Justin Cairns - Little Red

‘Abby’ she replied with a pleasant smile.

***

The news crews were ushered in like sheep, the equipment clanging as tripods connected with door frames. Jack had requested six rows of chairs to be placed in the room, eight in each row. He made sure there was enough space at the back and the sides to place the cameras and their stands. The room began to look like a circus or, cluster fuck, as Jack professionally put it. He had asked the victim’s parents to arrive thirty minutes before the reporters did, to ensure they weren’t hassled on the way in. The couple sat with a nervous posture, the mother’s hands trembled and her husband clasped them in his. She fired a small smile then allowed her face to return to the previous grief stricken look. He couldn’t imagine what the pair had gone through, he didn’t attempt to comfort them. In his head there were no available words to use that would put them at ease. He decided to bring them a polystyrene cup of coffee each, lowering to their level as they sat.

‘It’s not the best stuff on the market, but it will warm you up’ his eyes smiled to them.

‘Thank you Sir’ the woman’s voice sounded timid, as if she was made of glass and a loud sound may shatter her into a million pieces.

‘Please, call me Jack. Do you want me to run through the layout we have in mind…….it’s the quickest method we have to get the reporters out and on their way!’

‘Please’ again whispered.

‘I will enter the room first, be aware there will be a lot of camera flashes from all directions. I have already spoken to the crews outside when they arrived, I asked that no questions be asked until you have the floor. I will tell you when that is. I believe you have a speech you would like to make?’

‘Yes, we do’ this time the answer came from the husband.

‘Ok, well take your time. If you need to stop at any time please feel free, the interview will take as long as you want it to’.

With that said Jack stood and sipped some of his coffee, fuck that’s awful, his face displayed the thought as it imitated him sucking on a piece of lemon.

He checked his watch, the hands told him it was nearing ten thirty…. nearly show time.

Meanwhile in the small room he had accepted as an office, Nathan walked from wall to wall absorbing the information he had highlighted like a sponge soaking up water. He had worked all night, the coffee helped with keeping the eye lids open, the details that stood out to him were highlighted with an illuminate green colour. Each lap that he completed he found himself marking more and more words………this is what he wanted to achieve. He checked his watch, he thought of the victim and her parents as the large hand landed on the number six, the small sat still upon the number ten. The interview was starting.

Jack blinked as the first flash hit him, let me get through the door you fucking vultures. He stood for several seconds, one hand behind his back. The hidden hand was open to the parents, telling them to wait. The thumbs up told them it was time and he stepped to one side allowing them through. The array of camera flashes was immense, it was if a storm cloud had entered the room and lay over their heads. The lightning crashed down before them, blinding their eyes with each flash. Jack raised a hand towards the crews and gently placed a palm onto the mother’s back.

‘Follow me’ he whispered into her ear

They moved to the front of the room where several chairs had been placed, he gestured to a pair of seats and the couple sat down looking slightly shocked.

‘Ok, can I ask that you keep the flashes to a minimum please? This is a tragic time and difficult for the couple behind me. Please help to make them feel comfortable’ the flashing seized, but Jack knew it wouldn’t be long till another blasted right in his face.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, I have called this conference today to inform all the people of London and the UK just what has happened over the past few days. Several days ago a young girl by the name of Jenny Marsch was reported missing by her parents’ a picture appeared on the wall behind Jack’s head. The photo had been blown up in size, the girls welcoming smile and blonde hair in a ponytail. Her parents looked up to gaze upon the girl that used to be their daughter. Her mother burst into tears.

‘This is Jenny. She was reported missing last Monday. We believe the time she had disappeared was between three and four p.m. She was wearing her school uniform’ a replica had been purchased from the school clothing store. It was placed upon a little manikin with a blonde ponytail as an aid for any possible witnesses.

‘This is what she looked like on the day she went missing. If anybody recalls seeing this girl then I beg that you come forward to help us with this case. Now I would like to introduce you to the girl’s parents, I ask that pictures are kept to a minimum please’ he turned his head and gave a slight nod to the father, he stood slowly. His wife needed to be pulled to her feet. They approached the stand and scanned the room of cameras and reporters.

‘I would like to start by saying………..Jenny was a lovely, lovely girl who never hurt anybody…..ever’ the husband’s voice was stern.

‘My girl was smart, intelligent and caring. She made us smile and made us feel love’ his wife began crying into his shoulder, a tear forming in his eye.

‘For someone to take our baby, to take our life….well…..it makes me sick. I want everybody’s support given to the police and I want this sick bastard caught’ the rage building in his voice. Jack got to his feet and moved next to the father, he placed a hand on his shoulder. The father looked into his eyes, understanding that the slight touch was a message to calm. He nodded.

‘I want this beast caught and I want justice. Our lives have come to a stop……a complete halt now she has gone………..we just want him found’.

Jack had decided to end the speech, he sensed the mother was close to breaking down and that the father may begin lashing out towards the news crews. He directed them back to the seats and as they sat he leaned into the father.

‘I am going to tell the public what we know. This may be hard to hear, I’m thinking more from your wife’s behalf. I would recommend moving you to another room, but that is up to you!’

‘Ok’. The father agreed to the idea and began to stand, his wife none the wiser as to what was happening. Jack watched as the couple were helped out of the door.

‘The tragedy has touched a nerve in all our hearts. We aim to catch the person who has caused this family so much pain. What we know so far is that the person is male. He will own a large vehicle, possibly a van. He is an intelligent person who has a very distinct and professional method. He goes by the name the Wolf, we do believe this person may live in and around the area of abduction and are, as we speak, undergoing a thorough investigation. I have assembled a team to aid in the capture of this person. He is deemed highly dangerous and should not be approached if suspicion occurs. We do ask that any information you may have be brought to our attention………the quicker this happens the quicker we catch him.’

‘Why the Wolf?’ a reporter bellowed from the back.

‘He has communicated with us, a package was delivered to us with that name upon the front, the information and images sent to us displays himself in a Wolf mask, we believe he may be suffering or have suffered mental issues.’

‘Will he do this again……is it only women he goes for?’

‘We believe he has the intent to do this again, yes. Judging by the first victim we have bracketed our group of targets to girls between the age of eight and twelve.’