Can You See Me?

"I hate to be the one to say it," Joe said quietly to Olivia and Nick as they walked the few blocks down to the public library, "but I'm nervous."

"About what? There's really nothing to be nervous about," Olivia snorted and Nick shook his head at his brother's worries. Nick didn't plan on making too much of a problem, so there was nothing they could actually get in trouble for...unless asking tons of pointless questions could get you in trouble.

"Shut up you two," Joe scowled as he held open the door and the two filed into the almost dead library. Olivia and Nick headed towards the front desk where they saw Addie typing away on her computer. Joe casually strolled over to the book section by the door to Addie's office. Nick looked over at his older brother, a panicked expression on his face as he nodded and turned back to Addie.

"Hello," he said cheerily as he walked straight up to Addie, "I was wondering if I could get some help?"

"Well, you sure can," her voice sounded a little thin, and too high. She was definitely on the lookout for something, "what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you help me with the...the...Dewey Decimal System," he smiled at himself, proud of himself for thinking of something so quickly, "yeah..that's it."

"What about it?"

"I-I'm actually doing a report on it for school," the lies were coming more quickly now, something that would have normally bugged him, but now it didn't phase him, "so like the history of it and how it's used today."

"Sure," Addie sighed a little bit as she realized all the information she'd have to tell him. Olivia burst out laughing to herself when she saw Addie's pained expression.

"Good one, Nick," she beamed at him as she looked over at Joe and gave him the all clear signal to go in and copy the phone numbers down.

"Now," Addie stood up and lead Nick, and unwittingly Olivia over to a table at the opposite end of the main floor, "the system was first introduced by Dewey in...."

Joe saw the last of Nick's back disappear and wretched open the door to the study. He shut the door behind, taking care to secure the lock so no one would catch him snooping. He looked around the small room and saw the white board, looking like it had been hastily wiped, and books were scattered on the floor. He stepped over them and sat down in the chair.

He spotted the phone and pulled it towards and saw the phone number recall.

"Lucky," he smiled a bit to myself when he saw only about twelve numbers that had called from the last month for so. He jotted them down as quickly and neatly as he could. Joe put the phone back in the position he had found it in, and decided he had some more time to spare before Nick would get down his history lesson on the history of the Dewey Decimal System. His hand actually bumped the computer sitting on the desk, which caused the screen to flare to life. Curiosity got the better of him and he looked at the sites Addie had open. Surprise overtook him as he saw old and new articles regarding Olivia's death.

New Jersey Teenager Supposedly Slain

When Your Child Doesn't Come Home - Olivia's Story

Family's Heartbreak As Daughter's Remains Not Found

All These Years Later - Still No Answer

Joe's eyes began to sting a little bit as he realized the heartache Olivia's family must have gone through for so many years, never knowing, but always hoping, always having a faint flicker in their hearts that one day she'd return home. Solving her murder mattered more than ever to him now, because he could never not let the world know what happened to such a beautiful and promising girl who was murdered before her life had even really begun. Mudered unjustly because someone just decided they wanted to kill her. He closed his eyes and realized how he sad he was for her, for everyone, and wished he could stop this from ever happening again.

Joe closed all the windows on the screen and pulled open the writing program. He typed a quick but direct message - you'll never get away with what you've done. Even after all these years.

He sighed, grabbed his sheet of paper and stole back out of the room before anyone caught him. He pulled out his phone and quickly pulled up Nick's number to let him know it was time to go.

______

Nick nodded as intently as he could as Addie kept droning on about the Dewey Decimal System. It was probably more boring than anything he could have imagined. Suddenly, he heard his phone go off and interrupted Addie who hadn't seemed to notice.

"Well, thank you for all that information, I'm sure I'll do great on my report," he lied and almost sprinted out of the library, Olivia trailing quickly behind him.

"I've got the numbers," Joe smiled at the two, "there's only a few, so we should have the person soon enough."

Olivia noticed that Joe seemed a little sadder than before, "are you okay? Why are you upset?"

"It's...nothing," he smiled weakly and brushed the back of his hand across his eyes, "let's go and track some numbers."

"One step closer," Nick smiled at Olivia.

"One step closer," she agreed with a smile as big as Nicks'. Joe stared straight at the road and nodded slightly in accordance.