A Wolf At The Door (Revised) Chapter One

This is the revision of the previous "Untitled Story Chapters One and Two" This is Chapter One. Thanks to Mel for the critiques and helpful grammar tips and things that should be changed...

She sat in her car, staring out the windshield.  Empty; that was all she felt, a deep emptiness that nothing could replace.  A tear ran down her cheek as she recalled the words that the detective told her. It’s been a month and there’s been no tips to help find your son.  We have to assume the worst.  Her hands gripped the steering wheel, making her knuckles numb.  

The moonlight shone down, illuminating the cliff that was in front of her.  Darkness lapped at the edge of the cliff, beckoning her, welcoming her into its arms.  Her heart ached.  It ached for the son that was missing, the son that was her life.  In her mind there was nothing left to live for.  

Releasing her grip from the steering wheel, she opened the door and stepped out.  The warm night breeze stirred, making her skirt gently sway back and forth.  The smell of the salt air was sour, yet sweet that left her slightly gasping for breath.  The image of the sun shining down on a sand castle that was standing tall, daring the tide to make its move, flashed in her mind.  A small whimper escaped her lips; she didn’t want to remember such a memory.

Slowly she walked towards the edge of the car, the crashing surf getting louder as it hit the rocks.  Tears began to stream down her cheeks, the balmy breeze making a cooling effect against the warm liquid.  A gust of wind blew up from  below, carrying the sounds of the gulls to her ears.  Laughing, she thought, they’re laughing.  Her foot found the edge and she stopped.  She looked down, the surf, illuminated by the moonlight, crashed angrily over the rocks.

She breathed in deep, taking the salty air into her lungs.  With arms spread, she let herself slowly fall.  She closed her eyes, feeling the rush of air swirling around her.  Her thoughts wandered to an image of a small boy, running with an orange bucket along the surf.  He plopped down next to the sand castle and looked up. Look mommy, he said with a  smile, Do you think a Princess would live in my castle?  “Yes,” she said softly before she hit the rocks below.

* * * * * * * * * * *

It was just before dawn when he found her.  Her head was crushed, he knew that much.  Walking over to her, he saw many cuts and bruises.  No doubt it was from the rocks. 

“My god, what the hell happened to you?” he said.

Turning, he jogged back towards the parking lot where his car was.  Opening the door he kicked the sand on his shoes before sitting inside.  He sighed and grabbed his cigarettes.  Pulling one out, he lit it and took a long drag.  He exhaled slowly, picking up his phone and dialed 9-1-1.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

John sat in his car, taking a deep drag off his cigarette.  He never thought in a million years he’d stumble across a body during his morning jog.  A man in a suit came up to him.  He was tall with short brown hair, neatly combed to the side.  He had black sunglasses on and a smirk that told you that he was surefooted.  His black loafers were speckled with brown sand.  

“Mr. Holdings? I’m Detective Brooks, are you doing okay?” he asked.

“With all due respect, how the hell would you feel if you found a woman’s body, mauled up by the rocks?” he said.

John took another drag from his cigarette. What kind of question was that? he thought.  Did he think it was just some ordinary thing, to find a woman in the surf?

“Mr. Holdings, there’s no reason to be defensive.  Can I ask you a few questions?”

“Sure, the cigarette smoke isn’t bothering you is it?” John asked.

“No sir,” Brooks said with a smile. “Can you start by telling me about your morning, for example, what you did up the time you found the woman’s body?”

John sucked in the sweet fumes from his cigarette and slowly exhaled.

“I woke up this morning, showered and ate breakfast.  After getting into my jogging clothes, I headed out to the beach.  I usually go about three miles before I’m done.  I’d been jogging for about a mile when I got to the rocks where the surf is really rough.  Sometimes, if I’m feeling a bit winded, I’ll stop there and rest.”

John took another slow drag from his cigarette before continuing.

“Today was one of those days where I stopped to rest.  I noticed something in the rocks.  To me it looked like a bag getting tossed around.  I went closer to look and it and I saw hair.  Brown hair.  A huge wave crashed over the place I’d been looking and that’s when I saw her face.  Bruised to hell, gashes along her forehead.”

John stopped and shivered.  A hard lump began to form in his throat and he slowly swallowed it back to keep from puking.  He dropped the cigarette butt onto the ground and put it out with his shoe.

“That’s all there is to my morning,” he said.

Detective Brooks looked at him and smiled. “Must have been rough finding her.  I’m sorry that you had to come across such a horrific scene.  Here’s my card.  If you think of anything else, please don’t hesitate to call me.”

John took his card.  “Sure thing,” he said.

Brooks turned and walked back towards the yellow crime scene tape.  John leaned back into his seat and looked at the business card.

“Call if I can think of anything else?” John said.  “What else is there to remember?”

He tossed the card onto the seat next to him and started his car.  He needed to get home and have himself a stiff drink.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Brooks watched John the Jogger drive out of the parking lot.  By now the coroners had the woman’s body out the surf and onto a gurney.  He walked over to them and pulled the sheet down revealing her face.  There was a long, gaping gash across her forehead, no doubt as a result of impact from the fall onto the rocks.  Her skin was an ashen grey and slightly puffy from being exposed to water for a long period of time. Her jaw seemed a little contorted making her mouth look like it was grinning. She must have been a beautiful woman before this, he thought.  

He glanced up at the cliff, not far from where her body was found and saw some of his people milling about searching, looking for clues as to why this woman would kill herself.   He covered her face and motioned for the medics to take her.

Author's Note

I know before that it was suggested "what about her car?" I'm thinking of touching on that when I start the next chapter. That way things are explained a little more.