Artemis: Its a Family Thing

The Detective and The Police Car.

Sirens could be heard in the distance. This could have been for any reason, Artemis escaping, Nezerith shooting the gun, or something entirely different. Delvin looked out through the window, and when he opened it slightly, it was even louder. This meant that the police cars were heading towards the house.

"You two should probably go..." Delvin said, thinking he would regret it when Colton said something about what he had just said. Instead of giving the reaction they expected, Colton nodded in agreement.
"The kid's right, guys. Go. Hurry up, I'll get the door." Colton said, shooing them away while standing up to get the door. That was the most unusual way Artemis had ever heard him speak.

Nezerith led Artemis to a good area to leave the house through which wasn't the front door; the back door. The back door wasn't touched very often, and on the outside was blocked by overgrown weeds. Nezerith pushed the weeds to a side, and tried to walk through. The weeds didn't cooperate. They ended up swinging back to where they were, pushing him on the floor.

"Nezerith..." Artemis said slowly. Nezerith was laying on the floor, not moving very much. You could almost say he wasn't moving at all. Artemis kicked him, to make sure he was alive. He grunted. Artemis stepped over him, struggling to crawl through the weeds. She had abandoned Nezerith, by leaving him against the back door.

Artemis was alone again. She didn't know where to go or what to do. She needed help.

Colton greeted the Detective at the door.
"Mr Skrugrel, I'm sure you are aware of your daughters disappearance. I am Detective Ben Sryger, put in charge of finding her." Detective Sryger informed him. Colton welcomed him in, introduced Delvin and took him into his Miniature Library. He forgot about the mess his children made, and the detective looked at the bookshelf that was beyond-repair.
"What on earth has happened to your bookshelf?" He asked.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm trying to find out too." Colton replied, truthfully.

Colton led him into his real office, which was just a room with a few chairs and a desk.
"When was the last time you saw your daughter?" Asked Sryger. Colton sighed.
"In autumn, just before start of term. I didn't go to the weekend reunion that happens a couple of times a year. I couldn't leave the business you see-" He eventually replied.
"So you chose business over family?" Sryger asked.
"It sounds bad when you put it that way, but that's not the case-" Colton said interrupted.
"You have time for Improvement, Mr Skrugrel, but right now, we have to focus on finding your daughter." Sryger said. He then continued "I am sure you are worried about her. If either of my boys disappeared I would be."

Colton told him a few lies but also a few sort of truths. "I received a message from her a couple days ago. It was very strange." He showed him a message. It was from Delvin, but he had quickly changed the contact name to Artemis.

While they were chatting, Nezerith got up. He did this without being kicked this time.
"Where did she go...?" He asked himself. He walked through the weeds and just guessed which way she went.

Artemis was walking through a road, she looked behind her back, and noticed a police car following her. After seeing this, she started walking faster. The police car sped up.
"Artemis Skrugrel." A person shouted through the window. "Your the kid my Dad's looking for." Artemis stopped to look at him. He looked like he was her age, but he was driving a police car, so she was unsure. He got out of the police car.
"It's not mine, I borrowed it. They have no idea." He said laughing. Artemis raised her eyebrows.
"So you stole it?" She asked. The person shook his head.
"It's not stealing if I'm going to give it back." He replied. "My name's Ed Sryger. I prefer Ed, but everyone calls me Edward. I already know yours. You are Artemis Skrugrel." Artemis smiled, then kept walking. She thought it was strange that he knew her name, just hours after she left the school. Edward followed
(I'm calling him Edward, Artemis won't)

"Ed, what are you doing?" Artemis asked.
"Don't worry I'm not gonna tell anyone I've found you. I just wanted to help you." Edward told her.
"And why would you want to help me?" She asked again. He didn't answer he just dragged her to the car. Artemis didn't really react to being dragged. A minute later she was sitting in front of the police car. Out of nowhere, another voice spoke from the back of the car. "Oh, so it was the right person"
"Where did he come from?" Artemis screamed. Edward just laughed
"Sorry. I'm Lewis. That guys brother. He made me come with him. I didn't want to..." Lewis said. He was quiet, but he could still be heard.

"How old even are you both?" Artemis asked, realising she knew nothing about either of them.
"I just turned seventeen, he's twelve" Edward replied.
"I'm not Twelve, I'm Eleven!" Lewis shouted.
"That's even worse.. Why is he not in school?" Artemis asked. She then realised what his answer would be.
"Why are you not in school?" Edward replied. He wasn't who she was expecting to reply. The rest of the drive was awkwardly quiet, until Edward pulled up.
"I just realised I have no idea where we're going." Edward said.
"Harthingham" Artemis said. Edward just opened his eyes wider, and turned on the directions.

Harthingham was about 30 miles away from Shrewer City. It was nicer in Harthingham , and was voted in fourth place on the recent best holliday towns in their country poll. Artemis had never been there herself, but she had family members she knew there, so that's why she wanted to go.

Back in the house, Detective Sryger was now talking to Beulah. Beulah unfortunately told the truth about everything.
"Yes, I've seen her. She came here actually, going on about some Skrugrel Scandal. I don't know what that is, I've only heard about it today." She said.
"That is not what your Husband told me, he said last time he saw her was in Autumn." Said Sryger.
"That's probably the only thing he said that's close to the truth." Beulah admitted.
"So she was here?" He asked.
"Yes, but now she's not. I only saw her when she first came in." Beulah said.
"Is that the truth?" Sryger asked. Beulah was starting to get angry.
"Yes. That is the truth. Colton took her into a room and when I checked the room later, she was gone, so I'm assuming she left." Beulah told him angrily.
"Okay. Thank you Mrs Skrugrel." The detective said.

Beulah led him to the door. On he way, he spotted Delvin on his iPad.
"Delvin." He said. Delvin looked up from his iPad for a second. He felt like he had to say something, as the way that the Detective was looking at him made him feel pressured into speaking.
"She's gone. She left with some old guy who claimed he's known me for years." Delvin said.
"So you know something about your sister leaving?" Sryger asked him. Delvin nodded.
"I was the first person she told when she left the school." Delvin told him.

End of part 7