Van Pelt and his brother arrived to see my uncle on the floor. I asked him how he got my number and why he called before his attempt at jailbreak last night. He smiled, "Adam gave it to me when he came to visit last year. I haven't seen him. Where is he?" I smiled,"He is dead. He died last year." His smile vanished so fast I thought I had imagined his smile, "That's a lie" I pulled out my phone and proved it to him. He fell to the floor in anguish as he had lost his only contact with the world. I quietly picked up my phone. He was dragged back to his cell as he had become lethargic. I apologized to the warden for punching my uncle. The guards thanked me. The warden gave me a stern warning before he walked away. Van Pelt had questions and I told her that I am tired and want to go home. She smiled, "We will talk in the morning."
I got in my car and drove a few feet out of the prison walls and called Henry. He came in an Uber and drove me home. The entire time I saw the streets turn into a dystopian city. The street lamps started warp and bent. The trees started to catch fire. The road began to crack exposing the sewer. The buildings began to collapse and there were wild animals all over the place. I saw a spider get on top of a car and rip one the doors off. Huge centipedes and scorpions were crossing. There was a truck that was tipping over. The high beams hit me and I closed my eyes. I heard screams and loud honking and tires screeching. I opened to see that we were stuck in a traffic jam.
I relaxed and Henry smiled, "Wanna tell me why you went there of all places?" I shivered, "My uncle Davis Walker is there. He called me yesterday threatening me so I went to give him a piece of my mind." Henry was surprised, "The toymaker is your uncle. You have a seriously dysfunctional family." I smiled proudly, "I am the reason he is in jail. I found out what he was doing and called the cops. He hates me with a vengeance." Henry smiled, "The family of the victims have you to thank for." I massaged my forehead, "They were apprehensive till one of the officers told them I had called nine one one for five days straight till uncle Davis was behind bars. They thanked me but were cautious as though I would grow up and go on a killing spree. I got harassed by my peers. That ended after the trial began. Things changed for the better. My classmates started to spread the rumors that I was adopted since I left no stone unturned throwing him in jail." Henry chuckled, "Silver lining in the clouds"
When we got home DD was finishing one of his new ideas and Cheryl was finishing her homework. I looked at his documents and commended his spirit. He gave me a million dollar smile and I kissed his forehead and hair. I walked to fix dinner when Cheryl asked me why I was annoyed. I must have been exhausted. I blurted, "My ex-husband has been calling me like it is the missing person's hotline. My psycho uncle Davis called to threaten me but he was unsuccessful. I am starving but I am scared to eat since I might spit it out." DD jumped out of his chair and came running. He wrapped his arms around me and asked me why I didn't say anything. I told him that I didn't want to overwhelm him. Andropov is in the past. I proved that when I arrested him. DD is my future. I just hang up every time he calls. DD smiled at me, "Are you sure you aren't hungry." I pouted, "I am starving" He took my hand and made instant Ramen. I carefully ate a little and felt fine. I happily ate the bowl. I took a sip of the orange juice and spat it out. On the rim of the glass had a single drop of blood. Soon it slid down and the entire content of the glass swiftly turned to blood. I placed the glass away from me and asked everyone to stay back.
I looked in the mirror and SHE was watching me. I asked her nicely to let me be. SHE shook her head. SHE knocked on the pane of glass and I lowered my head. I dove into my head and found myself near a lake where lightning was striking repeatedly. Lightning struck the same spot five times and out of the smoke came a black mound. A body began to take shape. The scene changed to an abandoned factory. The electric chair was waiting for. I turned to see a mound of rats taking HER form. SHE tied me up. SHE walked through the pane of glass. She pat Cheryl on her back and drank the glass. SHE smiled, "Don't worry. This is a precaution since uncle Davis is being a little too active. I am trying to protect everyone."
The ward hugged me and I stroked her hair. And DD hugged me too. He remembers the last time Doll Face came out. So the next few days are going to be seriously tense. Henry and company were making arrangements. DD was listening intensely. I asked them to finish with their respective papers while I cook dinner. I made spaghetti in a sheet pan and also made cheesy garlic bread. I was about to make a pitcher of orange juice when I got a call.
I answered it to find out it was Doll Face. He yelled, "The next time we meet you will pay for your little visit" I smirked, "Hey you pathetic meat sack! What's red, white and brown and can't move?" He froze and I answered, "You. The next time we meet. I am going to show you pain. You will beg for mercy. I am going to bask in your screams. The look of terror on your face is going to be delicious and I am going to make you beg for death. I look forward to the thrill of your screams" he didn't say anything for a moment and he asked, "Jellybean is that you?" I smiled, "It's me but I have grown up and if these calls persist then I will have to do something. Trust me. You won't like it. So be a good boy and stay in your hole till your damned death sentence is carried out." He made a weird throat sound. It felt awkward. I hung up.
The next day I woke up to see Henry was waiting for me. He had bright smile. One of the guards was the victims of my uncle. I apologized to him and he smiled, "Thanks to you my sister came home safely." I smiled, "I am pleased to help her. How is she?" He smiled, "She took therapy and is doing pretty good. She is coming to visit me today." The door bell rang and I opened the door to see it was the girl I rescued from my dad. She came in and said that I looked familiar. I smiled and I explained to her who I was and it turns out I rescued her twice. First from my dad and then from my uncle. Glen and DD were staring with pride. I pat her on the shoulder and got my badge and gun to head to work.
When I reached the precinct Van Pelt was waiting for me with hot cocoa and bear claw. She asked me to explain why I went to meet a death row inmate. I told her that he is the first person I threw in jail for crimes and he is my uncle. She froze, "You are the little girl I saw on the TV that day. 'I won't rest until my uncle pays for his crimes'" Her brother was grinning ear to ear. He said, "I remember watching you follow your uncle like you were a cop. If he had sneezed funny you would have shot him between eyes." I nod my head walked to the lockers. When I came out everyone was staring at me weirdly.
I ignored them as a rule and sat down to finish paperwork. I was doing a spell check when the captain came and stared at me. I asked her if I had pissed her off. She laughed, "Most people family of serial killers are bad. You prove them wrong in so many ways. Many said that you were adopted but you are his flesh and blood. The length you went to throw him in jail should have gotten you a spot in the police academy." She was working my last nerve so I told her very nicely, "I am not interested in the past and also I am trying to finish all my assignments so I can focus on him entirely."
Van Pelt's brother asked, "What's wrong?" I smiled, "Because he was amongst those who were going to escape yesterday. But he made the mistake. He stopped to make a phone call threatening to kill me in the most brutal manner in human history. He was distracted so he didn't see that he was discovered. The guards caught him and a fight broke out. He was sedated and sent to solitary confinement. I am sure he will see fresh oxygen soon. When that happens he will start sending presents. Dead rats, graphic drawings of dead people. I believe he uses blood as ink in those painting. Obviously he will send all sorts of things. I need to be in my A game."
My cell phone rang and I said melodiously, "That would be the Toy Maker calling to tell me he is going to rip me to shreds." I put the phone on speaker and hello. Sure he started talking about he was going to hurt me. I smiled, "Listen you vile ill bred miscreant. When I am finished with you. Your own family will refuse to recognize you. Don't forget you are threatening a cop. Last time I had no resources and everyone said I was a kid with a vivid imagination. This time I am cop and I will use every resource available to put you down like a dog. So do the world a favor and shut up and start counting down your death sentence. I have noted the date on my calendar."
He froze for a moment and said, "Jelly bean. You should have ignored what I was doing. I was doing her a favor." I smiled, "I don't know what she did to you but let's get this clear right here and now. You are not appointed by the government to implement punishment so what you did was wrong and what I did was right. I had the animalistic right defend a helpless woman from a notorious serial killer." He retorted, "Those women were asking for it. Calling me a serial killer is a crime." I laughed, "Not calling you a serial killer is a criminal offense. The only one asking for it is you. The next time we meet the business end of my side arm is going to say hello to you. I am going to make a Jackson Pollock painting with your brain. One more thing if you piss me off again I will send you a box filled with snakes again. I never got to see you cringe last time but I did get to hear you scream in terror. I have to admit it was satisfactory. Tell me. Did you really lose sleep for an entire week. The warden told me that you lost weight as well" He hung up immediately. I guess he wants to live.
I called Dylan and asked him if he could kindly have his brother who happens to be an inmate who could keep an eye on my uncle. I want to know his movements. I don't want anymore surprises. Dylan happy obliged. When I hung up the captain asked me how I managed to sneak snakes into prison. I smiled, "I found someone who was sneaking stuff into prison. I paid him. He wasn't happy. The package was the reason that landed him in prison. Don't worry that was years ago. I won't try it again. Next time I will tase him and send him to solitary confinement" the captain nodded her head and walked away. The other police officers were staring at me. They seemed to have developed respect for me. I just nod my head and finished the spell check. I walked to the captain and submitted my papers.