by Lois Kay
“I’ll run away,” Alice mumbled.
“I know,” Trishia responded.
“If you don’t want to tell us your last name, could you, please, at least tell us where you’re from?” Peter tried.
Alice shrugged, and her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her t-shirt. “I don’t know,” she answered.
“You don’t know?” Peter echoed. ” Alice, I —.”
“I told you I don’t know,” Alice screamed. “Now, why don’t you leave me the hell alone?”
Trishia and Peter exchanged glances. Things had become so much more complicated than they had ever expected them to be.
“Okay,” Trishia started. “I believe you when you say you don’t know, but Alice, do you have any idea why you don’t know? You seem like a smart girl, and I’m sure you’ll understand that Sergeant Jones and I really want to know more about that.” Trishia could still vividly recall the way they had found the girl, tucked away under a car, rolled up into a ball, her eyes squeezed shut, slowly rocking back and forth. She believed Alice might have experienced something very traumatic.
“I don’t know,” Alice whispered. “I…I don’t remember.”
Trishia shot Peter a look, and he gave her a small nod. He stood up to pour himself a cup of coffee, but when he came back, he didn’t return to his chair. Instead, he stood a few paces behind Alice, carefully observing the girl’s reaction.
Alice, who had been quietly sitting in her chair visibly stiffened. The fingers that had been twisting the hem of her shirt suddenly stilled and Trishia saw her nervously biting her lip.
She hated having to put the girl through this, but without having had the chance to talk to her partner, she knew they both suspected the same thing.
Peter stepped a little closer, careful to not enter the girl’s personal space.
“How come you don’t remember, Alice?” he asked.
As soon as she heard his voice behind her, Alice jumped up, knocked the chair over and stepped away from him. When she turned around to face him, her hands were clenched into fists, and her whole body was shaking.
Peter fought hard to control himself. Alice’s reaction had only added to his suspicion, and he mentally called himself a bastard for playing a trick on her, cursing the ones who had damaged the girl so severely.
“How many times do I have to tell you I don’t know?” Alice shouted, close to tears. “Leave me alone! Please, leave me alone.” With a sob, Alice sank to the floor, burying her face in her hands, while she fought hard to keep herself from breaking down completely. “Why don’t you understand? Why can’t you leave me alone? I’ve done nothing wrong. I just wanted to make sure the lady was okay.” Alice’s breathing hitched and she could feel the familiar darkness creeping up on her. Images flashed before her eyes, like shredded pictures. They tortured her mind with impressions she didn’t understand. They tumbled through her head and made her want to scream out loud, but the only sound she could utter was a high-pitched whimper, that cut through Trishia and Peter like a hot, sharp knife.
“Sweet Jesus,” Peter whispered, feeling the tears well up in his eyes. “Trishia, what on earth —?” He didn’t finish his sentence but impatiently wiped his eyes, feeling the need to run outside and break things. But he knew he had to control himself. This girl needed help.
Trishia bit her lip and fought the urge to kneel beside the girl to comfort her. That would probably only scare her more. Mentally, she quickly ticked off all her options, not liking any of them. How could they send a girl like that to a shelter that was overcrowded and where the girl could not find any peace? She would immediately run again, and the last thing Trishia wanted was Alice roaming the streets. From the corner of her eye, she saw their Inspector leave her office, and she decided to take a chance. With a few long strides, she walked to the door and motioned Inspector Wong over.
“What’s going on here?” Inspector Wong asked curiously, looking at the whimpering girl, who was still sitting on the floor.
In a hushed voice, Trishia told her what had happened and shot the Inspector a pleading, but determined look. “I know it’s against the rules, Inspector,” she started. “But look at her, we can’t hand her over to social like this. She’ll run before they can even blink their eyes.”
“Is there an alternative, Trishia? ” Inspector Wong asked calmly. “I know it’s tough, but we have no options.”
“But you know she’ll be out on the streets before the day is over.”
“I guess so,” Inspector Wong answered. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like what you’re about to suggest.”
“Probably not, but I have an idea,” Trishia said. She saw that Inspector Wong was about to comment and she quickly raised a hand, silencing the smaller woman. “Please, Inspector, hear me out, okay?”
“Okay. What’s your plan?”
Trishia sent the Inspector a smile. “Alright, this is what I have in mind —.”
*
After she had been thoroughly checked out by one of the emergency physicians and after one of the nurses had carefully cleaned her face, Joan McDonnell had been released from the hospital. She had to promise the nurse to take it easy for a few days and to make sure that, if she had recurrent headaches, to contact her family doctor immediately.
“It’s a good thing there are hospitals and physicians,” Joan had mumbled when she got inside Sam’s car. “But do they really have to make such a fuss over nothing?”
Sam bit her lip and shot an amused glance in the rearview mirror. She didn’t like hospitals either, having spent too much time there after having been in a car accident once.
“I’m just happy to know you have no serious injuries, Mom,” Jody said. “So, stop complaining,” she gently teased.
“Yes, Joan, she’s right,” Sam added with a smile. “Besides, now you have the chance to be spoiled for a few days. Better milk that out for all that it’s worth.”
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the two of you. But are you sure you want me and Fiona to stay until next week?”
“I’m sure about you, not about Fiona.” Sam chuckled. “The last time she stayed at our place, I had to drag her out of the pool in the middle of the night.”
Jody grinned, remembering how she had woken up around midnight, finding Sam missing from their bed. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she had gotten up in search of Sam, wondering what she was doing up. It had not taken her long to find the answer to her question. When she had entered the kitchen, Sam had stepped inside, dragging a bathing suit clad, dripping wet Fiona with her.
“Look what I found in the pool,” Sam had exclaimed, looking at her sister-in-law as if she was from another planet. ” I thought somebody was snooping around the house and when I went to check it out, your sweet little sister was star gazing from the water.”
“Hey! It’s a beautiful night out,” Fiona had argued with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “It’s not a crime to enjoy the Milky Way, is it?”
Joan smiled and slowly shook her head, full well knowing that her youngest daughter was a handful. “I’ll tell her to leave her bathing suit home,” she promised with a laugh.
“Oh, no,” Jody responded, turning around to look at her mother. “If you do that she’ll go skinny dipping and then Sam will wake me up in the middle of the night to fish my sister out of the pool. Believe me, Mom. She can bring her stuff.”
They all laughed, knowing that neither of them could stay angry at Fiona for very long.
Jody’s cell phone buzzed and she quickly retrieved it from her purse. “Hi, Trishia,” she said warmly. “Yes, we are on our way home, and Luce should be there soon to pick you up.” Jody frowned when she listened to Trishia. She glanced aside at Sam, her eyes holding a serious expression. “No, of course not. I’ll ask her. Hang on, Trish.” Jody held the cell phone away from her ear and looked at Sam, who was maneuvering the car through the Gold Coast traffic while trying to listen to her wife at the same time. “Trish asks
if she can bring a guest this evening.”
One of Sam’s eyebrows shot up, and she looked surprised. “Lucy didn’t mention that,” she said.
“Because she doesn’t know yet,” Jody answered dryly, making Sam chuckle.
“Um…well, yes…of course,” Sam said. “The more, the merrier. Is it anyone we know?”
Jody sucked in her bottom lip for a moment and shook her head. “Nope, we don’t.” She cast a look at Joan, who was watching her with an expectant smile. “But Mom does.”
*
Peter Jones was convinced that Trishia’s idea had potential, but he was still a bit wary of his partner’s initiative. It would be crossing the line between professionalism and personal life. Not with just a little step, but with a huge leap. They had informed Child Safety Services and had received permission to place Alice under the care of a responsible adult. A search through the database of missing children had not provided any hits, and the identity of Alice remained a mystery.
Peter raked his fingers through his unruly hair and impatiently drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to turn. He had known Trishia for a few years now, and during that time he had never questioned her actions, and he didn’t plan on starting. Trishia wasn’t only his partner, she had become one of his best friends, and Peter hoped that her unconventional plan would work out.
He steered his car through the afternoon traffic, gradually leaving the city madness behind him. He sighed in relief when he turned into the road that would lead him to his house, halfway up a hill. He was looking forward to seeing his wife and kids again. Dealing with Alice had shown him how much he had changed since he had become a father again. His patience and gentleness with the teen had surprised him. When interacting with her, he had not been able to clear his mind from the image of his two infant sons. He knew that most parents who had runaway kids, at one time had held their children, loved and treasured them. They had probably felt the same way he did whenever he looked at his offspring with pride and a heart full of love.
“Where did things go wrong for Alice?” Peter mumbled to himself, not knowing the answer. What he did know, however, was something he sometimes forgot when he dealt with runaways and homeless people. They had a story. And more often than not, their stories were full of loss and heartache.
Chapter 4
After parking her car in front of the police station, Lucy checked herself in the mirror and wrinkled her nose at her reflection. Her dark-green eyes contrasted nicely with her dark hair, but she realized she would look better if she didn’t have circles underneath her eyes.
“I need some serious sleep,” she muttered. She grabbed her satchel from the passenger’s seat and opened the door. “No, I take that back. I need a vacation. A long… lazy…. tropical vacation.” Lucy closed the car door, miraculously feeling better already. Maybe she could talk Trishia into taking a vacation. Heaven knew that she was long overdue for some extended time off. During the time Lucy had known Trishia, she had never taken a leave for longer than a couple of days. “Note to self: Nice, long shower, a glass of wine and vacation talk,” Lucy promised herself, looking forward to spending the evening at Jody’s and Sam’s place. She entered the building, wondering why Trishia was not downstairs waiting for her, something she usually did, and a heavy feeling settled in Lucy’s stomach.
“Please! No working late. Not again. And please, not today.”
Lucy waved to a couple of young constables she had met when they had given her a ticket for speeding a couple of weeks earlier. She had accepted the punishment with grace and humor and when they had run into her later, accompanied by Trishia, one of their most respected Senior Sergeants, their mouths had fallen open. Lucy smiled at them before climbing the stairs to the first floor. Everybody in the building knew who she was and she could walk undisturbed to Trishia’s office.
The door was open, and with a smile Lucy stepped inside, immediately spotting Trishia who was leaning against the window sill, sipping a cup of coffee, while staring outside. Lucy frowned. It didn’t seem like she was ready to go home yet and with difficulty, she swallowed down a sarcastic comment. She had to let Trishia explain first.
“Hey, stranger,” Lucy said. “Are you ready to go?”
Startled, Trishia looked up and glanced at the clock. “Whoa, that time already, huh?” She smiled, and Lucy appreciated the way her eyes raked up and down her body. “You look beautiful, as always.”
“Thank you.” Lucy stepped closer and tossed her satchel on a chair. “You, on the other hand, look tired,” she said.
“It was a long day,” Trishia answered, rubbing her eyes. “How is your mom?”
“She’s a bit shaken up, but you know my mom, she is a tough cookie,” Lucy said. “They checked her out and found nothing wrong with her head, so that’s good. Thank goodness.” She deliberately pushed away thoughts of what could have happened. She took the mug from Trishia’s hands and took a sip.
“Ugh, gross. How can you drink this stuff?” She made a face. “It’s way too bitter, and there’s no sugar in it.”
Trishia laughed. “Puts hair on your chest.”
“I certainly hope not,” Lucy chuckled. “So, are you ready to go?”
“Almost,” Trishia answered. “But I need to discuss something with you first.”
Lucy’s face fell, and numerous possible scenarios immediately crossed her mind. “You’re not working a double shift again, are you?” she muttered.
Trishia sighed, knowing that she had pulled more than her fair share of double shifts lately and she fully understood Lucy’s frustration about that. “No, no double shift,” she hurried to explain. “But there’s something…..unexpected, though. Um…did your mom tell you what happened this afternoon? “
Lucy moved a stack of files and sat down on the edge of the desk. “Yes, she did, and I can tell you it scared the wits out if me. People get killed in muggings every day, and today it could easily have been Mom.”
“Your mom was lucky, I guess,” Trishia agreed. “Did she tell you about the girl?”
“A little,” Lucy answered. She wondered what was onTrishia’s mind when she saw her nervously play with a pen. “What’s up, Trish? Because I can tell by looking at you, that something is going on.”
Trishia took a deep breath and her gaze traveled up to Lucy’s face. Even though they had known each other for close to a year now, she had no idea how Lucy would respond to what she was about to tell her. And that very thought troubled her. Trishia could only hope that Lucy would understand her enough to accept what she was about to do.
“Alright, this is the situation—,“ Trishia told Lucy what had happened during the afternoon, emphasizing the way Alice had responded to Peter’s presence. After Trishia had finished her story, there was a long silence.
Lucy stared at the worn-out carpet on the floor and tried to organize her thoughts. Her first reaction was a simple “No, way! You’re crazy”, but she swallowed the words, not wanting to hurt Trishia’s feelings. Finally, after a long time, she looked up to see Trishia’s worried eyes. She managed a weak smile and pushed back the hair that was falling across her forehead. “Are you sure that you and my mom are not related?”
Trishia chuckled and put her hands in the pockets of her slacks. “That would be a little…. awkward, don’t you think?”
“Yes, it would be,” Lucy muttered. “Trishia, listen. I… believe it or not, but I do understand why you want to do this. I do. I know how compassionate and kind you are. But have you thought about the consequences? Not just for yourself, but your job. You love your job. What if this backfires? And what about….us?” Lucy finished, her voice was hardly audible. “I’m no fool, Trish. We’ve both been so busy with everything but each other lately. What is this going to do to us?”
Trishia bit her lip and tried to calm her racing heart. The fact that Lucy had brought up their relationship had somehow surprised her. She had no idea she had been giving their relations
hip much thought lately. But Trishia knew her own feelings, and she was willing to work hard and fight to keep Lucy McDonnell in her life.
“I don’t deny there will be a lot of stress,” Trishia said. Her gaze met Lucy’s and the expression in her eyes was open and honest. “And I don’t know the ‘what ifs’ and ‘ how to’s either, but I do know one thing, Luce. For some reason, I cannot let this go. If I do, I’d never forget, or forgive myself. Especially not when, sometime in the future, I get a call to go to one of our many parks or beaches, to investigate another rape and murder of a young girl. “
“I… Your attitude is commendable, and I so admire you for it, but you can’t save them all, honey.” Lucy answered.
The term of endearment had been spontaneous, and it seemed Lucy hadn’t even realized she had said it, but Trishia felt a much welcome warmth settle in her chest, and a small smile spread across her face. “I know I can’t, ” she said. She grabbed Lucy’s hands. “But in this case, I need to try. “
“Why don’t you ask Jody and Sam for help?” Lucy suddenly asked.
“W… what? “
“Ask Jody and Sam for help. You don’t have to carry this burden by yourself, you know. Besides, where would she stay? “
“I was thinking…I thought…. well, at my place, until we find something more suitable.”
“Your place?” Lucy snorted. “With all due respect, Senior Sergeant, your ‘place’ as you call it, is just a little bit bigger than a folded-up newspaper, with curled edges. For a police person, you’re not very practical, love,” Lucy grinned.
There was an idea forming in her head, and every passing second, it seemed to get better and better. Trishia watched the expression on Lucy’s face and could not help but smile. What she had been afraid of, a rejection of her idea had not happened. Instead, Lucy was apparently coming up with a plan to help.
“You’re incredible, Lucy,” she said, which earned her a warm smile.
“No, I am not. I respect and… care for you, Trishia. A lot. If I can, I want to help you out. Besides, this girl saved my mother. Where is she anyway?”