Love in the Shadows

Chapter Twenty-Three

(Lucy's POV)

The drive to Brie's house was more stressful than it needed to be. I don't know why Sam's interest and kindness had me spiralling but it did and I was.

Spiralling hard.

I needed to focus on the job, but the way his gaze seemed to be focused on my ass as I did up my shoes, the fact that he had trailed me down to his truck and made sure to open his passenger side, grazing my back as he helped me step in, it made my body feel extra jittery.

Sam had never been anything but next-level sweet and I had always found him to be insanely attractive. We just hadn't ever been in eachothers pockets before so it hadn't come to my attention that he was god damned perfect. Having him go out of his way to make sure that I was fed, caffeinated, and more importantly valued and safe was messing with my head.

Have I ever felt so cared for? So desired?

He made me feel special and the way that his eyes kept tracing over my curves wasn't helping my brain focus on the task at hand. My heart beat seemed to be in a constant race. My mind in a romantic fog.

Think about the job.

I set my palm down flat on my thigh, trying to stop the jumping of my leg and looked out the window, taking in the neighborhood passing us by. "Looks new."

"It is. The town has tripled in size in the last 5 years. People want to get big city houses but at a small town cost. This subdivision isn't even one of the nicest."

I whistled through my teeth. "Hard to believe. These houses are fucking humongous."

Sam pulled into a circular driveway in front of a beautiful two story house that looked like it could house three families. Sam parked and pulled out that little notepad.

So fucking sexy.

"Brie, Sylvie and Dave Lawson." Then he pointed to the house. "Three people in this big ass house." I laughed as we got out of the truck. There weren't any cars in the driveway but as we walked up, a security camera followed our movement.

I pulled out my badge, flashing it to the camera. Sam pushed the door bell and an intercom buzzed before a young voice rang out, nervously. "Hello?"

"Brie Lawson? My name is Lucy and this is Sam. We are Police Officers and we're hoping to have a quick chat with you." Again I held up my badge to the camera and immediately heard the sound of the door unlatching.

It swung open revealing a waif of a girl, with ash blonde hair and big blue eyes. I had always been careful to not judge others' weight. Being hyper-aware of your own weight tended to make you not want to do that to others, but it was hard to miss that this young girl was the definition of skin and bones. We hadn't even talked to her yet and I felt a protective wave surge through my body. I forced my stare away from her hollowed cheeks and rail thin arms.

"How can I help you, Officers?" A chill ran up my spine, she was showing a distinct and abnormal lack of reaction to finding the police on your doorstep. One that didn't make sense with Brie's age or appearance.

"We're here in town trying to find Tanya Sanchez." I watched her eyes as I spoke. No flash of awareness. No empathy. Nothing.

"I had heard she was missing. What does that have to do with me?"

Good question.

"She's friends with your ex-boyfriend Stephen Anderson right? We wondered if maybe you also knew her?" For the first time I got to see a reaction. I just couldn't pinpoint what that reaction was. The moment I said Stephen's name, her face lit up, only to then immediately fall, causing an intense grimace to over take her fairy-like face.

"Did you talk to Stephen? Was he okay?" There was no hiding the fact that she cared. Alot.

Interesting.

It was Sam that answered. "He was definitely okay, but he mentioned being worried about you and we figured it wouldn't hurt for us to talk to you."

Her entire face fell, tears filling her eyes. "I'm okay. Will you tell him that I'm okay?"

Brie's hand trembled as she scrubbed at her tears. She swallowed and whimpered, "If they..." but the sound of car doors closing had her shutting down, wiping her expression completely clean.

"Brie?" A woman's voice called out, panicked.

"In here, Mom." A tiny blonde woman, in a flowery dress made her way through the door, eyes flashing with relief when she was able to put an arm around her daughter. I could only assume that Sylvie and Dave were home.

Sylvie oozed maternal concern and Brie leaned into her body as her mother curved around her. Protecting her from us. The man that followed gave off an entirely different vibe. He entered the room with a gruff dominance, nostrils flaring. "I sure as shit know that you aren't questioning my teenage daughter with no adult present."

He sneered his observation and I worked to keep my reaction at bay.

Why so angry, Dave?

I spoke softly, aware that I was walking a possible minefield here. "Not questioning at all, we just are trying to get more information about Tanya from her friends. It's normal protocol when someone goes missing to try to get a feel for their life."

His voice thundered through the room. "Our daughter would not be friends with a girl like that. She knows nothing about her life."

My gaze flashed over to Brie, turtled in her mothers arms and sobbing. The older Lawson woman spoke up, "Dave, please. You're scaring her."

He shook his head, "Sylvie, they have no business being here." His eyes were pleading as their gazes met and some kind of silent communication took place before she turned to look at us.

Her expression was laced with regret, voice softer than her husband's. "He's right, you shouldn't have come here." Her blonde head grazed her daughters and then she looked back up, voice louder. "You really shouldn't have come here. We don't know anything about Tanya Sanchez and we would like you to leave. Now."

I nodded, slipping Dave Lawson a card, my eyes meeting Sam's what the fuck gaze as we silently walked out the door.

I heard the camera shift, following our descent from the porch and felt an itch in the middle of my shoulders, letting me know that our departure was being watched.

"Well that was... interesting." I ran a finger over my lips, letting Sam know it wasn't safe to talk yet and then gave a sarcastic wave to the camera before making my way to the passenger side of his truck.

He beat me there by seconds, gesturing for me to get in and tossing me a wink as if he knew that he was chipping away at my defenses, one sweet gesture at a time.