meet me at midnight.

7.

A:N: Peter, obviously. 

"She's just through here." I heard Marie's voice in the hallway.

She pushed open the staff room door, guiding a woman in. I'd spoken to the police the week before regarding mom's disappearance. Marie had agreed to let the officer in to speak to me, even agreeing to me using her office. The lady officer walked in. She was dressed in a black pantsuit and a light blue blouse. She walked towards me, extending her hand.

"Daisy? A pleasure to meet you," She said. "We spoke on the phone last week."

"H-hey." I stood, and took her hand.

She smiled at me. Her eyes were warm and kind. She gave me a firm handshake and then we followed Marie to the back office. We were well into September now and the sunshine was giving way to the fresh chill of Autumn. Marie had a small heater in the office and she'd put it on in anticipation of us being in here.

"Can I offer you a drink, officer?" Marie asked.

"Just a water would be perfect," The lady officer said. "It's Sonia, just so we're all on first name basis."

"Coming right up." Marie said.

She left the room and officer Sonia and I seated ourselves on the two chairs behind the desk. She moved a pen from her breast pocket along with a notebook. I shifted nervously in my seat. Mom still wasn't answering her phone. Last week Josh and I went back to the house and checked again. The house remained empty.

Marie tapped on the door and handed officer Sonia the water. Sonia took it, placing one hand under the base of the glass. She took a sip and set it on the desk. I glanced at Marie and she read my look.

"If it's ok with you Daisy wanted me to stay with her," Marie said. "She has anxiety so I'd like to be here to offer moral support."

"Of course, please." Sonia said, motioning for Marie to sit at her desk.

Marie shifted past the chairs and came to stand behind me. She didn't sit down, but stayed leaning against the wall.

"So, Daisy, it's important to establish a timeline," Sonia said. "When did you last see your mother?"

"About four weeks ago. Kenny and I went back to the house to get my stuff." I said.

"And you mentioned on the phone that your step-father, a Mr Lionel Parker was the one to kick you out on 15th August?" She said, writing something down.

"Y-yes, Kenny and I went on 16th to get my stuff and that's when I saw my mom last." I said, rubbing my eyes.

Marie shifted and placed her hand on my shoulder. Sonia nodded and wrote something else down. She sighed and seemed to be preparing to ask an uncomfortable question.

"Was, or has Lionel been abusive to your mother?" She asked.

"He wasn't in the beginning but for the last year he just got worse and worse." I replied.

"He gave a lot of us bad vibes when he'd come to pick Daisy up from work," Marie added. "He acted so incredibly charming, but he was witnessed yelling at Daisy when they were in the car."

"Unfortunately, people like that do something called love bombing," Sonia said. "They bombard the object of their affection with love, be that as gifts or affirmative action, and once they're allowed in, they reveal their true nature."

"C-can you find my mom?" I asked, breaking down.

"My team and I will try. I don't want to mislead you, Daisy, but we need to be very realistic about all this." She said.