Seacrets

Chapter 3

Solène sat outside Sonia's emergency room as she gave her statements to Detective Rosemond.

Adrien elected to push his return to Pichon city back another day. Solène's father encouraged this decision. Even if he couldn't get everything under control in the store, having someone by his daughter's side was the correct decision.

The girls didn't fall asleep until morning. Sonia was held overnight for observation and Solène didn't leave her bedside at all. Their conversation went from health concerns to baking cookies to thank the cute neighbor for coming to her aid. Adrien simply sat in a chair by the window and watched. He could tell the ladies were scared out of their minds yet they spoke as if they were totally fine. It was cute.

Sonia is released sometime around noon. Though she has a head injury that needed sutures, it was noticed that she was healing very well and she would be okay outside of the hospital provided she comes back for a check-up at some point. Adrien is the first to go through the yellow tape even though the girls had come up the stairs before him. They took turns taking a shower as Adrien stood watch from the living room. The roomies then tried to put things back in place in their bedrooms first before moving on to other rooms. They were hoping to figure out what was taken but to no avail.

Solène could not shake this odd feeling.

-If you look for something at some point you have to find it, right?

-Right... responded Adrien.

-So why didn't they stop looking? They went through every room in the apartment! Why ...

Sonia was a little puzzled by her question.

-They were still going through our stuff when I got here.

-So they haven't found it then ...

Adrien's conclusion sent a cold shiver down the girls back... It meant they might return to find it. Solène broke the sudden silence.

-There is no way I'm sleeping here... I'm packing a bag. We can stay at a hotel for now...

-We don't even have a door per-say anymore, said Sonia staring at this wide-open space where the police tapes hang.

Adrien was inspecting the remnants of it barely hanging on to its hinges.

-I can fix that before I leave, he said. Make a to-go bag. I'll take you to the hotel then I'll come back to fix it. You'll have it back up sturdier than ever with brand new locks in the morning.

Adrien dropped them off at the hotel as agreed and went to buy what he needed. The roommates check in and Sonia calls Detective Rosemond to talk to him. He shows up about an hour later.

It isn't difficult to convince the detective of their conclusion. They share a coffee in the lobby as they go over their statements with him. Sonia definitely isn't the target. Detective Rosemond doesn't exactly have reassuring news for them either. No clues and no leads, no fingerprints, no CCTV no this no that. He has even more questions than answers. Nothing they own was taken, not even jewelry or their big fancy new TV.

Detective Rosemond approved of their choice not to go back before fixing the door. A wise decision he said. He stands up, right after finishing the bites and coffee he was sharing with them. Solène and Sonia walked him out. Two black vehicles pull up in front of them as they say their au-revoir.

Armed and masked men came pouring out. They run back into the hotel. The Detective screams at people to get away or take cover. Bullets whistled past their ears. Together they rush through an employees-only door in the shabby hotel's lobby. The young officer fires behind him, to deter the strange men. The girls make it through one more door and emerge in a parking lot. Solène crashes onto the side of a car in her rush. Adrien, unbeknownst to them had circled to find a parking spot. They climb into his beat-up orange Suzuki as more shots were heard. The inspector fire shots over and over again. He emerges from the exit following them but his steps give in.

-What is he doing?

-Get on detective!

His legs buckle and Solène screams.