What Lies Beneath The Clearing

7.7

"You look awful, are you alright?" Dr Rosewood asked, drawing Jay out of his distant state.

"I'm fine I'm just..." He trailed off, shaking his head as he avoided making eye contact with Lennox's father. Seeing his reluctance for small talk, Dr Rosewood skipped the pleasantries.

"Has there been any word? I know you called your precinct."

"No, nothing. They've been trying, but they can't even find her on security cameras around town, it's like she just disappeared."

"It's insanity. Do you have any idea where she might've gone? Because I can't think of anything."

Jay watched as Dr Rosewood's face flashed with guilt, beginning to feel the pit in his own stomach deepen. After the fight he'd had with himself for the past two hours about whether he should tell her dad what was going on, he still slowly shook his head.

"No idea."

"I just don't understand it. What could possibly be this important? I appreciate everything you're doing Jay, I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Don't thank me. Not until I've found her. She's out there somewhere, I'll find her Patrick. You have my word."

He finally made eye contact with the doctor, who gave him a comforting smile. "I appreciate that. I know you'll do everything you can."

As he spoke Jay's phone rang, and with an exhausted sigh he answered it. "This is Jay."

"Jay! Jay it's me you have to help me, it hurts so badly you have to help me! Please I can't get it off, I can't- it won't come off!"

The sound of Lennox's terrified voice echoing through the phone gave Jay a sudden shot of adrenaline, and within seconds he was fully cognizant.

"I'm on my way."

"Is that her? Is that Lennox?" Dr Rosewood cut in, Jay holding a finger up as he spoke to Lennox.

"I'm coming to find you, can you tell me where you are?"

Lennox's pain was evident in the fast, panicked sound of her breathing, and her groaning heightened Jay's sense of urgency to a level he hadn't experienced before.