Mystery+of+the+Kidnapping

"Mystery of the Kidnapping" by Owen

//Day One: The Discovery// //chapter 1// I woke up, reaching for my alarm. Thoughts raged through my head as I groped for the irritating device. //Would I have to take my AP Bio test today?// I hoped not, since I hadn’t studied at all.I opened my eyes and found my cell phone’s ‘low battery’ tune blaring loudly and the screen was flashing like mad. I closed my eyes, bracing myself as I pushed my arms up and forced myself into a sitting position. I heard something crack, and then I fell back onto the carpet. //Ugh,// I thought. //This floor smells awful.// My eyes flew open. I didn’t have red carpet. // This doesn’t make any sense. // I thought, racking my brain, trying to come up with a useful explanation. Nothing came to mind. I looked around, taking in what I saw. I was in an old restaurant, and I could tell that it had been high class once. I saw a fountain in the corner, with mold caked on and around all its sides, some rubbing off onto the dull, brown wallpaper. There were a couple threadbare curtains pulled across all of the windows, blocking out the light and giving the place a menacing atmosphere. There was a huge table in the center of the room, and by the looks of it, it seemed in fairly good repair, except for a large gap, where I assumed a leaf was supposed to fit. To my right I saw a counter, with a door behind it, Leading to a kitchen. From what I saw,1 the kitchen had stainless steel walls. The moldings on the roof had started to peel off, leaving a ton of dried glue and a black mold spot. Every table in the room was stacked and pushed against what I assumed was the main door. The door was nailed and bolted shut, with all of the tables and chairs pushed up against it. //Chapter 2: Pugnese// Officer Pugnese glanced at the schedule. A petty theft, a cheap robbery? A bore. // I was in the military, // he thought. // Why can't something good come along? // He checked his phone sadly. His peppy ring tone sounded, and he nearly dropped the phone as his computer and land-line also started blaring loudly. Scowls and smart remarks cascaded from other officers’ mouths. “All right, all right, quiet down,” Pugnese said. In truth, he had no idea what was going on. He checked his phone first, right as the call ended, so he lunged for the land-line and grabbed it. In his ‘haste’ he ripped the cord out of the wall, wobbling the walls of his cubicle. He sighed, dropping the phone. Finally he walked about two steps to his computer and checked his email. His eyes lit up. // It's from the Governor! // He thought, trying to guess what the case would be. Pugnese, My daughter did not come back from school yesterday afternoon. I am putting you on the case. Your job is to investigate the three co-owners of the murder. The three men are from JacksonGreene Co., a construction company who got away with killing my wife and newborn child. During the earthquake that occurred only two months ago, the second level of my house collapsed, killing every one on that floor, including my wife and baby child. Please get my Kate back, she's all I have left. Jeff Pugnese considered this. It said something about a construction company, a lawsuit from earlier that year. // Poor Jeff, // Pugnese thought as he reread the Email. // Huh, so it seems like the three owners might have done it. They all have equal motive, // Pugnese thought. “Someone get my keys!” Pugnese shouted. “I'm going out!” He glanced at the keyboard and saw his keys lying on top of it. “Never mind!” He shouted again, lunging for his keys. He grabbed them, but his arm swung too far, knocking over his coffee and spilling it all over his shirt. // This is gonna be a long day, // Pugnese thought. //Day two:// //Chapter: 3 Pugnese sets out// Officer Pugnese pulled into JacksonGreene co., his clothes newly changed from the “coffee incident”. He saw someone coming out of one of the cylindrical buildings. “Stop right there!” Pugnese yelled out the window. The man started bolting. “STOP!” Pugnese tried again. He opened the door as he carefully put his car in park, remembering his last car chase. He got out of the car carefully, remembering that an officer on duty shouldn't make himself look stupid. He reached for his gun slowly, his fingers finding their grip in the trigger. “last chance.” Pugnese said. “I said STOP!” Pugnese pulled the trigger once, careful to point the gun upwards. Finally, he got back in the car, and shifted to drive. “It's on,” Pugnese said, tightening his grip on the wheel. He revved the engine, and bolted across the beautiful garden. He whipped past some of the cylindrical buildings, but mostly stayed in the open, where the man seemed to prefer. With one hand still on the wheel, Pugnese pulled his gun up. “I’m going to shoot you,” Pugnese warned. He thought he heard something mumbled like ‘just try,’ but he couldn't be sure. He shot the man, the bullet finding it’s mark in his kneecap. The man tumbled forward, his leg snapping, and blood began to seep through his pant leg. Pugnese hurried out of the car, and bolted to the man. He was wearing a tweed jacket, but it was fraying at the sleeves. He observed that even after running a quarter mile, the man still was not winded. He glared spitefully at Pugnese, then shifted his position, wincing. //Chapter 4: staying alive// I woke up again, more aware of where I was. I tried to stand, but my legs were aching. I forced myself into a sitting position. Even my arms ached. I had been on and off sleeping for about a day, maybe more. When I opened the window to check if it was day or night, there were wooden panels obstructing my view. I finally got up, stretching my legs. My stomach rumbled, making me realize how hungry I was. I walked to the kitchen, and peeked in the circular window on the shiny door. All I have to say is: health hazard. Food was stacked everywhere, but most of it was bad. I saw what looked like yogurt, but was labeled ‘Sloppy Joes’. I walked in, and the stench was overpowering. I eyed some moldy cheese, and decided not to be picky. I dashed forward pulling out a piece of cheddar that had turned green. I turned around and saw meat in the open walk in freezer. I dry heaved, and then tried not to gag as I bolted towards the meat. Imbedded in the meat was a large knife. I pulled it out, but it felt like the sword in the stone. I bolted for the door, dry heaving again. I couldn't take it. I saw some baking flour and a lighter, and decided I might make johnny cakes or biscuits. I burst through the door, then collapsed to my knees. The main room didn’t smell. //Chapter 5: Pugnese gets off the trail// Pugnese glanced up from his case file, looking at the man directly. He didn't even flinch. Pugnese shifted uncomfortably, then looked at the next man. Finally he glanced at the last man, who was trembling. " All right, I'm going to have to ask for alibis for all of you,"One of the men passed over a reciept for the morning of the crime, another passed over a crushed coffee cup, and a reciept. The last man passed over a plastic butterfly and spoke, "All right, I did it. The glow, and my butterflies, what happened TO MY BUTTERFLIES?! The man leaped acroos the table, and started strangling one of his brothers. "Butterflies," he whispered, and he collapsed, spasming on the floor, just as Pugnese started to yell,   "Call an ambulance," five EMT's burst into action. They started settting up equipment, and one of the brothers shifted again, and his jaw had beads of sweat all over it, and he seemed to be trembling. One of the screens lit up.    "Wow," one of the EMT's said. "This one's been heavily drugged. His body is going into shock," Pugnese glanced at one of the reciepts and saw some minor purchases, nothing major, and the other one had the same. They both looked clean, or equally dirty.   Pugnese concluded the session, wondering if he would ever commit murder. // No, // He decided. // I'm too strong for that. //   //Chapter 6: He's innocent.//    Pugnese glanced at his watch. He knocked on te door a third time and he pressed his ear against the door. He heard a faint muffled cry, and then something crashed. He heard a loud grinding, and everything was quiet. Pugnese went against better judgement, and he burst through the door. He saw someone leap out the window, fleeing into the darkness. The back door was wide open, and the cloak of darkness was creeping in. Pugnese stepped out, rubbing his shoulder. He saw a wood chipper, and a drain. The grass itself was stained around the... wood chipper. Pugnese glanced in, and, sure enough, saw white bone glistening up at him. Pugnese flipped out the plack light, and saw it glow an orange, meaning it was covered in blood. // One suspect left, // Pugnese thought grimly. He ran to the cop car, and called in back up. //Day three:// //Chapter 7: fighting// I couldn't stay awake. Everything was blurry. I remember trying to cook something, but it exploded, flinging chunks off on to me. I dimly saw smoke and it looked beautiful. // Well this is it, // I thought happily...lazily. I sighed. I heard shouting, barely audible, and then I heard something grinding into motion. Pugnese knew he couldn't let this happen. The last brother was swinging a wrecking ball, and Pugnese would be too late. // Unless... // Pugnese thought, wondering. He switched the cop car into high gear, got put, and wedged his shotgun into the driver's seat, the long barrel wedging the gas down. Pugnese jumped out, hitting the dirt harder than he meant to, and breaking his belt buckle. "Jeff Jackson, you are under arrest for the manslaughter of Kim Burgess, the newborn Roger, and for the kidnapping of Kate Burgess!" // I hope three hours of stalking payed off, // Pugnese thought. His broken belt buckle didn't work anymore so his pants fell down. Pugnese wadled aqwardly towards the wrecking ball. The cop car flew from a high hill of gravel and hit chain of the wrecking ball as the wrecking ball swung towards where kate was being kept. He had almost perfect timing, and less then perfect accuracy. The wall collapsed in as the ball hit, and bounced back to the driver's seat of the wrecking ball. // Yes! Not more paperwork! // Pugnese thought. Then he waddled aqwardly towards the limp body of Kate. The girl was still breathing but only just. Pugnese pulled up his pants, and scooped her up in his arms. // Now I have to explain all this to the govener, // Pugnese thought.