Artist's Rendering Part 7

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Rebecca asked Josh repeatedly to tell her everything he knew as he drove her to the hospital. Unfortunately, he knew very little.
"I told you, I was on my way out and I saw her being loaded into an ambulance. A bunch of people were standing around watching. I asked one of them what happened, and they said she'd been attacked. That's when I went to find you."
Rebecca anxiously tapped her foot in the car, willing him to drive faster. She couldn't believe this was happening again. First Shelly, then Lisa. It just wasn't right.
"I'll just let you off here," he said as he pulled up to the main entrance. She jumped out and took off, barely hearing him add "I'll catch up with you in a minute."
"What room is Lisa Rhodes in?" she asked a woman at the information desk.
"Lisa Rhodes..." she typed into her computer. "I don't see her in here."
"They just brought her in."
"Hmmm..." she typed some more. "I still don't see her. Hang on." She turned and picked up the phone. Rebecca waited impatiently, tapping her fingers on the desk.
"Lisa Rhodes," the woman said. "There's someone here who wants to see her... Just a minute." She covered the phone with her hand and turned to Rebecca.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Rebecca McIntyre."
"Rebecca McIntyre," the woman repeated into the phone. "Okay... Yes, I'll tell her... Thank you." She hung up the phone.
"Ms. Rhodes is being examined now, but she will be moved to room 115 in a few minutes. She's been asking to speak to you."
"Thank you," Rebecca said as she rushed down the hall. She found the hallway with rooms 101 through 125 and made a beeline for the nurse's station.
"Is Lisa Rhodes alright?" she demanded from the nurse.
"You must be Rebecca." Rebecca nodded. "Lisa's been asking for you. They're not quite done with her yet."
"What happened to her?"
"I'm not entirely sure. They haven't told me anything yet. You can wait in her room if you'd like. She should be out in a minute."
Reluctantly, Rebecca found room 115 and flipped on the lights. She found a chair in a corner and sat. She would move the chair later, but for now she just wanted to stay out of the way.
"Where's Rebecca? I have to speak to Rebecca! Somebody call her! She needs to be warned," Lisa's voice carried through the door and soon she was brought in on a bed. Rebecca watched as the nurses switched her to the bed already in the room and the extra was taken away. Once the nurses had left, Lisa pulled her chair up next to Lisa and took her hand.
"Lisa, are you alright?" It was a pathetic question, but Rebecca didn't know what else to say.
"Rebecca, thank god you're here."
"What happened to you?"
"I was on my way home and I saw your door open. I'm so stupid. I should have just called the police, but I went inside and I saw him."
"Who?"
"He was putting one of those envelopes on your table. I tried to sneak away, but he saw me. He saw me and grabbed me." Lisa's eyes grew wide with the horror of the memory.
"Who grabbed you Lisa?"
"He dragged me into your bedroom. The bastard raped me Rebecca! He called me a nosy bitch and raped me!" Tear poured down her face.
"Who!" Rebecca begged.
"He covered my face with a pillow. Said I wasn't as beautiful as his angel and didn't want to look at me. Said I had to be taught a lesson."
"Lisa!" Rebecca was surprised at the volume of her own voice. Lisa stopped talking and looked at Rebecca. "Who was it? Who did this to you?"
"JOSH!" Lisa screamed and burst into a chorus of cries and sobs.
Rebecca wouldn't believe it. Lisa must have been mistaken. It just wasn't possible. She stood up slowly and walked away from the hysterical woman in front of her.
"You have to believe me Rebecca! You have to!" Lisa shrieked as Rebecca walked slowly out of the room. She found her way back to the nurse's station.
"Yes?" the nurse asked.
"Did they, um, find anything?"
"Actually, they did. Won't be long till we know exactly who did this."
"She says she knows who it was."
"This will be able to confirm her story."
Without saying a word, Rebecca returned to room 115 and sat in the chair. Lisa looked at her pleadingly, but Rebecca remained silent. She didn't know what to think.
"I'm so sorry Rebecca," Lisa squeaked.
Rebecca couldn't bring herself to say anything, so she merely took Lisa's hand and squeezed it gently.
As she sat in silence, she allowed herself to look more closely at Lisa. She was far less damaged than Shelly had been, but her face was still very bruised and battered. One eye was swollen shut and there were bruises on her neck.
"Lisa, did he... try to choke you?"
"Yes," Lisa mumbled. "He wanted me to be quiet. Said he'd kill me if I tried anything."
"Have you told anyone else what happened?"
"Detective Rothko asked me a bunch of questions. I told him everything I could remember."
Rebecca thought of the detective's hatred of Josh and wondered how elated he was now. She fell back in silence, but tried to give Lisa reassuring glances. She listened to the clock on the wall tick away the seconds. The seconds became minutes. Finally, after more than an hour, the detective strolled into the room confirming what Rebecca feared the most.
"We've got him," he said with a revolting smile.

Chapter Thirty

"What do you mean?" Rebecca asked.
"Arrested him myself. He won't be bothering anyone anymore."
"Detective, can I have a word with you? Privately?"
"Sure." He looked confused, but followed Rebecca out of the room. They found a waiting area and sat down.
"Josh couldn't have done this," Rebecca said sternly.
"I'm sorry Rebecca, but the evidence says otherwise. Ms. Rhodes said it was him and DNA evidence confirmed it. It was a perfect match to the sample we got from him."
"When did you do this?"
"Rebecca, don't be naive. He volunteered a sample when your other friend was attacked. The arrogant prick must have figured he'd never be careless enough to leave any evidence behind."
Rebecca was stunned.
"They found latex fragments, traces of spermicide, and seminal fluid on Ms. Rhodes. Clearly, he used a condom and it broke. Don't you see Rebecca? It all adds up."
She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't. Her heart wouldn't allow it. He was right, however. There was no arguing against evidence like that. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words never came. Instead she broke down into tears. Detective awkwardly patted her back. He helped her to her feet and escorted her back to the chair beside Lisa's bed.
"I'm so sorry Rebecca," Lisa said again.
"Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. How could I be so blind?" she sobbed.
"I'll be outside," Detective Rothko said as he walked out of the door. The two women ignored him.
"Listen," Lisa said. "They're going to let me go home tonight."
"What?"
"I'm really okay. Shaken, but okay. I want to go home and they said it would be alright. Why don't you come with me? You don't want to go back to your place tonight." Rebecca shook her head in agreement. How could she ever sleep in that bed again?
"I've got an extra bed. You can have it until you feel comfortable enough to go back home."
"Thank you," Rebecca muttered and Lisa smiled.
Soon, a nurse came in and checked Lisa over.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night? You've been through quite an ordeal," the nurse said with concern.
"I'll be fine. One night in a hospital isn't going to make me feel better about what happened."
"Well, you're clear to leave then. If you need anything, call this number," she handed Lisa a paper and circled a number on it.
"Thank you." She sat up and reached for the clothes on the end of her bed. Rebecca assumed they were the ones she wore when she was brought to the hospital. She helped Lisa into them and they left the room. Detective Rothko greeted them in front of the elevators and offered to take them home.
"Mr. Stevenson mentioned you would need a ride," he confided to Rebecca. The mention of Josh's name stabbed at her heart and she swallowed hard, desperately holding back the tears.
Detective Rothko escorted them to Lisa's apartment. Rebecca noticed the flurry of activity at hers.
"I'm going to need some things from in there," she told the detective.
"I'll get them for you," he answered. She was grateful and jotted down a short list for him, explaining where he would find each item. Then she followed Lisa into the other apartment.
Lisa showed Rebecca the room where she would be sleeping and told her to make herself at home. Then she went to kitchen and began cooking. Rebecca was shocked by Lisa's strength in such a time.
"It's nothing," Lisa answered after Rebecca pointed it out. "I'm just glad this whole thing is finally over. You have no idea how worried I've been about you."
Detective Rothko delivered the bag of items and Rebecca returned to the bedroom to change into her pajamas.
Lisa talked animatedly over dinner. Rebecca mostly listened. Her mind was consumed with Josh. How could she be so wrong about him?
"It feels like old times, doesn't it?" Lisa asked and Rebecca nodded solemnly.
After dinner, they sat on the couch and talked. Rebecca was torn. She wanted to be alone. However, Lisa needed her. She settled on allowing Lisa to talk as long as she wanted. It was her, after all, who had suffered. Even if she didn't act like it.
Finally, as the night dwindled on, Lisa suggested they go to bed and Rebecca gratefully obliged.
"Just call for me if you need anything," Lisa said as Rebecca settled into the strange bed.
"Thank you Lisa. For everything."
"Good night," she said and turned out the light.

Chapter Thirty-One

Rebecca felt wretched. She spent most of the morning pretending to be asleep. She just couldn't face the world and certainly didn't want to talk. Lisa had poked her head in to offer breakfast, but Rebecca had feigned sleep as best she could. What was wrong with her? She chastised herself. It should be her making Lisa breakfast. She should be the one caring for her friend. It was Lisa, after all, that had been attacked.
She just couldn't help it. Thoughts of Josh flooded her mind and filled her with a numbing chill. Detective Rothko was right, she had been blind and two of her friends had to suffer for it.
She tried to take solace in the knowledge that it was all over. Josh couldn't hurt them anymore. That only seemed to make the pain worse. Her eyes brimmed with tears whenever she thought of him behind bars. No matter how many times she told herself it was true, she just couldn't think of him as a criminal. Not her Josh.
"No," she told herself. "Not my Josh. Never my Josh." She said it firmly and let the cold truth of it fill her soul. Then collapsed in another fit of sobs.
"Rebecca?" Lisa cautiously poked her head in. "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay," Rebecca wiped the tears from her face and tried to collect herself. Lisa walked into the room and sat on the bed, wincing slightly.
"It's tough, I know. He meant a lot to you." She said this with such softness and warmth that Rebecca nearly broke down again.
"I'm so sorry Lisa. You're the one who should be in bed. I'm afraid I'm not being a very good friend."
"Don't you worry about me. This," she gestured at her bruises. "Will go away. You've had your heart broken. That's not something that can be shrugged away."
"How are you dealing with this so well? Shelly's a wreck. She..."
"She went through a much worse ordeal than I did. She'll never be the same again."
"Why was it so different with you? I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it."
"It's okay. Talking leads to healing. I don't mind. I've actually been wondering that myself. Obviously he was angry with Shelly. She interfered. He was furious and it showed in what he did to her."
"But you were always trying to keep us apart. And you saw him. You knew who he was and could have put him in jail."
"I'm sure he was probably angry with me. At first."
"What do you mean 'at first'?"
"Well..." She paused and looked carefully at Rebecca. "Are you sure you want to hear this?"
Rebecca wasn't but nodded anyway.
"Once we were in your bedroom and he had covered my face, he didn't seem as angry. He stopped hitting me and started calling me things like 'my angel'. I'm convinced he was thinking of you."
Rebecca swallowed hard. She felt like she was going to be sick. In her effort to remain calm, she began trembling.
"Oh Rebecca, I'm so sorry. I know this is hard for you." Lisa wrapped her arms around her and held her gently.
Lisa eventually talked Rebecca into having some lunch. She dragged herself out of the seclusion of the bedroom and dropped into a chair at Lisa's kitchen table. Lisa smiled as she flitted around the kitchen throwing things together into a pot. Soon the savory aroma of a stew filled the room. Rebecca's stomach gave her an angry reminder of how little she had eaten.
"This should perk you up a little. Best comfort food there is," Lisa said as she placed a bowl of stew in front of Rebecca.
"You really didn't have to go to so much trouble," she said and began eating.
"No trouble at all," she smiled.
The stew was delicious and warmed her soul. Lisa watched her eat with a satisfied expression, then offered to get her more when her bowl was emptied.
"Yes, thank you. You really are a great cook. Have I ever told you that?"
"Once or twice," Lisa grinned. "You used to eat here all the time. Practically lived in my kitchen."
The truth slapped Rebecca in the face all over again. She thought of why she hadn't eaten with Lisa in so long. Then she thought of all the meals she had shared with Josh instead. Her throat constricted and her stomach tied itself into a knot. The result of which was that she barely touched the second bowl of stew Lisa placed in front of her.
Rebecca retreated to the seclusion of the bedroom after excusing herself from the table. She knew she was being rude, but needed to be alone. Once the door closed behind her, she allowed herself to break down into tears once more. Not wanting to draw attention from Lisa, she buried her face in a pillow to drown out the sobs.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Later that afternoon, Rebecca heard voices coming from the living room. She strained to hear them wondering if it was the detective.
"She's not doing well. I'm sure you understand. I doubt she's up to seeing anyone right now," she heard Lisa say sternly.
"Why do you think I'm here?" came Shelly's irritated voice. "Let me talk to her."
"I really don't think that's a good idea," Lisa continued. Rebecca pulled herself out of bed and went to the door.
"Shelly?" she said softly and both women turned to look at her.
"Becca! I came as soon as I could. Can we talk?"
"Sure." Shelly limped into the room and Rebecca noticed she had to use a cane. It struck her anew the difference between Shelly's and Lisa's injuries. Lisa looked angry, but said nothing as she watched them retreat to the bedroom. Rebecca closed the door and hoped it didn't offend Lisa further.
Shelly sat on the bed slowly with her face screwed up into a grimace.
"You shouldn't have come. You should be in bed."
"That's what I've been told. I'm not one to follow orders though." She attempted a smile.
"They tell me it was Josh," she said with a frown.
Rebecca nodded.
"I just can't believe it. I've been in the same room with him since that night. Not once did I ever even consider him being the one who did this to me."
"It's true though."
"Lisa said she saw him?"
Rebecca nodded. "And they found his..." She couldn't finish the sentence.
"It just doesn't make sense. I've been with enough guys to know who is capable of what."
"It makes perfect sense." Rebecca heard herself say it even though she didn't believe it. Shelly looked intently at Rebecca for a moment.
"You don't believe he did it," she finally said softly.
"How can I not?"
"Because you know him. You know he's innocent. He was with you the night I was attacked."
"Not the whole day. He left. He was gone for about an hour and I didn't see him again until after you called me."
"Where did you see him?"
"Outside my apartment."
"When?"
"Right after I called the cops and told them you were in trouble."
"Not enough time." She shook her head.
"Whoever did this to me, they waited. They dialed the phone and waited to make sure I said what needed to be said. They left after I passed out."
Rebecca thought about what she said. Even if Josh drove, there was no way he could have left and gotten back to her apartment in time.
"But what about Lisa? They've got evidence."
Shelly shrugged.
"I don't know what to say about that. There's got to be an explanation. Look into your heart, Becca. You know as well as I do that he didn't do this."
Rebecca couldn't argue. Her heart had been waging war with her mind all day and she was exhausted. She didn't know what to think anymore.
"Becca, I know you love him. Don't give up on him yet," Shelly said softly and stood up to leave. A sudden thought came to Rebecca.
"Shelly, if he didn't do it... then there's someone else still out there."
"I know."
"Be careful." Shelly nodded and walked out of the room. Lisa entered a few minutes later and sat on the bed.
"What did she want?"
"To talk."
"About?"
"Josh. She's having a hard time believing it."
"She think I just made it all up?"
"No nothing like that. It's just a hard truth to accept." Lisa's face softened slightly.
"You don't think..."
"What?"
"You don't think there's someone else out there? Maybe the guy who attacked Shelly wasn't Josh?"
"Why would you say that?"
"Just something she told me."
"Tell me."
"She just told me when the guy left her house, and it's just not possible for Josh to get from there to my apartment in that amount of time."
"Shelly had suffered quite a beating. How can she be sure of what she saw?"
Rebecca didn't know what to say so she just shrugged. Lisa seemed satisfied and left the room to begin cooking dinner.
Rebecca got up and went to the restroom. She washed her tear-streaked face and gave herself a long look in the mirror. Shelly was right. It just didn't add up. It was like working on a puzzle and finding pieces of another puzzle mixed in. Trying to work it all out was giving her a headache. She looked in the medicine cabinet and found Lisa's aspirin.
As she walked back to the bedroom, a strange light caught her eye. The second bedroom's door was cracked. The dancing light was coming from inside. Curious, Rebecca walked to the door and pulled it open. She was filled with a terrifying horror before a heavy blunt object struck her in the back of the head and everything went black.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Rebecca blinked her eyes and winced at the throbbing pain in her head. Slowly her surroundings started to come into focus. It was like being trapped in a nightmare. She was lying on a bed with satin sheets. Her clothes had been replaced with a terrifyingly familiar blue lacy nightgown. Her hands and feet were bound with satin ribbon.
Her eyes circled the room as the horror filled her. Every inch of the room was plastered with pictures of her. Some were photographs, some sketches. Photos littered the floor so that the carpet was completely covered.
Rebecca trembled as she saw the cluster of screens on the dresser to her left. Each one showed a live image of her apartment. One screen showed her living room. One showed her kitchen. One showed her bedroom. The fourth remained black.
Rebecca closed her eyes as she turned her head to the source of the dancing light. She dreaded what she would find. Slowly she opened them.
A large television sat atop a dresser facing the bed. On the screen, Rebecca was horrified to see herself. She was in the shower. It was a live-action version of the picture she had received. Despite her best efforts to block it out, the moans carried over the roar of the shower and she was forced to listen to herself. She tasted bile.
For what felt like hours, Rebecca was forced to endure this. She tried to find other things to look at, but everywhere she turned she saw new angles of the nightmare she had been placed in. The video ended and Rebecca was repulsed anew as she saw it loop back to the beginning.
In a far corner of the room, an easel stood holding a single sheet of paper. The hand-drawn picture was one she had not seen before. Instead of the faceless shadow, Josh was clearly seen. He was in Rebecca's bedroom, on her bed, on her. She remembered this scene clearly. The only difference was in Rebecca's face. Instead of the blissful ecstasy, her face was contorted into a mixture of pain and horror. It gave Rebecca chills to look at it.
"Ah, you're awake," a cheerful voice spoke as Lisa slipped into the room with a smile on her face. She carefully closed the door behind her and slid the lock into place.
"Lisa... wh-..." Rebecca couldn't find the words.
"I never planned on you seeing this so soon," Lisa sighed, but the smile never left her face. "I had it all planned out how I would surprise you. Oh well. Like I always say, what's meant to be will be." She sauntered over to the bed and sat down beside Rebecca. "I've always known we were meant to be," she said softly stroking Rebecca's hair.
"What?" Rebecca finally managed to sputter.
"I've loved you since the day you moved in. I know you care for me too. We belong together, Rebecca. You and me. We were so happy for awhile too. Then that man had to go and ruin things." The smile vanished from her face as she glared into thin air. "The only time you paid me any attention was through my work."
Lisa picked up a nearby sketch and stroked the image of Rebecca lovingly. Her face softened again.
"You once told me you like my work. Do you remember?"
Rebecca was speechless.
"I remember like it was yesterday. I knew I had to do more, and I did. I did it all for you Rebecca."
"But..."
"That man kept getting in the way, though. He toyed with your mind. Confused you. Took you away from me."
"No. Josh..."
"But that's the past and now I have you back again," Lisa leaned down and kissed Rebecca hard. Rebecca struggled against her bonds and tried to squirm away from Lisa.
"See what he's done? My dear, sweet Rebecca. He's ruined you. Defiled you. I have to fix what he's done. Only I can bring you back," Lisa climbed on top of her and kissed her again.
Rebecca fought and finally managed to pull her hands free. She shoved with every ounce of strength she could muster, and Lisa fell to the floor. Quickly she freed her legs and raced for the door. Without the key, she couldn't open it. She ran to the window and threw the curtains back. She pulled with all her might on the window, but it wouldn't budge.
In a last desperate attempt, she pounded frantically on the window and screamed for someone to help her. A soft voice, too soft, made her turn.
"There's no way out, Rebecca," Lisa stood with a large knife in her hands. "You see, I knew how much Josh had done to you. I knew he had turned you against me. I knew."
"Lisa please," Rebecca begged.
"You have to stay here with me. I have to bring you back to me." A tear twinkled in her right eye, but her voice remained calm. She gestured at the bed with the knife. Not seeing any other option, Rebecca obeyed.
Lisa retied Rebecca's bonds, tighter than before. Then sat down beside her and took a deep breath.
"That man," she began. "He's a horrible person. I tried to make you see that. I tried so hard." She let her fingers run along Rebecca's body as she spoke. Rebecca tried to ignore it, but couldn't stop the goosebumps from rising. It only encouraged Lisa. She leaned over and kissed Rebecca once again, softer this time. Then began moving her lips down Rebecca's body.
"Keep her talking," Rebecca thought to herself. "Just keep her talking."
"But Shelly, you couldn't have done that to Shelly," Rebecca said with a shaky voice. Lisa sat up, but kept tracing circles on Rebecca's body with her fingers.
"Shelly," her eyes softened. "So unfortunate she had to get involved."
"But how?"
"Rothko was positively giddy when I gave him that little job to do. Played his part rather well, wouldn't you say?"
"Detective Rothko?"
"He's really a rather worthless cop, but has proven quite useful these last couple of weeks. He didn't like being blackmailed. He's not one to do as he's told. Of course, he was much more willing to help out after that little task I gave him." She paused and thought about it for a moment before adding, "Disgusting wretch of a man. Of course, they're all the same."
She lowered her lips back down to Rebecca's body. Rebecca squeezed her eyes shut, her heart pounding. Lisa rested the knife on her stomach never taking her hand off of it.
"But you..." Rebecca whined. "They found..."
Lisa sat up again, looking repulsed. Rebecca hoped she hadn't said the wrong thing.
"Not one of my finer moments... digging through the garbage. Took forever to get the smell off. But I found what I needed. Rothko helped me with the rest, the bastard. Only too happy to help." Her eyes found Rebecca's and had pleaded with her to understand.
"Oh it was horrible Rebecca. Disgusting. I... I don't think I'll ever be the same. But I did it for you. Don't you see? All for you. I had to make you see." She stood up and walked over to the easel. She touched the image of Rebecca's terrified face.
"He was hurting you," she said softly as a tear fell down her face. "I couldn't let him hurt you anymore."
For a brief moment, as the tear fell, Rebecca felt pity for Lisa.
The moment of silence was shattered by a loud bang.

Chapter Thirty-Four

"I'm in here!" Rebecca screamed at the top of her lungs. "Somebody! Help me!"
Lisa looked shocked at both the banging on the door and at Rebecca's sudden outburst. Quickly she collected herself and jumped on the bed, gathering Rebecca into her arms and pressing the blade against Rebecca's throat.
The door burst open and a short stout man stood holding a sledgehammer in his hands and dripping with sweat.
"Ms. McIntyre, are you alright?" Antonio panted.
"She's fine. Now get out of my home," Lisa said sternly.
The silence hung on the air like a thick fog. Rebecca pleaded with Antonio with her eyes, the knife pressed even harder against her throat, cutting it slightly. Antonio looked at Rebecca, then at Lisa, then at the knife. He looked unsure of what to do next.
"Tell him, Rebecca. Tell him you're fine."
"I'm..." Rebecca began, but couldn't finish.
"Tell him you want to be here with me. Tell him to leave." Her voice shook slightly.
"I called the police. They're on the way now. Just put down the knife," Antonio said in a failed attempt at a calm in-control tone.
"Nobody's forcing her to stay. She wants to be with me. Don't you Rebecca?" She looked into Rebecca's face, saw the terror, saw the tears.
"Rebecca?" Her voice broke. "You do want to be with me, don't you?"
In the moment the knife slipped from Lisa's hand, Antonio grabbed for Rebecca and pulled her out of Lisa's grip.
"Let her go!" Lisa demanded grabbing the knife.
"Lisa, please stop. You need help," Rebecca cried.
"Rebecca," Lisa said weakly, tears beginning to fall. "I thought you loved me."
"Just put the knife down. We'll get you the help you need."
"Tell me you love me. Please."
Rebecca couldn't bring herself to say it. In her moment of hesitation, Lisa screamed. Before either of them could stop her, she dragged the blade across her throat and collapsed on the bed.
"Oh my god, Lisa!" Rebecca shrieked as she rushed over to her. She frantically tried to stop the torrent of blood and pleaded with Antonio to help her. He stood motionless in shock watching.
A thunder of footsteps and voices echoed in the hall and soon people were flooding the small room. One officer joined Rebecca's effort to help Lisa and expertly found the artery and pinched it off. He yelled for help and quickly a pair of paramedics rushed in and helped with Lisa.
In the blur of chaos, Rebecca started to feel dizzy. Soaked in blood, barely clothed, she stumbled from the room. Someone draped a blanket over her and led her to a couch.
"Ms. McIntyre, are you alright?" a calm female voice asked her. She nodded, paused, then shook her head and broke down into tears. The female cop sitting beside her rubbed Rebecca's shoulders and waited for her to calm down.
"Ms. McIntyre, I'm Lieutenant Hopkins. Can you tell me what happened here?"
"Is Lisa going to be alright?" Rebecca hiccuped.
"They're working on her now. She'll live."
"What will happen to her?"
"Until we know what happened, I can't answer that."
"It was her, the whole time, she was the artist." The truth of the statement cut into her like a hot knife.
"What artist?"
"Someone was drawing pictures," she hiccuped again. "Of me."
"Pictures?"
Rebecca didn't want to have to explain so she simply nodded.
"It was Lisa. She was..." Rebecca couldn't finished and broke down into sobs again.
"Lieutenant, you should come see this," one of the officers called as the paramedics rolled Lisa out on a stretcher.
"Excuse me a moment," the lieutenant said softly and stood up.
Rebecca watched as the lieutenant walked into Lisa's bedroom and the officer showed her a stack of pictures. Then he pointed at the dresser.
"Turn that off, what's wrong with you people?" the lieutenant ordered and the dancing light on the walls vanished. The lieutenant sifted through a drawer of the dresser with a frown.
"Looks like she recorded everything," one of the other officers remarked.
"Play this one," Lieutenant Hopkins demanded holding up a tape.
"Detective Rothko? Isn't he..."
"Just play it."
Soon, the dancing light reappeared and they all watched. A few minutes later, Lieutenant Hopkins turned off the television again.
"I want Rothko placed under arrest and I want it now. Go!" she barked and two officers quickly left the room. "Pack all of this up. It's going to take forever to go through it, but it'll have to be done."
She stepped out of the room and walked back over to Rebecca.
"Ma'am, we're going to need you to come with us so we can sort this out." It was a statement, not a question. Rebecca nodded.
"My clothes?"
"We'll find you something."