Jordana

Jordana sat in the basement of the Pietro estate with her arms tightly around her legs. She was doing everything possible to keep herself calm. She heard some creaks above which startled her. She quickly moved to the stairway and looked up. She had the door blocked with a chair she had taken from the kitchen. She knew if that animal was back, that chair wasn't going to hold it back.

The creaks got closer and Jordana grabbed a knife she had left on the floor. She put a hand over her mouth and aimed her knife forward. Something tried to open the door and she almost gasped.

"It's locked," said a voice from the other side of the door.

"It shouldn't be," said another.

Jordana quickly dropped the knife and went up the stairs. She moved the chair and opened the door. She found Sheriff Lawrence and Ashner on the other side and instantly gave Sheriff Lawrence a hug. He was surprised by the gesture and could feel Jordana shaking as she embraced him tightly.

"I told you she was here," said Ashner.

Sheriff Lawrence put his hands on Jordana's arms and tried to pull her off. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Jordana pulled away and rubbed her hands over her eyes, pushing away her tears. "I'm fine," she managed to say.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she answered. "I was just caught off guard."

"Caught off guard by what?" asked Sheriff Lawrence.

Jordana suddenly got a bad feeling from the men in front of her. "By whatever attacked us last night?"

"Us?"

"Isabella and I. I'm assuming she was the one who sent you. Didn't she tell you what she saw?"

Ashner's fist tighten. He was about to say something when Sheriff Lawrence stopped him.

"What were you doing with Ms. Pietro last night?"

Jordana's demeanor calmed down as she glared at the sheriff. "That's something you should ask her... or him." she gestured at Ashner. "But I'm not at liberty to say."

Sheriff Lawrence looked at Ashner. "What is she talking about?"

Ashner glared at Jordana. "Mayor Isabella had hired Jordana for something personal, but I don't remember them scheduling a meeting last night."

"That's because it was a last minute thing. Nothing personal, Mr. Assistant."

"Don't mock me, woman."

"What's with the hostility?" said Jordana as she looked at the sheriff. "We were attacked by..." she hesitated. "By some sort of animal."

"You were attacked by an animal?" asked Sheriff Lawrence.

"Yes, didn't Isabella tell you. Why do you think I'm so shaken?"

"Are you hurt?"

"Just a few scratches. I'll live."

"What was your meeting about?" asked Ashner.

"Ask your boss. I'm not at liberty to say."

Ashner stomped his foot and walked away.

"What's his problem?" asked Jordana.

"Are you really not at liberty to say what your meeting was about?" asked Sheriff Lawrence.

"No. I can say I'm working for Mayor Isabella and my work is confidential. She might share it with Ashner, she seems to really trust him, but I'm," she emphasized the word I'm, "not at liberty to say anything else about it."

"What exactly happened last night?"

"We were attacked by an animal. A big one."

"What type of animal was it?"

"It kinda looked like a bear, but it was bigger and really fast. It was scary. I've never seen anything like it. What did Isabella tell you?"

"Did anything else happen before that?" asked Sheriff Lawrence, ignoring her question.

"What?" Then Jordana suddenly remembered something. "Wait, there was something else. I think someone might have broken into the house."

Sheriff Lawrence pulled out his notepad. "Is that so? Tell me more."

"I'll show you," said Jordana as she walked towards the stairs. Sheriff Lawrence followed as they walked past Ashner who stood by a doorway with his arms crossed.

"What are you doing?" asked Ashner.

"Just wait down here," said Sheriff Lawrence as he went upstairs with Jordana.

Jordana led the sheriff to the room with the broken window. "We heard a crash last night and I found this window broken. As you can see the glass is inside, so whatever broke it was from the outside." She walked to the windowsill and pointed at a piece of glass. "There's blood here. I think that person cut himself with the glass."

Sheriff Lawrence looked at the blood on the windowsill as he took notes. "This is very observant of you." He turned to her. "I never asked, what is it you do for work?"

Jordana didn't want to tell Sheriff Lawrence, but felt stuck. "I do multiple things. One being security."

"Were you working security for Mayor Isabella?"

"What's with the past tense?" asked Jordana. "I'm still employed by Mayor Isabella."

Sheriff Lawrence put his notepad in his back pocket. "Mayor Isabella got in a really bad car accident last night. She didn't make it."

Jordana's heart sank. Sheriff Lawrence spoke to her, but she couldn't hear him. He snapped his fingers and she looked up at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"You said Isabella passed away?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"A car accident?"

"Yes. Do you happen to know where she was going?"

"She was going to look for you," answered Jordana. "We were running away from the animal that attacked us. She took the car while I hid in the house."

"Why didn't you leave in the car with her?"

"The animal cut me off. I think it really wanted to kill me. I'm surprised I actually managed to get away."

"How did you get away?"

"I locked myself in one of the rooms. Then eventually in the basement. I've never been so scared in my life," she admitted.

"Come on," said Sheriff Lawrence. "I'm going to take you to the hospital." Sheriff Lawrence led Jordana downstairs where they found Ashner waiting. "I'm taking her to the hospital," he told Ashner.

"You're not going to arrest her?" said Ashner.

Sheriff Lawrence pulled away from Jordana and went to Ashner. "For what?" he snapped. "From what I can see, she is the victim here," he said in a low voice. "Go home, Ashner. I'll be in contact."

Sheriff Lawrence went back to Jordana and led her outside and to his car.

"Ashner wants you to arrest me?" she managed to ask.

"Ashner wants to blame someone for what happened last night, and you happen to be the last one to see Mayor Isabella alive," said Sheriff Lawrence as he opened the passenger's door for her.

"I didn't hurt Isabella," said Jordana before getting in the car.

"I know," said Sheriff Lawrence. "That is clear to me. Now watch out." He closed the door carefully then walked over to the other side and got in the driver's seat. "Don't worry about Ashner. He just lost the most important person in the world to him, so he's not thinking clearly. He'll get over his initial shock and know it wasn't your fault."

Jordana just nodded her head as Sheriff Lawrence drove her to the hospital.