The Voice

         A cell phone rang. Raven didn’t recognize the ringtone. She also saw no cell phone. The sound was coming from her recliner. She dug into the cracks and pulled out a bright green phone.
         It continued to ring.
         She dismissed the call and snooped through the phone. There were no contacts, no nothing.
         The phone began to ring again. On impulse, Raven answered it.
         “Who is this? Why do I have this phone?”
         “No talking. Only listen. We have what you’re looking for. If you want a safe return, you’ll follow these directions exactly,” said an automated voice.
         Raven was sitting in the recliner, not sure how she got there. She had no idea what was missing. Everything was where it was supposed to be.
         “First, give this phone to none. Same as you tell none. Go to the graveyard and look for Robbie Monroe’s grave. Find the new message. Be swift, be quick. Good-bye.”
         The voice reminded her of The Weakest Link.
         She sat there for a minute and tried to decide what to do. That’s when it hit her. She knew what was missing.
         “Charlie,” Raven screamed into the empty house.
         When silence was all that answered, like she knew it would, she ran out of the house.
         At the graveyard, she desperately looked for the stranger’s grave. She found Monroe’s grave at the very back. Taped to the death date (1983) was an index card.
         ‘Lincoln and 29th. Hurry.’ It was typed on the card in big letters.
         As she hurried off, the unknown cell began to ring again.
         “What?” she nearly screamed
         “Be quicker—but calmer. You don’t want to draw attention.”
         It was the same voice. Raven used to love that show, now not so much.
         “You’ve got me running every which way. Of course I’m gonna look like a chicken with its head chopped off.”
         “Don’t,” and then the voice was gone.
         Raven growled as she stuffed the phone in her pocket. She stopped running, took a deep breath, and hailed a cab.
         “Where to?” the man said without looking at her.
         “Lincoln and 29th. Quick.”
         She settled in the seat, wishing for a cigarette. It was a bad day to quit smoking.
         Lincoln and 29th was a dog spa aptly named Doggie Day Spa. Raven sighed, look her head, and walked inside. The lobby looked very rich and luxurious. Raven’s insides flip-flopped as she worried about what this place meant.
         “How may we help you?” the woman behind the desk asked with a confused look.
         Right then the phone rang again.
         “I’m here,” she answered as she held up a hand to the flight-attendant-looking woman.
         “I know. Give her the phone.”
         “But—“
         “Give her the phone.”
         Raven blinked a couple of times real fast as she handed the phone to the woman. She watched closely as the woman listened to the voice. Her face never changed.
         “I understand,” the woman said and handed the phone back.
         “What—" Raven started to say but the voice cut her off.
         “Follow her and say nothing.”
         The woman had already opened a door and took off down a hall. Raven quickly followed. The hallway had several doors on both sides; no windows. In between the doors the walls were brown. No pictures hung on the walls.
         At the end was a door and the woman was waiting by it. Raven quickly caught up. The woman opened the door but instead of going through it, she held it open for Raven.
         "We’ll be seeing you,” she said as Raven went through.
         The door closed and Raven was in the dog park she always took Charlie.
         Sitting next to the nearest park bench was Charlie. The Chihuahua looked none the worst except he shined. He was clean, groomed, and well exercised. He was happy and quiet when he was usually a pain.
         Raven had no idea who they were but her dog went to Doggie Day Spa and the voice never called again.