The Boot - Next Steps (Book 2)

Chapter Eight

A/N: Sorry I didn't post the last few days I was really busy with work, also I lacked ideas

LUCY

After what felt like forever we finally arrived at our destination.

"Here we are," Nolan turns the car off after pulling into the driveway. "The residence of one Emiliana Jergesen."

We get out of the car and head towards the front door. As I'm passing by the minivan parked in the driveway something in the window catches my eye. In the back of the car, I see a colourful car seat.

"Nolan, Lopez," I call out. They both turn, and I nod to the car window. After glancing at each other, they make their way over to me. I point at the car seat. "She's got a kid."

"Let's handle this calmly. No need to cause drama and scare the kid. Besides, her parole officer said that she's been well-behaved," Angela points out.

Nolan nods. "Sounds like a plan."

We go back up to the front door. I step forward and give it a firm knock. "LAPD, we need to speak with you."

We hear some shuffling inside as a shadow appears behind the dusty-tinted window in the door, coming closer until there is the sound of a screen door opening followed by the front door. A woman matching Emiliana looks back at us. A small girl who must be her daughter comes up behind her, tugging on her pant leg. "Mommy?"

"Hang on, baby, mommy needs to talk to the police officers, why don't you go and colour a picture?" The girl smiles and runs away, presumably to the living room or wherever her colouring stuff is. "Sorry about that. Is everything alright officers?"

"That depends," Angela says.

"On what?"

"Would you mind if we came inside? We just need to ask you a few questions."

Emiliana blinks and nods, stepping aside. "Of course, come on in," She leads us inside and into a dining room. "Is this okay? Mia is in the living room and I don't want her to get scared."

"This is totally fine. Thank you for agreeing to talk with us," Nolan says as the three of us take a seat. Emiliana rounds the table and sits in the middle seat across from us.

"So what's the problem, officers? Did I do something wrong?" her wary gaze falls on Nolan and she gulps. "Did you want to- to- to talk to me about- about the- the c-case?"

Something about his presence is causing Emiliana to become uneasy. She seems perfectly fine with Angela and I, but not him. All of a sudden there is a knock at the door. "I'll get it, if that's alright," I say and Emiliana nods. I head to the front door, opening it to find Aaron. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to tell you something about Emiliana. It's urgent."

"What? How do you even know-"

"That doesn't matter right now, okay? When Emiliana was in prison, she was r*ped by a prison warden. She gave birth just a few weeks into her parole."

"Oh... so that's why she's so afraid of Nolan. She's scared of men."

"Yeah."

"So the kid-"

"The kid is here? Right now?" Aaron looks alarmed, although I'm not entirely sure as to why.

"Yeah, so?"

"It's not safe, here."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a rat in the station. Alejandro knows that you're looking into his known associates. Emiliana approached one of my CIs about her fears that Alejandro may send someone to keep her quiet."