𝚂𝙸𝙳𝙴  𝙾𝙽𝙴

just  a  girl  by  NO DOUBT,  hand  in  my  pocket  by  ALANIS  MORISSETTE,  bad  reputation  by  JOAN  JETT  &  THE  BLACKHEARTS,  criminal  by  FIONA  APPLE,  celebrity  skin  by  HOLE,  teenage  dirtbag  by  WHEATUS,  under  ice  by  KATE  BUSH,  a  letter  to  elise  by  THE  CURE,  linger  by  THE  CRANBERRIES.

𝚂𝙸𝙳𝙴  𝚃𝚆𝙾

  she   reached   for   the   door,   holding   her   coffee   cup   up   against   her   chest   as   she   peered   out   into   the   dreary   night.   she   instantly   noticed   that   it   was   the  town's   sheriff,   dressed   in   his   uniform   ---   only   meaning   one   thing,   he's  on  duty.   but   the   brunette   began   to   wonder   WHY   was   he   here   ?   so   she   did   what   any   skeptical   femme   would   do   ;  

❛  what   can   i   help   you   with   officer   rogers   ?   ❜    the   girl   questioned,   an   eyebrow   arching   as   she   was   genuinely   curious   as   to   why   an   officer   was   standing   at   her   door   step   in   the   first   place.

❛   just   here   to   ask   a   few   questions,   miss   jensen.  ❜    officer   rogers   reassured,   taking   out   a   notepad   to   take   notes   of   their   conversation.

eloise   nodded   sheepishly,   gesturing   for   him   to   step   inside   her   home.   as   the   two   walked   into   her   room   she   sat   at   the   table   taking   a   quick   sip   of   her   coffee.   she   knew   what   this   conversation   was   going   to   lead   too,   because   she   had   heard   from   a   few   people   that   the   sheriff   was   going   around   conducting   interviews.   but   what   she   was   confused   about   was   WHY  he   was   interviewing   her   ?    ❛    yes   of   course.  ❜   she   stated   simply.

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :   i   have   a   few   witnesses   that   have   come   up   stating   that   you   &   faye   no   longer   got   along  ?   can   you   explain   why   ?

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   faye   &   i   were   really   good   friends   in   high   school,   however   i   wouldn't   go   as   far   as   saying   that   we   no   longer   got   along.   we   just   aren't   friends   anymore.   we're   civil.   just   not   speaking   i   guess   ?

he   nods   swiftly,   taking   a   quick   note   of   what   she   had   just   stated.

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :      when   was   the   last   time   you   spoke   to   miss   nguyen   ?

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   oh   gosh,   it's   been   a   while.   i   think   the   last   time   i've   had   an   actual   conversation   with   her   was   a   few   months   ago   when   we   ran   into   each   other   at   the   mini   mart.   she   was   buying   a   bunch   of   groceries   for   a   party   she   was   throwing   for   a   friend   of   hers.   it   was   just   a   basic   conversation.  

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :      were   you   invited   to   this   said   party  ?

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   as   stated   before,   we   weren't   friends.   so   no,   i   was   not   invited.

again,   rogers   nods   before   bringing   the   pen   to   his   teeth   &   biting   down   on   the   cap,   obviously   frustrated   that   this   conversation   was   getting   him   absolutely   no   information.

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :     you   were   friends   with   miss   moore   correct   ?

eloise   takes   a   deep   breath,   her   heart   aching   at   her   name   being   brought   up.   because   yes,   she   was   still   acquainted   with   sybil.

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   yes   sir,   sybil   &   i   were   really   good   friends.  

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :      when   was   the   last   time   you   spoke   with   miss   moore   ?

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   the   night   before   she   went   missing,   we   were   making   plans   to   meet   up   &   get   some   coffee.   she   was   going   to   help   me   with   a   piece   i   was   writing.

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :      did   you   &   miss   moore   end   up   meeting   up   that   night   ?

she   heaved   a   sigh,   shaking   her   head   before   bringing   her   hands   to   her   hair,   straightening   it   out   as   she   grew   more   upset.

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   no,   i   couldn't   get   ahold   of   her   during   the   time   where   we   were   supposed   to   meet   up.   so   i   ended   up   going   into   work   &   just   working   on   the   piece   myself.

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :      what   were   you   writing   about   ?

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   a   piece   on   the   local   shelter,   i   wanted   to   showcase   the   available   animals   that   were   available   for   adoption.   she   was   going   to   help   me   out   by   answering   a   few   questions   as   she   had   adopted   an   animal   from   there   a   few   years   ago.  

he   begins   writing   in   his   notepad,   something   that   normally   would   annoy   her   but   she   understood   the   situation  &   understood   that   he   was   trying   to   get   to   the   bottom   of   the   missing   girls.

[   OFFICER   ROGERS   ]   :      when   was   the   last   time   you've   heard   from   any   of   the   girls   ?

[   ELOISE   JENSEN   ]   :   well,   i   honestly   can't   recall   hearing   from   tatum   ?   but   the   other's   we've   already   spoken   about.   it's   been   a   while   since   i've   heard   or   talked   to   any   of   them,   especially   with   them   being   missing   &   all.  

[   ROGERS   ]   :   thank   you   for   your   time,   miss   jensen.   i'll   be   back   if   i   have   any   further   questions.   have   yourself   a   wonderful   night.  

"hello  mr.  van  der  bilt,”  sheriff  rogers  clears  his  throat.  “we’re  here  to  ask  you  some  questions.”  both  pull  out  notepads  and  pens  to  write  with.  

bradford  swallows  to  clear  his  throat  and  just  bows  his  head.  he  feels  like  a  smile  wouldn’t  be  appropriate,  so  he  simply  places  his  hands  on  the  counter  and  leans  towards  them.  “ask  away  officers.  i’ll  be  as  transparent  as  possib-”

deputy  cortez  practically  cuts  him  off  before  he  can  even  finish.  “you  and  sybil  were  close,  correct?  was  there  anything  out  of  the  ordinary  you  can  tell  us  before  she  went  missing,  or  any  of  the  other  girls?” 

he  nods  as  confirmation  this  time.  “i  grew  up  with  faye  and  sybil.  sybil  and  i  were  in  the  same  classes  and  extracurriculars,  kept  motivating  each  other.  i  hate  to  say  that  i  don’t  know  anything  though.  i  wasn’t  around  when  any  of  them  went  missing,  i  didn’t  see  them.  they  didn’t  tell  me  they  were  worried  or  scared  either.”  

sheriff  rogers  raises  his  hand  to  cut  the  deputy  off  this  time.  “we  have  a  statement  from  someone  named  cassandra.  she  says  you  had  something  to  gain  from  their  disappearance.  we’ve  looked  into  you  and  didn’t  find  any  reasons,  but  can  you  tell  us  why  she’s  pointing  at  you?”  his  voice  is  authoritative. 

"sybil  and  i  had  a  little  rivalry  in  high  school,  but  that’s  just  something  between  classmates.  i  can  assure  you,  i  gain  nothing  from  them  going  missing.”  he  motions  to  the  flowers  around  him.  “i’ve  spent  most  of  the  spring  and  summer  setting  this  place  up,  so  i’ve  been  a  bit  distracted.”  

deupty  cortez  nearly  jumps  at  the  last  part.  “so  you’re  using  this  as  an  alibi?”  

bradford  takes  a  moment  to  wonder  if  he  should  be  getting  a  lawyer.  is  he  a  witness  or  a  suspect?  “not  an  alibi,  just  the  truth.  i’ll  even  share  the  letters  sybil  and  i  wrote  one  another,  updating  each  other  on  our  new  challenges.”  he  takes  out  a  business  card  and  writes  his  address  in  the  back.  then  he  slides  it  across  the  counter  towards  both  of  them.  “my  personal  number  is  there  as  well  as  where  i’m  living.  you  can  come  pick  them  up  or  i  can  drop  them  at  the  station,  whatever  is  easier.”  

sheriff  rogers  seems  content  with  that  information,  thankfully.  he  takes  the  card.  “we’ll  be  seeing  you  around  then.”