Part 13 (1/2)

”I can't believe June is dead,” Steven said. ”We've failed.”

”I'm afraid we have,” Roy said.

”We can still save Robbie,” Steven said.

”We can't go in there,” Roy said. ”We can't afford to get June's blood on us. The cops need to see us as innocent, outside the house. Even if we went inside, what would we do when we reached Robbie's room?”

They could hear sirens in the distance. Soon a blue Seattle police cruiser appeared at the house, lights flas.h.i.+ng. Steven and Roy walked toward the officer as he got out of his car.

”We called it in,” Roy said.

”What's going on?” the officer asked.

Roy explained that they had come by to visit June and her grandson, but when they received no answer at the door, they tried opening it, and saw June's body inside. Then they called 911.

”There's also something very noisy going on in the house,” Roy said.

”Noisy?” the officer asked, going back to his car and radioing for backup.

”Yes, noisy,” Roy said. ”It sounds like a hurricane in there. Maybe something is wrong with the furnace.”

”Did you see any guns?” the officer asked.

”No,” Roy said, ”but there's blood everywhere. I think she was stabbed. And her daughter drove off just a minute before you arrived.”

The officer asked for a description of the daughter and her vehicle, and went back to his radio.

”Anyone else in the house? That you know of?” the officer asked.

”Her grandson, Robbie, is probably in there. He's 10,” Roy said.

”Did you see him?” the officer asked.

”No,” Roy said. ”We didn't go in. We only saw June's body from outside the front door.”

”I'm waiting for backup to arrive before we go in,” he said. ”I'm going to check out the exterior of the house while we wait. You two stay here by my car.”

They watched as the officer walked toward the house and circled it. As he was coming back, a second police car arrived. The two officers conferred for a moment, then drew their guns and approached the front door. They opened it and walked inside.

The sound of the freight train was audible even from the sidewalk. After a few moments, Steven and Roy heard yelling. Then two shots.

”What happened?” Steven asked.

”I think I may have just f.u.c.ked up,” Roy said, lowering his head.

”What?” Steven said.

Another police cruiser pulled up, and an officer got out.

”Officer!” Roy called. The cop walked over to him.

”Two of your fellow officers just went in there,” Roy said. ”We just heard two shots. I implore you not to go in there.”

The officer used his radio to call for more help, and while waiting for the additional backup to arrive, Roy related the events once again. ”I believe they're dead. I don't think you can stop what's going on in there. If you go in, you'll die, too.”

”And what is going on in there?” the officer asked.

”You need to catch the daughter,” Roy said. ”She was covered in blood when she drove off, not five minutes ago.”

”We'll do that,” the officer said, ”but I want you to tell me what's in there.”

”As far as I know, Robbie is in there, and the other two officers,” Roy said.

”And who is Robbie?” the officer asked.

”June's grandson,” Roy said. ”He's ten years old.”

”Anything else?” the officer asked.

”Things are confusing in there,” Roy said. ”I think your officers might have shot each other. If you go in, the same could happen to you.”

While they were talking, three more police cars arrived, making a total of five lined up along the street outside June's house. The noise from the house was increasing.

”What's that we're hearing?” the officer asked Roy.

”I don't know,” Roy said. ”When we were at the door, it sounded like a hurricane in there. Maybe something is wrong with the air conditioning?”

”Wait here,” he said, eyeing them both. ”Don't move.”

”We won't,” Roy said.

The officer left to meet the other police who had arrived. Soon they were removing rifles from their vehicles.

”Oh G.o.d,” Roy said. ”I've created a nightmare here.” He walked over to them. ”You can't do that,” he shouted at them.

”Stand back,” one of the officers said, holding his hand up to stop Roy as he approached.

”You'll all die in there,” Roy said. ”Please don't go in there like that.”

”We've potentially got two officers down,” the policeman said. ”We've got to go in.”

”And a ten year old boy,” Roy said. ”Can't you treat this like a kidnapping? Try communicating?”

”Not with officers in danger,” he said. ”Please stand over there and don't move.”

”You've got to believe me,” Roy said. ”I'm trying to save your lives here.”