UNSEEN by John Michael Hileman Page B

of water or use the bathroom, anything really. All we know is, he wasn't dragged from his bed."
    Jake studied his sister. Holly's eyes were fixed on Agent Grant, but her eyelids drooped. There was also a trace of perspiration on her forehead and temple.
    " We don't know if he was taken in the apartment or outside, but there are no signs of forced entry. Who else has a key to your apartment, besides you?"
    Holly blinked. "Just me, the landlord, and Amber."
    " That's your roommate, correct?"
    " Yeah. But she's hardly ever around. She works for the airline—as a flight attendant."
    " When was the last time you saw her?"
    " Maybe a week ago."
    " When do you expect to see her again? We would like to speak with her."
    " I don't know her schedule. She just comes and goes whenever."
    Agent Grant looked at Jake, "Do you have a key?"
    He gave her a surprised look. "No."
    " Where were you last night, between eight p.m. And this morning?"
    " I was at Dan’s last night, then I went home to my apartment."
    " Do you live alone?"
    " No, I live with my girlfriend. What are you getting at?"
    " I'm not getting at anything. I'm trying to eliminate you as a suspect. It sounds like you had an alibi all night. That's good."
    As Agent Grant questioned him, Jake noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. He glanced over to the door and was surprised to see a little curly blond-haired girl standing half in the doorway. She looked like a life-sized Cabbage Patch Kid, pudgy build, round cheeks. She wore a yellow sun dress with matching shoes, and dangling from her hand was a white stuffed rabbit. She stared at him, emotionless, her piercing blue eyes steady and unblinking.
    Who did she belong to? His sister didn't have a little girl, and, as far as he was aware, she wasn't watching any other children; she couldn't even take care of her own. Was she a ghost? The thought of it sent a shiver down his spine, and he immediately launched into denial mode. How could it be a ghost? That was stupid. Ghosts didn't just appear in physical form in the middle of the day in a packed house. But—he looked around—why didn’t anyone else seem to notice her standing there glaring at him between the two rooms?
    The Cabbage Patch girl stepped fully into the doorway, still staring. Jake squirmed in his chair.
    " Holly?" he said, in a cracked voice—not realizing he had interrupted Agent Grant. He looked around the table. Everyone was staring at him like he had ketchup on his shirt. "I ah, don't mean to interrupt, but, do you watch any children?"
    Her face scrunched up. "No. Why?"
    Now that the question waved through the air like a red flag, he wished he could take it back. He was hoping she would say yes, and he could laugh at how silly he was acting. But now, not only was it possible that the little girl was actually a ghost, but all eyes were on him. How was he going to explain such a strange question?
    " I'm sorry. I was just thinking out loud," he stammered.
    " Do you want to share it with the class?" said Dan.
    He shot Dan an irritated look. "It's nothing. I don't know why I said it. Forget I said anything."
    They all took a moment of silence for the death of Jake's reputation, and the agent continued with her analysis as if nothing had transpired.
    " We need to know everyone who has access to this apartment, or access to Gabe during the week. This was not the act of an outsider; he is someone you know, perhaps someone you all know. He’s likely been preparing for this all year, so there have to be traces of his planning. We are looking into any scheduled visits from the utility companies in the area to look for more wire taps like the one we found in your lamp."
    Jake struggled to pay attention, but the eyes of the Cabbage Patch girl bored into the side of his neck. Was she real? Did she belong to one of the officers in the other room? Why would someone bring their kid to an investigation?! He wanted to yell at her, ask her what she wanted from him. But