Muted

Mysterious

The phone on the other line starts ringing, muffling an echo. Walsh sits patently in his cubical with the phone to his ear. He think over what he'll say as the ringing repeats. A woman answers on the other side of the line.
"Hello?" She sounds nervous and a little agitated.
"Hello mam', my name is officer Walsh and I'm calling to inform your family about closing a case associating [Name]-" Walsh was cut off by 'Nama's shrill voice.
"Sir, please tell me you found her..." She whimpers over the phone continuously, "I've put up flyers in local stations, I've spoken to many other officers but... no ones told me anything." 'Nama cries softly into the phone. Walsh is stunned unable to pull the phone away nor say anything.
"No mam', I'm speaking of her parents' case. We caught the final murderer." The poor woman drops the phone, forcing Walsh to hear her distant cries. He can hear Shawn's voice arguing with 'Nama, they're yelling about [Name] tossing curses left and right. Shawn growls over how useless and pointless she was, while 'Nama calls him out with "look at the pot callin' the kettle black."
"Mam'? Mam'?" Walsh speaks into the receiver with concern. Morris leans over the cubical's wall listening in on the conversation. Walsh leans closer to her, tilting the phone between their ears so she can hear too. They keep shouting vulgar insults at each other, another woman's voice jumps into the argument and sides with the Shawn. He yells for Tiana to hang up the phone, 'Nama screams for her not to but Tiana's whinny voice was loud as she speaks "Shut up the hag will ya!" and the call ceases. Walsh and Morris stare at the phone, blinking.
"What was that all about? Walsh, what did you tell them?" Morris gives him a skeptical glance, pushing the receiver into his hands.
"I told them that the last murderer was caught, but them they started to argue about [Name]... they said she went missing." Walsh stares at the device with disbelief dripping off his face. Morris hardens her facial features, turning very serious but still giving him room to be surprised.
"This girl must have gone though a lot of crap for a teenager. Hearing how they treat each other, I'd run away too." Morris puts one hand on her waist, watching as Walsh runs a hand though his hair and put the phone back on the desk.
"Do you think she ran away or that she was kidnapped?" He asked looking up at his partner.
"It doesn't matter, Walsh. She's not in our area. Some other cop will be on her case, not us." Morris breaks the cold truth to him.
"The woman who told me she was gone also said no other officer had contacted her about it." Walsh looks Morris in the eyes, and she sighs.
"So what ingenious idea have you come up with then." She frowns knowing he'll jump on any case he believes he can help with.
"You know me so well." He smiles and she nods. "We can't go as cops but maybe we can go and help like nice neighbors would."
"This world doesn't have nice neighbors, Walsh. You of all people know that best." Morris frowns again, hating the idea cooking in his head.
"Then lets be the first, wipe that scowl off or you'll scare her away before we even find her." Walsh stands up to pat Morris's head, brushing past her as he walks towards the boss's office. She sighs, growling.
"We're going to use all of our vacation days, aren't we." She turn on her heels following Walsh.

~•~•~

Tiana slams the phone down on the counter after pressing the end button. 'Nama's face contorts with anger at both her and Shawn.
"That man could have helped us!" She shouts at them, but they just sneer at her.
"Listen lady, she was old enough to live on her own anyways. So just let her go." Tiana wraps her arm around Shawn, who caresses her waist in return.
"She's right, [Name] can do whatever she wants now and we won't be legally responsible nor do we have to worry about payin' for her. This is better than when she was with us." Shawn quietly snickers at his own voice, Tiana nodding.
"Neither of you cared for her in the first place, did you?" 'Nama angrily glares at them, clenching her fist.
"Nope, but neither did you at first, remember?" Shawn points his finger at her accusingly. She drops her gaze to the floor guiltily, remembering the time right after her husband passed away. She was aways threatening [Name], saying if she didn't do as she was told she'd be kicked out. But 'Nama never once actually believed [Name] would end up on the streets by her own free will.
"I should kick you to the streets too then, Shawn. If I'm such a heartless ol' hag." She flicks her hair out of her face and puffs out her chest confidently."You, of course, will take the trash out with you." Using a look of dominance on her son and having him scowl back in return.
"She ain't comin' home and you know that." He holds his stare.
"Not a home with you in it, now leave." 'Nama flicks her head towards the door, unwilling to move from her stance.