I brought you peanut butter and chocolate swirl. I hope that's okay." Chris said putting the brown paper bag on the kitchen counter. "Sarah are you alright?" he asked placing his hand on her shoulder.
Sarah took a few deep breaths before turning to face him, "I'm sorry. You said something about ice cream?"
"Yeah. I brought you peanut butter and chocolate swirl, they didn't have just regular peanut butter." He said grabbing a broom and dustpan from a nearby closet.
"I got it," Sarah said taking the broom and dustpan from Chris's hands. As she began to sweep Sarah said, "You don't have to keep staring at me. I'm okay, just put the ice cream away or something." Sarah scoffed.
"But I-" Chris said shaking his head as he put the ice cream and other groceries away. Silence filled the air and Chris looked around the apartment. Their master bedroom and bathroom were the only rooms untouched since Sarah returned from the hospital. The glass coffee table was gone along with the couch which Chris had replaced with two lounge chairs. The brand new television was mounted to the wall instead of on a stand.
Chris cleared his throat not wanting to scare Sarah, then stood next to her as she washed her hands at the kitchen sink, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Sarah said drying her hands on a kitchen towel.
"I shouldn't have slammed the door when I got home."
"You just startled me. I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm fine. You don't have to walk on eggshells when I'm around."
"I just miss you and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. It's just that-" Chris's phone rang in his pocket as he hesitated to pick it up.
"Answer it," Sarah said as she walked out of the kitchen and into their bedroom.
"Hello?... Yes, this is him... You do?... Umm now?... Let me see if she's awake... Okay... Thanks bye." Chris put his phone in his pocket as he wondered what to do next. His wife was probably laying down and not asleep. He didn't want to disturb her, but he thought this news would help. Chris slowly opened the door to their bedroom. Sarah was laying on her side of the bed facing the large window where you could see the city.
"Hey, Sarah?" Chris asked sitting at the opposite end of the bed.
"Yes?" Sarah didn't turn around as she wiped a tear from her cheek.
"I have some good news."
"What is it?" Sarah said sitting up in bed as she lifted the quilted comforter up to her chest.
"One of the detectives Adam Darwood just called. He said they have Frank Eyler in custody."
"That's great," Sarah said with a half smile.
"What's wrong?"
"Do they want me down at the station?"
"He said they have a few questions."
"Haven't they asked me enough?"
"I'm guessing they have more information."
"When do they need me there?"
"As soon as you can."
"I'll be ready in a few."
"Do you need anything?" Chris said as he looked at his wife who was picking out a pair of sweatpants and a sweater from the closet.
"No, I'm okay. I'll meet you in the living room." Sarah said shutting the bathroom door. Chris sighed as he walked out of the room.
****
The cab ride took longer than expected. Sarah took Chris's hand as he helped her out of the cab. The wind blew through Sarah's hair as she folded her arms over her chest. "Are you ready to go in?" Chris said pulling Sarah close to him. "I don't really have a choice. I just want this man to go to prison."
"Let's go then." Chris softly smiled as they walked into the precinct.
"You're such a-" A man yelled as he held onto the bars of the holding cell.
"I'm detective Adam Darwood. I'm sorry about that. Come this way please." Adam said as he led Sarah and Chris to an interview room at the end of the hall.
"Would you like some coffee?"
"Is it decaf? I'm pregnant." Sarah said with a smile.
"I think there's some. Give me a moment." Adam said as he left the room.
Chris turned to Sarah, "How are you feeling?" he placed his hand over Sarah's hand.
"I'm nervous," Sarah said moving some of her hair behind her ear. "I just don't know what more they have to ask me."
A few minutes later Adam walked back into the room with two cups of coffee, "Here's your coffee. Rose Atwell is bringing in some water.
Not a moment later Rose walked in with the water and a folder. "Here's some water for you both," Rose said with a smile.
"Thanks." Sarah and Chris said in unison.
As Adam and Rose settled themselves at the table Adam said, "I'm sure you know why you're here?"
Sarah was quiet for a moment, before gathering her words. "Yeah. Uh... my husband said you had a few more questions to ask me. And Frank Eyler is in custody."
"Yes, we do have Frank Eyler in custody," Adam said looking over some papers Rose handed to him. "We just wanted to clear a few things up."
"What's there to clear up?" Sarah furrowed her eyebrows and held Chris's hand even tighter.
Rose spoke up, "Sarah, the day you were attacked you said you don't remember what he looked like."
"Yes, you're correct."
"Any tattoos or anything?" Rose looked at Sarah sympathetically.
"Well, he had this tattoo on the inside of his wrist..." Sarah closed her eyes as images of that day flashed in her mind.
"Sarah... honey... it's not real. You're having a flashback. Breathe in and out with me... There you go." Chris said staring at his wife.
Sarah let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding and slowly opened her eyes. "Where's Adam and Rose?"
"Adam got called to another case and Rose is taking a call from the lab." Sarah didn't respond she just took a few sips of her water. Rose walked into the room with David behind her.
"I thought David was off the case?" Sarah said looking at the two detectives.
"He is," Rose said glancing at David.
"I just wanted to be here when she told you the news, " David said as he sat in a chair near the end of the table.
"What news?"
"Frank Eyler isn't the man who raped you."
"What?! How?!" Sarah stood up a little too quickly and felt dizzy. She closed her eyes to gain some sense of balance before opening them and clenching her fists.
"We looked at the security footage from your apartment building and he never entered your building."
"But... he was staring at me in the cafe and Frank has that tattoo. What about the DNA evidence?"
"The lab messed up the DNA samples, so we can't use it. And the tattoo..." Rose slid over a paper to Sarah with mugs shots of at least a dozen men. "All of these men have the same tattoo as Frank."
"So..." Chris stood up, trying to edit the words that were coming out of his mouth. "So, you're telling me my wife went through all of this and she won't get justice?!"
"No, that's not what we're saying. We do have surveillance video of a few men entering and leaving your apartment building on the day of your attack with the same tattoo as Frank. We're in the process of looking for them now."
"You don't know where any of them are?" Sarah said slipping on her coat and putting her purse across her shoulder. "When you find them call me!" Sarah stormed out of the room, leaving her husband and the detectives behind.
Taking the elevator down to the first floor a man holds the door open for her. Sarah nodded to him as a sign of saying thank you. She noticed a tattoo on his hand, the same as Frank's. Sarah walked onto the busy sidewalk and thought, I'm probably just imagining things.
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