Most Wanted CH-3

[b]Meeting 3: Never dare a criminal![/b]

“Are you ok?” Miranda asked.

“Yeah, fine. Why do you ask?” Alexis asked , though she knew the answer very well.

“The afternoon incident. Did the guy really hurt you? I could see your eyes watering.” Miranda said concerned.

“I am fine. And he just held me wrist,  not twisted it or anything!” Alexis replied, clearly not fine.

“Whatever you say. Anyway, we are meeting tomorrow in library again, aren’t we?” Miranda’s sounded immediately perked up.

“Hmm...sure!”

Saying a good night Miranda hung up the phone leaving Alexis lost in thoughts. She got up from her bed and went up to mirror. She looked at her arms, they looked fine now. No redness or pain but she could feel a weird sensation through them. Her fingers brushed them lightly and she remembered how he had held them tightly as if he meant to crush them between his fingers. She remembered the look in his eyes in the moonlit light. There was something eerie yet drawing about the guy.

Sighing tiredly Alexis went to her bed and buried her head in her pillow. And without even realising she drifted to sleep.

--------

The phone rang and Alexis jerked up from her bed.

“Miranda!” Alexis muttered in sleepy tone.

“Go see the news. NOW!” She said , both excited and worried.

Only Miranda can manage multi emotions like that.

Alexis jumped from her bed and switched on the TV. Her mouth dropped open as she saw one of the pictures on the news channel. It was her bracelet, her silver bracelet her grandmother gave her when she was on her death bed. Her eyes immediately reached down to her wrist and she was shocked to see it missing. Can this really happen? Was the bracelet found on crime scene really belonged to her? How? She was sweating now, and her hands trembled as she heard what the newsman said .

“The robbery was well planned. We have no fingerprints or any other marks except the skilled murder of the watchman of the jewellery store. The other jewels are safe ,only the diamond that belonged to the ancient family here was stolen from the store. What was thief’s motive? The expertise with which the theft and murder is done it is clear that the dreaded criminal is in our town. And we have a good news on that account, our criminal has dropped an artefact of hers. We know that she is a girl since we found a silver bracelet on crime scene. And we also found the signature Reebok marks.”

Alexis was breathing heavily when her mother opened the door of her room.

“Up already! Good. Come help me with breakfast. Dad went to work early, there was a major theft yesterday.” Her mother said, not aware how afraid her daughter was right now.

Alexis just nodded, not capable of muttering a word right now.

She was about to call Miranda when her cell phone rang. Unknown number flashed on screen and a fear grasped Alexis. After a moment of hesitation she decided to pick up the phone and the voice on the other line sent a chill down her spine.

“Saw the news?” He asked.

“I-I...What do you mean?” She asked , not making any sense.

“Police found your bracelet on the crime scene, didn’t they? You don’t seem like a thief to me, but it seems looks can be deceiving.” His voice dripping with danger and mockery.

“You did that? Why?” Alexis asked , her voice trembling in a embarrassing way, remembering the time he had held her wrist and the most probable time he might have got her bracelet.

“I? You dear. You did that. Now everyone has evidence too. You said your father was a sheriff, I can’t do anything to you. So now you are the thief , he will not bend laws for his own daughter.”

“Please-Please! That bracelet belongs to my grandmother. Please give it back to me. What have I done to you. Please, I am begging. I’ll do anything , anything to amend my mistakes.” Alexis was almost crying now.

“Don’t be such a whiner baby. It was just a little warning to your senseless threat last night. You were too close to me and it was not a hard science to get your bracelet. Just to tell you, I can do anything. I know your number, don’t I? I can come to your place too. Don’t you love your family, Alexis?” He said, sounding deathly dangerous.

“H-how do you know my name? A-And..”Alexis was stammering as tears streamed down her eyes.

“I have my methods.”

“I am sorry. Just don’t hurt my family for my mistakes. I told you I am ready to do anything to make amends. And I know you don’t understand the value of that bracelet but it is important to me. It’s my grandmother’s last memory.” She said without even realising the reason why she apologised.

“You will do anything to get the bracelet, right?” He asked, now his voice sounding amused.

“Y-Yes!” Alexis voice trembled with fear and pain.

“Fine! Then , you have got yourself a bad deal, but I agree. Meet me up in graveyard, I will give you what you want.”

And the boy hung up.

Alexis wanted to yell right now. For the first time in her life, she was really hopeless and angry. Because she realised that her luck was more than bad, it was fatal. When the most wanted criminal came to Derksworth, she was the one dare him. How come she was always able to mess up everything so badly?