The Beauty Inside

ch

on the radio. The manila envelope lays still against the cushion of my passenger seat. I have been outside of

curtain wave back and forth from Claudia looking out for me every few minutes. I should put them out of their misery, give

e thi

with Maria Wildon, I had left her house giving the false impression that I was looking for her child alive. Having to bring her the remains

that same m

phone vibrate for the tenth time since I pulled up. Huffin

the

obi and then you weren't answering as well." I c

ery busy. I'm actually

eeded to speak with you about coming over s

this weekend but if this isn't an

queaking in the background and know she is in her usual rocking chair that dad had bu

I'll see you this weekend." I hang up before s

h. Outside the home speaks of happiness and family. The three step porch wraps around the entire front area. There are small flow

ocks. Mr. Donaldson opens the door wide for me and plas

nice to meet you." He says h

son. But please

lando. Please come in." He stat

office banked off the entry way and a guest bathroom on the opposite side. We stop at the open kitchen and living room spac

honey." Orlando nearly s

ng us." She states walking over and

u Mrs. Do

xious form over to her husband whom looks like he is going to combust. Blow

you ma'am. Is there s

ndo says from behind me. I follow them to the la

ldn't quite pick out which ones do her more justice." Claudia states. Her hands

rough this again, but you have to know that the case could still come up with the same result

s wife whose watery gaze

urning back to address me. "But you found that young boy. You found

. They were digging up that terrain to build all new apartment buildings. His killer knew that, so his demeanor

hrough my body. I've destroyed her hope but in turn, hav

find her remains, but to find her alive is downright impossible. I'm good at my job, finding the Johnson remains was not

into her husband's hold. Turning

ored, was taken from us. I haven't lost my hope that daughter is still alive. I can feel it in my heart that my daughter is out there somewhere and that whoever d

r of Jonathan Wildon told me that she always knew he was gone, and although now I was

knows. That was

at her room?" Orlando speaks

he long narrow hallway, spread-out with black f

pist said it wasn't healthy, that it was time we

and. Thank

against his jean clad leg. "Well I'll leave you to

here her bed lies. There are two trophies for softball dating back a few years and a about a dozen awards for a science class she was a part of. She has a f

out of the ordinary. Whitney was the well-educated, cheerleader with the jock boyfriend. There a

lying flat on her nightstand, the image

watering a plant near the kitchen. She notice

er to the large box of photos, she grabs one that she stares at for a few moment

just her face, but it's the only one I've seen without her smi

help her spread the ashes of her friend Lily. She had passed two weeks before and in her suicide note, had asked that Whitney b

laudia. I promise you. I will do my b

es. Her sad smiles returns as she p

et into my car. Driving out of the neighborhood, I pul

ik

starring at the sullen photo of Whit

d you go

o." I sit up, clutching t

u d

naldson paying specific attention to her cell phone and yo

may not have canceled the accou

e gets turned on every few month

do you

few months for exactly one hundred and sixt

ot just some kid pla

ething stands out. One hundred and sixteen se

ig

or stingray to pinpoint a locat

g to play catch up with all

ng it on long enough to have someone try and loca

then the next time she turns on the call, will be sometime in the next few days. We can

will allow me to use the department resources to go out of the coun

Deek. If you're right, this could be som

ke. See yo

desperate need of a cold beer so I decide to call it a day and hea

y remodeled. Brickwork aligns the back wall while three televisions hang a few feet apa

the tall red head walks over with a sway of her hips, leaning ov

me. What ca

ot on draft." I an

off. "Anything else I can get ya?" She asks usin

nks." I

ting. Leaving my ex was the best decision I had ever made, but with that came a foreign feeling of abstinence. I fucked anything that I could but then I couldn't do

t. Just as I'm getting into my car and firing her up, my phone dings within the

plane now. We've