Detective Frank Sturgeon kept the roller skates found that summer on Pier 48 in remembrance of a girl named Annie.
After the young woman’s disappearance, only her skates were found. No body. Annie, no last name, was never seen without her trademark red derby skates, which were almost as red as her hair. Tall and slender, her pale complexion stuck out amongst the tanned skaters and sunburnt tourists who frequented this tourist trap of a boardwalk. When he asked around, locals assumed she had a place to stay, but no one knew where. He had no luck finding any other personal information about her.
On more than one occasion, she was caught trying to steal a sandwich, drink, or snack from one of the shops. Some shopkeepers felt sorry for her and offered nearly expired sandwiches and the odd soda, for which she was grateful. They figured her zeal for their food meant she’d been on the streets for a while, though no one remembered seeing her until a few months ago. And just as quickly as she arrived, she was gone.
Annie found the old roller skates on a porch when she first arrived, and she was sure nobody would miss them. After all, if they meant something, why would they be left outside? Once she figured out how to put them on, the feeling they gave her reminded her of home as she weaved and dipped past the passersby on the beachside boardwalk. The warm summer breeze on her face felt amazing. Her peach tank top and floral Bermuda shorts (clothes that she also “found”) kept her comfortable against the heat of the August sun. She wanted to enjoy this freedom for as long as it would last.
Frank had found blood on the edge of the pier, where it was believed that she fell in. He already sent the sample to the lab for analysis.
While some speculated that she fell over, either by accident or deliberately, he knew he couldn’t rule out foul play. But it did seem unlikely. The chances of getting caught were too risky, even at night. People enjoying a stroll along the beach would have seen something, but no one came forward.
Besides, she was well-liked by the locals. Her smile was captivating, and she often hummed a tune as she skated. Her angelic voice would rise above the noise of the busy summer days. A few shop owners admitted that they had noticed that she had been sad lately, like something was troubling her.
But why couldn’t he find a body? The pier didn’t go that far out, so the body would have been washed back on the beach. He hoped that something, anything, would turn up in the bloodwork.
She sat looking out at the ocean. The summer heat was giving way to the fall and cooler nights. She didn’t mind. The prickles on her skin made her feel alive. Her time was running out. They were waiting for her to make her choice. She wished she had more time.
His phone rang. “Frank here.”
“Frank, it’s Sharon. I have the test results back on the bloodwork. You really need to see this.”
“Sure, on my way,” he replied. He looked around, unable to shake the feeling that he was being watched. His eyes wandered along the beach but found nothing.
Annie watched from the rocks on the other side. A hand gently touched her shoulder. “It’s time to go.”
She nodded, her tail slapping the water as she disappeared beneath the surface.
This story made me smile.