By George Woodruff

Part 6

Karen came racing into the room and screamed at the sight of the blood. Brian and Jessica came in and started screaming too. Susan rolled her eyes and bellowed at everyone. "Karen! Stop screaming, get the kids out of here and call Detective Henderson! Now!" The kids fled from the room at the sound of her voice and her sister snapped out of her hysteria. Karen went to her knee to wipe the blood away. Susan pushed her away with a growl. "I told you to call Henderson! Do it! Now!" she all but roared at her sister. Karen fled the room and Susan could hear her frantically dialling the number to the officer's cell phone. She lay back and listened to her sister weep into the phone that Susan was covered in blood and demanded to see the detective. Susan could hear Rita Henderson on the other end of the line trying to calm Karen down and getting the address from her. She could hear the aggravation in Henderson's voice, and in a purposeful and clear voice she called out for her sister to tell Rita to bring an evidence kit.

"An evidence kit?" Henderson asked. "Alright," she sighed, "anything else?" she asked Karen, and before Karen could relay the question, Susan responded.

"Yeah, I think we've had a home invasion here, this isn't my blood, someone laid their hands on me and I think I bloodied their nose with my knee. So bring whatever else you think you'll need." Karen had been struck dumb by the unsolicited answer and stood staring at the stairwell where Susan's voice came forcefully down to her. Henderson caught most of it.

"Got that, home invasion, a scuffle, okay be there in half an hour, collect as much of the blood in a clean tissue and seal it in a fresh baggie if you can. I'll be there shortly. Bye." Henderson hung up and dialled the boys at evidence before she realised that something didn't sound right. She shrugged and headed off to the parking lot.

"Karen, have you got any of those ziplock sandwich bags?" Susan called down, breaking Karen out of her shock. She nodded and went to the kitchen, banged her hand on the door to the drawer with the cordless phone she was carrying, dropping it. "And you should hang up the phone when you're done darling," Susan called as her sister cursed her stupidity. She got the sandwich bag and now angry due to her injury marched up to the Susan's room.

"Just what the hell is going on here!" she almost shrieked as she stomped into the room. Susan was wiping up the last of the blood from her knee and took the baggie from her. She deftly dropped it into the opening and sealed it and then held up her hand for a moment's silence, as Karen was about to reiterate her question.

"Listen, do you hear that?" Karen listened and heard her children crying.

"Ah shit!" she cried and fled to find her babies. Susan reclined on the bed and listened in a detached manner to her sister as she found her children and comforted them. Susan let her mind wander as she listened, finding her detachment curious and yet strangely comfortable.