Caught In The Crossfire

Chapter 5

After they got back at the station, the entire bullpen was buzzing frenetically, filled with the hum of phone calls, texts & emails & with a constantly-growing crowd of cops sorting through documents.

"We've found something, that's for sure," Max said, holding out the handbag.

"You alright, Max?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah." Max lied which David picked it up instantly.

"I don't want you to feel guilty over this. There was nothing you could've done. You didn't

know something like this was going to happen. None of us suspected it. The best thing you can do now is hope," he said.

The door to the conference room was open & one of the tech guys hurried in talking immediately.

"You have to see this," He stammered.

***

"Max, are you sure you can handle this?" said Alberto. Max glared at them with his hands fisted at his sides.

"Just play the tape."

They stared at him for a moment longer before he turned his direction back towards the screen in the conference room, pressing play with Max, Alberto & David standing off to the side.

The image of his parking garage filled the screen, the dark, almost green looking image frozen as the time stamp continued to count forward. They watched in tense silence; arms folded over their chests.

The time stamp read 6:53 AM when 2 dark figures came into the screen. They were both male. One of the men turned to the other. It seemed he was to talk to him & handing him something before looking around for a moment.

"Two attackers?" David said.

"It looks like it." Alberto nodded. Max's brow furrowed as there was no way to tell who they were.

They watched as Miranda struggled against her attacker for a moment, thrashing against him before she threw her head back, the back of her skull crashing into the man's nose. The other man stood up behind her & his hand quickly coming up to Miranda's neck. She seized for her moment before she went limp in her attacker's arms. He stuck his free hand in his pocket to digging out his keys. He turned & unlocked the car, popped the trunk open before grabbing Miranda's feet. The two then carried her over to the SUV, put her in the boot & closed it before one of the men got in the front seat of the car & the other man crawled into the back.

Alberto paused the tape & the room was still. Max felt his lungs burning & released the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"That's my compañera," he murmured. When everyone in the room looked at him, he laughed once, letting his head fall forward. "She's not going down without a fight."

Everyone in the room smiled briefly before they composed themselves.

"Max," Alberto said, trying to sound reassuring. Max leaned against the wall, as he was too nervous to sit down. "We'll find her."

***

Roberto came up to the precinct just before 1:30 that afternoon, the results from the blood test clenched in his hands. Everyone were sitting at their desks, trying to look calm but clicking furiously away at their computers. Max was sitting in his chair with his head in his hands, as one of the uniforms who pulled up a chair in front of him taking his statement of what he knew. He could only imagine how Max was feeling right now & he would undoubtedly be suspect.

Max would rather hurt himself than ever hurt Miranda. Roberto thought to himself. He took a breath before saying. "It's hers," he said, softly, trying to bite back the tears, "It's her blood."