Life After Dark: Book Two of the Dark Series

Chapter 67

Lizzie hung up the pay phone and moved back towards the bench to reclaim her seat. She mentally gave Dawn and Nikolas pats on their backs as she watched Carrie and Stefan go back and forth with PCPD's Desk Sergeant. Together, Carrie and Stefan were proving to be a formidable duo. The desk sergeant could barely sputter a word or two before one of the pair would offer a rebuttal. Lizzie could only imagine how strongly they must have reacted to Nikolas' and Dawn's marriage. It had to have been explosive, she thought, shaking her head.

"Where is your superior?" Stefan asked, his lips barely moved as he spat out the words. His last shred of patience and understanding was on the verge of escaping as he glared at the police officer.

"Sir," Sgt. Hill replied with transparent irritation, "as I have explained to you, neither the Hardy boy nor the Spencer boy can be released to you. They are minors and can only be released to their parents or guardian. Even my superior would tell you that."

"But, Lucky's parents aren-"

Carrie drowned out the rest of Lizzie's reply as she said, "I'm Lucky Spencer's guardian. You can turn him over to me."

Sgt. Hill looked Carrie up and down with a smirk on his face, said, "You could have fooled me with the Hardy kid, but there's no way you're the Spencer kid's guardian. I don't think so."

"Excuse me?" Carrie asked, folding her arms as her brown eyes flashed angrily at him.

"A racial epithet?" Stefan questioned the officer with a raised brow. As he advanced towards the desk, his ire increased and through gritted teeth he said, "You, egregious simpleton! You will apologize to Mrs. Jensen at once!"

"Of course, he will, Mr. Cassadine," Taggert said, moving to stand behind the Sgt. Hill. "You will, won't you, Sgt. Hill?" Taggert kept his eyes on the police officer as he asked the question with a smile which didn't reach his eyes.

"I didn't say anything racia-"

"Maybe not, but you'll apologize anyway, unless you'd rather Commissioner Scorpio discussed it with you? The choice is yours," Taggert said, his smile still intact.

"Well, um...I suppose my tone was kind of brusque. I apologize Mr. Cassadine," he said with a slight nod of his head.

"Not to me," Stefan said, his voice still tight with anger. "To Mrs. Jensen."

"Apologies, ma'am," Sgt. Hill replied. His eyes rested on her briefly before they moved past her to the clock on the wall.

"Thank you, Sgt. Hill, but I'll handle it from here," Taggert said. Marcus waited until the officer moved away from the desk before he took a seat and began to speak. "Now, how may I help you?"

"Thanks, Marcus," Carrie said with a smile.

"There's no need for thanks, Mrs. Jensen. No need at all," Marcus replied. "What can I do for you? I heard Lucky's and Tommy's names mentioned. Are they missing?"

"No, they're here," Stefan replied dryly.

Marcus glanced at Stefan and then turned his attention to Carrie. Flashing her a smile which did reach his eyes, he said, "I'll look through the system and see what I can find. It'll only take a second."

Marcus punched in a few keys on the keyboard until the appropriate screen appeared on the monitor. A frown formed on his brow as he read aloud what had been revealed to him on the screen. "Lucky and Tommy are being held in regard to a murder in an alley."

"But they didn't do it!" Lizzie said.

"That remains to be seen, Miss Webber," Marcus replied.

~*~