Zoey Fraser walked into the hall of the Hillsdale High School where she once went. Zoey went out into the hallway to escape from the stares of Riley Anderson who kept giving her dirty looks. Zoey backed into the wall and headed down towards the water fountain when she got back there stood Riley.
" Look who’s here," Riley chanted.
" Go away," Zoey said, " You’re not supposed to be here."
" I am here," Riley said, " Because I knew you would be."
" How thoughtful of you," Zoey said walking away.
Zoey push-passed Riley and Riley stopped her.
" Let go," Zoey said.
Riley wouldn’t let go. Riley tried pressing himself against Zoey. Zoey pushed him away as hard as she could. Riley went back and slammed into the wall. Riley fell on the ground with a grunt. Riley was grunting in pain. Zoey looked down on him.
" I hope that teaches you a lesson," Zoey said.
Riley looked up at her with a grunt. Little did they both know Abby Jones was watching in the distance.
The next morning Steve Sloan woke up to the phone ringing very loudly. Steve reached for the phone, but it fell to the ground. Steve bent down to pick it up.
" Sloan here, " Steve said sleepily, " I’m on it."
Steve got up and headed towards the Brentwood Motel where there was a murder reported earlier that morning. Steve headed up to room 718 where the body was found.
Steve went into the room and saw Amanda Bentley examining the body.
" What have you got? Steve asked
" Looks like a blow to the back of the head," Amanda said, " But I will know more when I do a complete autopsy."
Steve just shook his head and began looking around the room for clues. What caught his eye was the yearbook on the side of the bed. Steve looked though it and noticed something that might be considered looking into.
At home, Zoey had just learned from former classmate Abby Jones about Riley’s death. Zoey flashbacked to what happed in the hallway earlier. Zoey got a frightened look on her face.
" Zoey!" Abby called.
" Huh," Zoey said looking at Abby.
" Did you hear what I said?" Abby asked.
" I guess I had my mind elsewhere," Zoey said.
" What else in new, Zoey," Abby said, " You have been like that for years."
Zoey just shook her head in despair.
" Zoey you have to cheer up," Abby said, " It’s not like you killed him."
Zoey then looked over at Abby and sighed again. She knew that sooner or later she was going to be approached by the police.
At Community General Hospital later that afternoon, Steve was waiting for the autopsy report on Riley Anderson from Amanda.
" A blow to the back of the head was one of the things I discovered," Amanda said, " I also noticed that he was also poisoned."
" I see that," Steve said, " I have also a list of suspects."
Steve showed Amanda the yearbook and Amanda just shook her head. At that moment Jesse Travis showed up in the pathology lab.
" What have we got here?" Jesse asked.
" What do you think?" Amanda asked Jesse.
" I mean how did he die?" Jesse asked in reply.
" Looks like he was murdered, Jess, " Steve said, " and I have a book of possible suspects, especially her.
Steve, Amanda, and Jesse looked at a photo whose picture had a huge circle around it. It was Zoey’s.
At BBQ Bob’s that evening, Steve went on about what he found, what he didn’t and who he talked to.
" I didn’t find out much about Riley Anderson at the Brentwood Motel. He was visiting from San Diego for a high school reunion," Steve said, " So far I found out the Riley was one of Hillsdale High’s brightest students."
Mark Sloan, who was the chief of internal medicine at Community General and also Steve’s father, was looking through the yearbook.
" Who’s this?" Mark asked.
Steve looked at who his father was looking at.
" Zoey Fraser," Steve answered," So far I haven’t found her. I did talk to her parents though and they told me a few places where I could look for her. So far no luck."
The next morning, Steve went out again in his search for Ms. Zoey Fraser. Zoey seemed to be the type of person to ignore others. Steve went to Brairwood Park, a park not to far from the Brentwood Motel. Steve walked through the semi crowded park. He walked for a few minutes and then stopped. He looked and then thought he saw Zoey. The face looked up and then ran away. Steve ran too. He couldn’t catch up with her though. Steve knew that had to be Zoey Fraser.
Zoey stopped at the edge of the park and tried to catch her breath.
" What am I doing?" Zoey said to herself," I am running from a cop."
Zoey knew who Steve was because she saw him talking to her parents, however she knew running away was not the right thing.
Zoey stepped out of the park and headed off to work, still trying to figure out why she was running from Detective Sloan.
At the station hours later, Steve was going over the case, over and over again. He had a talk with Abby Jones who mentioned that Zoey and Riley used to go out. Steve told this to his father who just stopped by. Mark was also a Homicide consultant to the police department.
" Is that why she ran away?" Mark asked.
" Probably," Steve said," I also got from Abby that their break up was a horrible one. So far she has given me the slip."
" Where else are you going to look?" Mark asked.
" The Southfield Coffee Shop," Steve answered, " According to what I heard from her parents that is where she should be."
Steve and Mark headed towards the Southfield Coffee Shop that seemed to be going through rush hour. Steve went up to the counter.
" May I help you?" someone asked.
" Steve Sloan, homicide," Steve said, " Where can I find Zoey Fraser."
The person looked a bit puzzled.
" Frank!" the person called.
" What is it, Alison?" Frank said.
" There is a detective here looking for Zoey," Alison answered.
Frank Beniker came up to the counter.
" Who’s looking for Zoey?" Frank asked.
" I am, " Steve said, " Steve Sloan," Steve showed Frank his badge as he did with Alison who was helping another customer. Frank gestured to the far end.
" Zoey called in, " Frank said, " She never does that. She does good work here, has ever since high school. "
" Do you know where she could be?" Steve asked.
Frank shook his head; " I have no idea. Except maybe Briarwood Park."
" I’ve tried there," Steve said, " What do you know about her?"
" She’s quiet, keeps to herself mostly," Frank said, " Like I said she also does good work."
Steve shook his head again," Thanks," Steve said.
Frank shook his head and left the counter, but then looked back after Steve and his father left.
Later on that evening Zoey happened to go into BBQ Bobs to get something to eat after trying to avoid any kind of police contact. Zoey sat at that counter and Jesse came up to the counter. Zoey began looking through the menu.
" Welcome to BBQ Bob’s," Jesse said to Zoey.
Zoey removed the menu from her face.
" Hello, " Zoey said, " What do you recommend."
" BBQ Bob’s special ribs," Jesse told Zoey.
Zoey looked at the selection and made a face, " How hot is it?"
" Let’s just say you’ll ask for a ton of water," Jesse said.
" In that case," Zoey said," Just give me a burger. Plain and well done."
" Coming right up," Jesse said.
Amy looked around BBQ Bob’s while she was waiting for her meal.
A while later Zoey finished up and Jesse came back up to her.
" So? Jesse said looking at her.
" My compliments to the chef," Zoey said.
" Would you like to tell him that?" Jesse asked.
" I would love too," Zoey said, " But first I’ll pay."
Jesse let Zoey pay for her meal and then called out for Steve. Steve came out of the kitchen and stared at what he saw.
Zoey shot right up, " Oh, No."
" You," Steve said.
Zoey then ran out the door.
" Hey," Steve said, " Stop."
Steve ran after her. Zoey looked back and ran faster. Steve ran through the crowd but kept a close eye on Zoey. Zoey went through the crowd and zipped around the corner. Steve turned the corner also, but couldn’t see Zoey.
Zoey went home completely out of breath.
" I did it again," Zoey said to herself. Zoey let herself into the house and then plopped onto the couch. Zoey then went back to what happened between her and Riley. The past was beginning to catch up with her.
Back at BBQ Bobs, Steve was wondering why Zoey Fraser was running from him.
" Doesn’t she know that now I can arrest her for running off," Steve said.
" She certainly looked scared, Steve" Jesse said, " Maybe she is trying to tell you something."
" What she is telling me that she may have a lot to say," Steve said.
Mark and Amanda wondered the same thing, from the looks of it Zoey Fraser was one scared puppy.
" Looking over this yearbook," Mark said, " Many people could have a motive to kill Riley Anderson."
" I thought of that," Steve said, " I had a talk with Alison Dole at the coffee shop, she told me that Riley came into the building last week and bugged the hell out of Zoey."
" How did he bug her?" Amanda asked Steve.
" By recalling an incident that happened between them in high school," Steve said.
At that moment, Zoey happened to make her way back to BBQ Bob’s. The placed looked empty. Zoey opened the door and walked in.
Jesse happened to look back.
" Steve!" Jesse called.
" What is it, Jess?" Steve asked.
Jesse just pointed. Steve looked to see Zoey Fraser standing there with a frown on her face and her arms crossed. In her mind, Zoey was thinking about running again. Zoey though managed to avoid contact with Detective Steve Sloan. Steve just stared at her and then went back towards the counter. He came back with his handcuffs dangling from his hand. Zoey couldn’t help, but stare at them.
" Am I supposed to take that as a sign?" Zoey asked.
" Decided not to run anymore, I see," Steve said.
Zoey just shook her head and looked down and then back up at Steve.
" So what are you going to do with me?" Zoey asked.
Steve looked over at Zoey who now held her hands out. Steve walked closer to her and noticed the tears in her eyes. For a moment he almost forgot that he was about to read Zoey her rights.
It was late in the night, but Zoey sat in the Interrogation Room waiting. Zoey slopped down her head. She was very sleepy and Steve could see that looking at her. Steve walked into the Interrogation Room. Steve decided that questioning Zoey was a bad idea at this time. Zoey also managed to fall asleep. Steve just watched her sleep most of the night. When she woke up the next morning she just had a lot to say.
" I guess I don’t know why I did what I did," Zoey said, " Ever since I learned that Riley was murdered, I guess I have been lost and confused."
" What happened at that reunion?" Steve asked her.
Zoey sighed," I went out into the hallway to get some air," Zoey said," Riley followed me. He said some crude remark, and forced himself on me. I pushed him as hard as I could. He hit his head on the wall and he went down in pain. I then went back in got my stuff and left."
" What was the extent of your relationship with him?" Steve asked.
" He was my tutor," Zoey said, " I had trouble in Mathematics that year and Riley was assigned to help me. He was considered a mathematical genius. Plus I thought he was cute.
" I heard form Abby Jones that it was more then that," Steve said.
" She is wrong, detective Sloan," Zoey said, " She was the one who used to date Riley. I was just one of his victims. To add to it he wasn’t supposed to even be there."
" Victims?" Steve said.
" Yes, " Zoey said, " Riley Anderson was a rapist. If you don’t believe me, his police record will tell you different."
Steve was surprised by what Zoey said, but decided that it was worth looking into.
Steve found Riley Anderson own police record and saw that Zoey Fraser was right, Riley had a record a mile long. Steve also noticed that Zoey wasn’t the only one to have him arrested for rape, but Abby Jones and Alison Dole did too.
That afternoon, Zoey was out on bail, but had to stay within city limits. Zoey went to work, but Frank told her to go home. Zoey went back home and sat in silence, until the doorbell rang. Zoey got up to answer it.
" Who is it?" Zoey called.
" Zoey it’s me," someone said.
Zoey realized it was Abby. Zoey opened the door.
" You have to help me, Zoey, " Abby said, " Detective Sloan is looking for me."
" Why did you come here?" Zoey said.
" I was upstairs when the detective came over and talked to my mom. I sneaked out the fire escape," Abby said, " What I want to know is why you lied to the detective?"
" I didn’t lie to him," Zoey said.
" You told him that I went out with Riley," Abby said.
" Well you did," Zoey answered.
" Yeah, and I also decided that he didn’t deserve to live anymore," Abby said.
" What?" Zoey said, " You killed him."
" After your scuffle with him, " Abby said, " I poisoned him, put him in my car and placed him in his hotel room. Don’t tell me you were not happy to hear about his death. That is one less rapist in the world."
Zoey was shocked, but then noticed Abby’s look.
" Come on, " Abby said, " I saw everything that night. Riley tried to force himself on you and you pushed him, the bastard hit his head and went down and then you left."
" So," Zoey said.
" So!" Abby exclaimed, " I helped him up and into the room and that’s when I poisoned him. Boy you should have seen his look."
" As for you, Zoey," Abby said, " If you didn’t tell the detective about Riley and me, he would have never discovered."
" And I would have been in jail for a murder that we both know I didn’t commit," Zoey said.
Abby looked around the room and then pulled out a gun on Zoey.
" What are you doing?" Zoey said.
" If I can commit one murder and get away with it," Abby said, " Why not commit two."
Abby fired grazing Zoey is the arm; she went down in pain.
" Oh, you poor thing," Abby said.
Abby pointed the gun at a shaking Zoey. Zoey looked frightened. Abby began to pull the trigger when she heard..
" Drop it, " someone said.
Abby turned around to see Steve pointing his own gun at Abby. Abby stirred and dropped the gun. Mark leaned down on Zoey.
" I guess you can call yourself lucky," Abby said, " The good doctor and the cop is here."
Abby crossed her arms and looked down on Zoey.
" Steve call an ambulance," Mark said.
Steve did and also said, " Abby Jones you’re under arrest for the murder of Riley Anderson and the attempted murder of Zoey Fraser."
Another office came in the door and you could here an ambulance in the distance.
" Read her her rights and get her out of here," Steve said to the officer.
The officer led Abby out in handcuffs as Steve and Mark attended to a wounded Zoey.
At Community General the next day, Zoey was beginning to feel better.
Jesse walked in the door, " How’s the patient doing?" he asked.
Zoey looked at him," Okay I guess," Zoey said, " I can’t believe that Abby killed Riley."
" I guess you can’t believe that she also tried to kill you," Jesse added.
" Thanks to you, Dr. Sloan, and Detective Sloan, I am alive," Zoey said.
" You should be out of here in a couple of days," Jesse said.
" Thanks, Dr. Travis," Zoey said.
Jesse just shook his head and left the room as Steve came in. Steve smiled at bed ridden Zoey.
" How are you feeling?" Steve asked her.
" Okay," Zoey said, " I didn’t get to apologizing to you for what I did."
" You didn’t do much," Steve said, " I deal with people like that all the time."
Zoey looked surprised," Next time Detective Sloan, I will know better."
" No you won’t," Steve said, " You are free to call me Steve."
" Well, Steve," Zoey said extending her hand, " Thanks for helping to save my life."
Steve just smiled and shook her hand, " All in a day’s work."
Zoey just laughed and so did Steve. It seems that he just found a friend
in the Runaway Zoey.