The Search

Chapter 47

*play slipping through my fingers* sung by Meryl Streep and Amanda seyfried when you feel the time is right

Nikolai

I sigh and head into the station, feeling the pain of many of my officers faces after our major loss the other week.  My heart still twists with guilt at the thought of our Kit.

Indira is the first person to ignore my sunken face and join walking beside me as I head to my office. "What's happening?" Indira stresses.  "He visited my house the other night and I was surprised to find I had no one keeping guard of my place at all."

I stop in my tracks and turn my head toward her, eyebrow raised.  "I had my men still stationed there. They wouldn't leave without my command." 

"Yeah well they weren't." She pushes her hair back with both of her hands, which is back to her wavy brown hair.  "The only person who ended up being there was your brother in law, he scared him away when he knocked on my door. But I heard him Nikolai, he was in my house." Tears begin to spring to her eyes.

"In my office, now." I point and she scurries forward and plants herself right into a seat in front of my desk

I plant one of my hands on my desk when I join her in my office, "first of all, which brother in law?" And I only ask because I'm gently curious.  I bet it's James.

"James." She sniffs. I knock my knuckle against the desk in success, smiling to myself, I think I'm a pretty good detective if I do say so myself.

"Sorry." I clear my throat noticing her annoyed and pissed off expression. "What was he doing there?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"Nikolai!" Indira groans tossing her body into the back of the couch.

I raise up my hands, "sorry." I sigh and sit down at my computer and begin my intrusive search. "Do I have  permission to access the cameras surrounding your house? We only do it when it's completely necessary and in this case I think it is."

She nods as soon as I get the words out. "Yes, a hundred percent yes."

I acknowledge her words with a nod and turn the computer so she too can look with me.  I fast forward the tape set on that day to a time where it had begun to get dark.

"Stop it there." She points and a dark figure that casually walks up to my men stationed at the front of her house.  Their conversation is non confrontational - which rings alarm bells in my head.  Any unidentifiable person is to not set foot on Indira's property, the fact they soon just let this man walk by them while they went and sat in the police cars is truly baffling. 

I rewind the tape again and watch the interaction once more, "see!" She points again, "that has to be him, he got in, I don't know how, I locked every door and every window.  Why did your men just let him walk right by?"

My back straightens, my heart takes a beat as I turn to look behind Indira and I.

When I turn, no one is looking our way and no one seems to be wandering too close. Yet, I feel as though someone is watching and picking apart everything I seem to be doing. 

"Indira." I swallow, "the only way my men would allow this person past them and onto your property, is if they know them."

"But...." Indira stutters, "does that mean..."

I nod putting a smile on my face for show, "it's someone in this station, right now."

—————-

Jade

I sigh and head upstairs with a food tray for Sophie, hoping she'll take a few bites, and hopefully more than she's taken in the past couple of weeks.