This is from a chapter titled "Elmo Awakes."
Sleep fled. The muzzy warmth that had been cradling Elmo’s brain like a gentle child holding a baby bunny rabbit receded. In its place a new sensation began to emerge: the child had stuffed the bunny into a garbage disposal.
“And in other news, the Kylie Westerberg case still has police baffled.”
Elmo squeezed his eyes shut and willed the voice to be silent.
“The Bradenton, Florida 17-year-old went missing nearly two weeks ago, during a trip to Key West with friends and family. Witnesses say Kylie was arguing earlier that night with her boyfriend, Max Edlund, heir to the Novus fortune. And while police have questioned Edlund repeatedly, they have yet to announce any arrests.”
The insanely chirpy voice tried to attenuate itself down to a more somber affect, but largely failed. Years of training as a morning news anchor had left the woman with the emotional range of a kindergarten teacher on amphetamines.
His eyes glued shut, his skull showing the first signs of a vicious, pounding pain that had yet to fully reveal itself, Elmo silently prayed for death, or barring that, for the news feed to shut itself off.
His prayers went unanswered.
“Police spokesmen have told us they are also questioning Josh Renfro, another friend of Kylie’s who was seen with her the night of her disappearance.”
The boyfriend did it, Elmo thought, as he jammed a pillow over his head. The boyfriend always did it. Or else the other guy she was fucking. Or both of them. Mystery solved. Now shut up and let me go back to sleep.
“Police have executed a search warrant on the girl’s hotel room, but have not released their findings from that search.
“‘Ah, at this time we, ah, have no new information to give you. We would just request that if anyone can shed new light on this case that they would come forward. Otherwise, please just let us do our jobs so we can find Kylie and get her home.’”
I’ve got to figure out how to change the alarm settings on that damn thing, Elmo thought.
***
Tell me if you wanna hear more, and thanks as always for reading,
kjb
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