"One moment, please hold." Annabelle Reed spoke into the headset, before switching the line over on the switchboard, pushing the cord into the socket and flipping the switch to send the call away. She quickly answers another call, asking how she could help before switching the cord around again. When she finished and had no current calls, she let out a soft breath. Her blonde hair was cut short to be a bit above her shoulders, ironed to have a soft curl to them. She rubbed at her eyes, looking towards the clock on the wall and let out a sigh. Not even the afternoon yet. She still had quite a ways to go before she could head home and study.<br/><br/>The thought of all the books she was able to get from the library gave her goose bumps and her heart began to race in excitement. She stared at the clock again and smiled. The end of the day couldn't get here any faster. Those books were going to skyrocket her to her dream. She blinked her blue eyes back at the switchboard and cursed under her breath when she saw a few blinking light. She quickly got back to work, switching the calls over and directing those to where they needed to be.<br/><br/>Before long a ring let out in the office for break and women began to take off their headsets and start chatting with one another. Anna ignored the women around her, and they ignored her back, as they walked towards the breakrooms. As two women walked by, Anna couldn't help but overhear their conversation.<br/><br/>"Did you hear about the new murder?"<br/><br/>"I heard! It's horrible what is happening. I'm honestly afraid to go out at night. My husband declared that I am not to walk outside without him escorting me!" The two women giggled and their gossiping faded out as they walked away from where Anna sat.<br/><br/>Anna's heart sank at the thought of the recent news. Another woman found dead. This spree killing was terrifying so many women. Most of them may joke and giggle about the news in some way but it honestly gave Anna chills. Just the idea that someone could be doing something so horrific to innocent people....<br/><br/>Before Anna could get up herself and start heading off to her break, someone called out to her.<br/><br/>"Miss Reed?" A male voice spoke out near her. Anna stood up and blinked with shock at the police office who stood in front of her. Women around her began to whisper, watching as the man walked up to Anna.<br/><br/>"Um! Yes?" Anna hesitated, pulling her eyebrows together as the police officer took a deep breath.<br/><br/>"I am sorry to say this but... your sister, Emily Reed, has been killed."<br/><br/>All sound stopped around her and Anna's world came to a halt. Suddenly the news of another killing from a few days ago raced through her head and she quickly shook her head and took a step back from the office. "N-no that can't be."<br/><br/>"I'm sorry Miss Reed. But I'm going to have to ask you to come to the station with me to answer a few questions." He requested, giving her an encouraging smile in hopes she would follow him. Anna stood frozen in her spot, her eyes wide as her body shook. The whispers began up again around her but all she could here was static.<br/><br/>"Anna?" Her supervisor called out. Anna jumped and jerked her head towards her supervisor, realizing he had been standing next to the office the whole time. He gave her a tentative smile and took her hand. "Don't worry about work. Everything will be taken care of, nothing will be docked. Go ahead and time out for the day. Take the rest of the week off."<br/><br/>Anna slowly nodded her head at him and then looked to the office before nodding her head again. "Right this way ma'am." He spoke leading her out of the building. She avoided looking at anyone as she left, her shoulders tensing up at the whispers grew a little louder as she walked away.<br/><br/>At the station, she sat in a chair in front of the officers desk and started at the wooden desk with a blank face. She wondered why tears hadn't fallen yet. She felt hollow inside, she honestly didn't know if she believed what the office had said at the time. Emily couldn't be dead. She wasn't the type to just roll over. She would have gotten away. She would have.... A tear finally escaped from the corner of her eye and she quickly brushed it away before taking a shaky breath in.<br/><br/>"Miss Reed. When was the last time you saw your sister?" The office in front of her spoke. Anna refused to look up at him, and played with the handkerchief in her hand that was given to her earlier when she walked in. She forgot who handed it to her. She had been in a complete daze unaware of her surroundings. She didn't even remember how she got here.<br/><br/>"About a week ago. We went out for lunch to the deli on Main. It's her favorite...." Anna whispered the last few words, realizing that the right words would be<span style="font-style: italic">"It was her favorite."</span><br/><br/>"I'm really sorry Miss Reed, I have to ask these questions."<br/><br/>Anna quickly shook her head. "No, please. I understand. If it will help I'll answer whatever is needed."<br/><br/>"Thank you. You mentioned earlier that Emily was dating someone?"<br/><br/>"Yes. Tommy. Tommy McAlister. He works construction I believe, I'm not quite sure what company. They have been dating for about a year now." Anna looked up finally, seeing the office jotting down the information on his notepad with a pen. He looked up and smiled at her softly when he noticed she had finally looked up at him.<br/><br/>"Did Emily mention anything about maybe someone bothering her of late? Feeling like she was being watched? Followed?"<br/><br/>"No, nothing of the sort." Anna shook her head, her body tensing at the idea that Emily could have hidden anything from her.<br/><br/>"Anna?" Another voice rang out in the station and her head shot up to see Tommy being escorted in by another office. He suddenly walked towards her, even though the office called out to him. "Anna? Are you okay?" He walked over and quickly pulled Anna up into a hug, squeezing her suddenly. She let out a soft yelp at the sudden physical contact, smiling softly and patting him on the back.<br/><br/>"I'm... I'm fine, Tommy." They pulled apart and Anna could see his eyes were bloodshot red. Her heart broke. He had really loved her sister.<br/><br/>"She was scared. Something had been bothering her the night before... I never should had left her that morning. I had work but I should have called in. I should have stayed. I should hav-."<br/><br/>"Shh. Tommy." Anna said softly, putting her hand on his arm in comfort. Though she had no idea how much comfort she could give him at this moment.<br/><br/>"Excuse me, sir. I need you to come over to this desk here." The officer earlier that had escorted Tommy in had now just taken his arm. Tommy narrowed his eyes and jerked his arm away. He looked towards Anna for a minute in hesitation but Anna just shook her head and jerked her head at him to go. He squeezed her hand before walking away towards where the officer escorted him and Anna turned back to the officer she was answering questions to and began to answer more.<br/><br/>Soon Anna was escorted to sit on a bench for awhile, told to wait so she and Tommy could go down to 'identify the body', they said. Her stomach twisted and she felt nauseous at the idea. Before long Tommy and her were both escorted down to the basement and into the morgue where they stood in front of a clothed covered body. Anna was shaking as she felt stuck, staring at what was possible her sister.<br/><br/>When they pulled back the clothes, Anna cried and turned around. Tommy had cursed and looked away before nodding his head. The hair. The face structure. The way her body was formed even in... even in that... condition. To them it was no doubt. That was Emily Reed.<br/><br/>That was her sister.<br/><br/>Anna ran out of the room in tears, falling against the wall as she sobbed harder than she had ever thought was possible. She slid down the wall and fell to her knees, covering her face as her whole body shook.<br/><br/>"Anna." A soft hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up to see a familiar face."<br/><br/>"Dr. Scott!" Anna gasped. The soft brown eyes smiled down at her softly, before helping her stand to her feet.<br/><br/>"I haven't seen you since you were a young teenager. You look beautiful my dear. I heard the news and I rushed down here. After your parents... I thought I could at least come and make sure you were okay." Dr. Scott, an old family friend of her parents, smiled down at her. Her heart felt a little less heavy at that moment as she felt grateful for seeing him and for his kindness. "Have you thought about maybe hiring a private investigator?"<br/><br/>The sudden question surprised her. She furrowed her brows at him in confusion and he sighed softly leading her to another bench to sit down. "I will be honest... I've heard some rumors that the police are having a difficult time finding this bastard." Dr. Scott sneered in disgust before smiling at her apologetically and taking her hand. "If you need the money, I do not mind. I honestly think you should consider hiring a PI. Your sister needs justice for what happened to her. For what has been happening to all the women in Boston. If this keeps happening, not one of them will feel safe."<br/><br/>He looked into her eyes with a stern look. "Not even you."<br/><br/>Anna shivered at the thought, closing her eyes and leaned towards him unconsciously. "I... I honestly hadn't thought of it. I have no idea where to even find a private investigate. I also have the funereal to handle and-."<br/><br/>"You are not alone Anna. I will handle the cost and the funeral arrangements. I even have a PI in mind for you to visit. I urge you to seek him out. Please." Dr. Scott smiled down at her, quickly handing her the business card for the PI. She took it into her hand slowly, staring down at the name and address before giving a slow nod.<br/><br/>"Okay."<br/><br/><br/>The next day, Anna stared at the door in front of her. Her whole body was shaking. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying all night. Her body felt like a brick. Her breathing was shaky and on the way here she kept stopping in the middle of the sidewalk sobbing, unable to move another step. Now in front of the door of the Private Investigator Dr. Scott had recommended, she was frozen again in place. Unable to reach her hand up and knock on the door. She knew she had to do this. She had heard the rumors as Dr. Scott had. The police were getting no where. They were underfunded, under staffed, and the way some had stared at her at the station some of them could have been the killer. She shivered at the thought, shaking her head. She took a deep steady breath and steeled herself. She glared at the door and decided that she wasn't going to stand weak anymore.<br/><br/>Anna reached her hand up into a fist and knocked. She was going to find her sister's killer if it was the last thing she ever did.