Last Seen Alive

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Kelsey kept her arms around Michael, even though he wasn't returning her hug. Someone cleared their throat behind them and she drew back to see who it was.

"Sorry to interrupt, Kelsey, but we're heading back to the hospital if you'd like a ride. Your mum and Liam are there and I'm sure they'll want to check that you're okay once they hear what happened," one of the paramedics said.

She glanced back worriedly at Michael who was staring blankly in the direction the Coroner's van had gone.

"That's okay, I'll call them and let them know I'm okay. I might be needed here," she said. He nodded and waved before he and his partner drove off.

Now Kelsey and Michael were fairly alone, standing in the dark and the cool night wind was getting stronger. There was still a crowd gathered in the vicinity of the precinct, mostly people who were on their way home from work and had stopped to see what was causing the commotion at the station.

Kelsey turned worriedly back to Michael. Even though he wasn't very tall, she still had to tilt her head back a little to look at him properly.

He hadn't moved since she let go of him and from the blank expression still on his face, he might as well be a statue.

"Michael..." she called out to him. When he still didn't look at her, she stood on her toes and placed her hands on either side of his face, stroking it slowly and lightly. That finally got a reaction out of him and he looked at her. Something flashed in the distance at that moment, lightning maybe? It didn't last long but in that fleeting moment, she saw him a little clearer.

In this position, they were almost eye-to-eye and the raw grief in his eyes hit her with such intensity, she choked on a sob.

She pulled him into a hug again, letting her embrace comfort him in a way that no words could. This time, he hugged her back, holding on to her tight like she was his anchor as his world fell apart around him. He wasn't sobbing outwardly, but Kelsey could feel some dampness on her neck where his head was buried. She squeezed him tighter and he let out a long, sorrowful sigh.

"Chief?"

She almost cursed at the person who'd spoken when Michael stiffened in her arms. Instead of the words of profanity that were on the tip of her tongue, she spoke as politely as she could manage and said, "Can you give us a minute, Peters? We'll come and find you in the station."

Peters nodded and left them. The minute he was gone, Michael pulled away from Kelsey, brushing the tears away from his face. A look of grim determination replaced the helplessness she'd seen earlier.

"Daniel?" he asked her after a few more seconds of silence.

Kelsey nodded, not needing any further clarification of what he was asking. She wrapped her arms around herself as the cold wind hit her with full force now that they weren't wrapped around each other.

His grim look turned darker, sending a shiver down her spine and without another word, he stormed off towards his car.

Kelsey ran after him and blocked his path. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"To find Daniel," he said attempting to sidestep her.

She took a step in the same direction and he narrowed his eyes at her. "You're not in a good condition to drive, let alone confront him. You might do something you'll regret later. Besides, he's long gone, how will you find him?"

"I know someone who can."

Kelsey racked her brain as she stared into his angry eyes. "Who?"

Without saying anything, he stalked towards her, closing the distance between them with slow, intimidating steps. She stood her ground until he reached her, and to her surprise, cupped one side of her face and stroked her cheek slightly. Another flash came, closer this time, but she was too distracted by the contrast between his tender touch and menacing gaze to see if it really was lightning or something else.