What happened to Cherie?

Deborah paced the floor, while Stevie sat in the chair in the police department. Stevie was calm, he didn't know what was going on, he didn't know his sister was dead, he still believed she would come and get him. How did Cherie die, was Lou right was it, it was not just him being paranoid , She bit her nails and kept pacing, was she next or Lou.

"Deborah Stine?"

Deborah turned when her name was called, "I'm Deborah." It was an average size well built man in tan khakis and a polo shirt who stood in front of her.

He stretched his hand out the the woman standing in front of him, "I'm Detective Brady Williams, lets step in my office."

Deborah put her thin hand in his, "I'll be right back Stevie, stay there until I come back," she said looking back at Stevie who was sitting silently in the chair.

Stevie nodded as he swung his legs and held on tight to his teddy bear he had brought with him. It was the teddy bear that Cherie gave him for his fourth birthday.

Deborah followed Detective Williams into his private office, "When was the last time you saw your daughter?" He asked her.

"She left home weeks ago, she packed her things and left, I haven't seen her in months.

"Why didn't you call the police?" Detective Williams asked, "she ran away, she left and she is a minor, they would have brought her back home."

"It's not the first time she leaves and comes back, she was always causing trouble," Deborah sobbed covering her face with her hands, "you don't understand, she was doing drugs and drinking alcohol, I couldn't control her anymore, I was afraid for her and my son, what she might do, she came so far as to threaten me if I called the police."

"I see," Detective Williams said handing her a box of tissues and taking notes, "Ms Stein, your daughter was found in an ally with needle in her arm, the autopsy says she died from a drug overdose."

  ***

"What do you mean we have to leave? Right now? Where? With what money? That little shit Cherie stole the cash I had at home," Debbie said, she had just dropped Stevie off at school and came straight to Lou's office, now he was pacing in his office with a crazy look in his eyes.

"Shhh...keep your voice down," he locked the door and took Deborah by the shoulders, shaking her a little to hard to make her understand, "look just pack a bag and I will meet you in one hour at the empty parking lot on 5th."

"Wha..what what about Stevie, he is at school."

"We need to leave now Debbie, there no time, Diana isn't home right now, but she will be back," paced the office desperately.

"What's going on Lou?" Deborah watched as he swiped through his phone.

"Damn it Debbie, don't you understand, she'd trying to kill me and probably you too."

"Ok, I'll go get my things and meet you in an hour," Deborah said as she made her way to the door.

***

Stevie sat in the office after school, the secretary crouched down on the floor, honey, "we can't get ahold of you mom, we called her cellphone and she's not at work, is there anyone else we can call?"

Stevie shook his head no and sat quietly once again.

The police were not able to locate Deborah, they eventually had to called social services and made arrangements for Stevie.

***

Diana hummed and sat on the porch swing of her house peacefully drinking her tea, Lou hadn't been home in over a week, she knew he ran off with his lover Deborah, that was to bad cus she had been next on her list and the only reason she was torn about it was because of her son Steve. She had been tracking Lou and Deborah for weeks, even that poor girl Cherie, she didn't deserve the fate that she had met with at the end, she had hired a private detective and she had paid him very well to do her dirty work, if she couldn't do that what good was all that money she had.

"Hello," Diana said picking up the burner phone.

"I have the information you asked for, Mrs. Davis," the voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Tell me what you found ," Diana said.

"Lou and Deborah emptied out there bank accounts and disappeared, I don't have their location yet, and it does seem that they left the boy behind his name is Steve Stine, age eight, he is currently being held in the boys home that belongs to the state.

"Ok, thank you detective, I will take care of the rest," Diana said hanging up the phone.

Diana took a deep breath os fresh air and smiled to herself. Diana had made sure she had no paper trail, she had paid the detective thousands of dollars to keep this investigation to him self, he had all the dirt she needed on Lou. Diana had made sure not paper trails were left behind, she had had enough cash with her to pay the detective she had hired in cash and for all the other services she had acquired.

***

Diana walked out of the building with Steve's small hand in her own, It had been quick and easy, it had taken her no time to be able to take Steve home. He had no relatives that could or wanted to take responsibility of him.

"Did you know my mom?" Stevie asked her.

"You know sweetie I never had the privilege of meeting her in person, but did your mother ever tell you about your father?" Diana asked Stevie.

"Stevie shook his head, "My mom wouldn't tell us about our dad."

"Us?" Diana asked.

"Me and my sister Cherie, but my sister is an angel know," Stevie mumbled the last part, "Can I go see my sister," he pleaded with his eyes.

"We can and how about we got get some food after, how does a hamburger and shake"

Stevie sat in front of his sisters headstone, "this was her favorite color," he said as he lay two red roses in front of it.

***

"Stevie," Diana ran to him hugging him.

"Come on mom, I'm eighteen already, stop calling me Stevie," Steve blushed and hugged his mom back.

Diana laughed and straitened his tie and smoothed his graduation gown, "I don't think if I can ever stop doing that sweetie."

Steve shrugged and hugged his mom again, he loved her very much and was grateful that she had adopted him when he was nine years old. His own mother had abandoned him, but the woman standing in front of him had been a better mother than his birth mother had ever been. Steve remembered how awful his birth mother Deborah had been to him as well as his sister. He blamed his Deborah for his sisters Cherie's death. Once he got older he was curious about what his mom knew about Deborah, Diana had showed him the file she had Deborah and Lou, and how they had run out abandoning him.

"Have you finally decided?" Diana asked Steve pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Decided?" Steve asked.

Diana crossed her arms and frowned at him, "you weren't listening."

Steve smiled sheepishly, "sorry mom."

Diana pinched his cheeks affectionately and smiled, "I said your are literally minutes from graduating, I know you were having a hard time deciding what you were going to do after graduation."

"I thought a lot about it mom, I...I want to go into law enforcement, I want to be a detective," Steve wasn't sure how his mom would react.

"Oh baby, you can do whatever you want to do, I just want you to be happy," Diana said.

"Really, I thought you would be disappointed, I know you were inclined more towards the business aspect," Steve said.

Diana shook her head, "I don't think you could ever disappoint me sweetie.

Steve smiled, "Thanks mom, you're the best."

Diana winked at her son, "I sure am sweetheart."

Steve chuckled as she heard his moms giggles.