Hope

|Chapter 13|

I made Connor leave to school and pick her and Daya to take them wherever they wanted to go because I don't feel safe now letting her walk around alone. Fiona is at station filling some drafts and Tommy reading the 8 missing girls' case which we named operation G8. I stopped my car in front of the first girl's house and with me Fiona joined because she can hold crying people better. Fuck, I can't even coo my girl while crying then consider others fucked up.

Knocks*

The door opened by a lady in mid-30's and wearing a shawl from this July winds. She looked pale and tired from those eyes. More sobber than anything. I checked the name from the list, and she seems to Mrs. Owens. Fiona smiled at her, and she opened the door for us. Other officers have checked every house millions of times but for me face-to-face chat is needed.

"Mrs. Owens are you free for a chat?"
"Since my daughter was gone...I am free 24/7."
"We feel sorry and here to help you Mrs. Owens."

Fiona said and made her sit, and I picked my notepad and my pen. Mrs. Owens looked better in those photos kept around the house and the little girl around her hands kind of looked like Valeria making me feel bad. What if my girl gets- Shut the fuck up Ezra.

"Penny Owens is 16 and seen last at her friend's house and while walking back home she was kidnapped right?"

She nodded and I marked the age and last seen location. Fiona's hands rested on top of Mrs. Owens hand, and I told ya she is great keeping people calm.

"Did she have any connection with older people?"
"No, Penny didn't even have a boyfriend and she only had two friends."

She might have lied to her parents, but I can't scream that now. I noted the point her having two friends and boyfriend part empty. It's common teen girls having crush on older guys these days.

"Did she use any drugs?"
"Never seen her and don't know if she used behind my back."
"Why you think that?"
"Wilson, her father used to, and she might get it from his itself."

I wrote his name in caps and underlining it because giving your own drugs is kind of fucked up and Wilson can be abusive to.

"What are the names of her friends?"
"Heather and Missy."

I checked the list of G8 to see these two names on them. The kidnapper is smart enough to pick the right kids out because that leaves the cops in hanging hints.

"Thanks a lot for talking and we hope good for you daughter."
"I blame Wilson for this pain."

My head snapped hearing his name again and she is blaming her husband for whatever happened, and I guess we have to chat with Wilson Owens. I got into the car followed by Fiona and strike Penny Owens on the list because we have chatted.

"We got question Heather Edens and Missy Lexus today itself."

Fiona shot a glare, and I started the car and drove to Heather Edens house because Penny was last seen from there. Heather is the second girl to get kidnapped and following her Missy. All three close and middle-class families so the person isn't targeting money but something big maybe human trafficking, organs auction or even sex toys. We reached the doorstep of Heather's house and welcomed in by her only family member which was her brother.

"Jacob Edens, right?"
"Yes,"

We had our sits and this house a lot messier. He lives alone I guess, and the house has decent number of photos of Heather. I opened my notepad to fresh page and tapped my pen few times before asking questions.

"Heather Edens, 16 and last seen from a grocery store."
"I made her go because I wanted to eat pasta that evening and never thought this would happen."

Fiona looked at me with concern and considering him a guy and she isn't well enough to coo guys and made a stiff eye contact. I know what it feels like to lose a sister and it still hurts often till Valeria came in my life to ease it.

"Any close friends or boyfriend Heather had?"
"A boy, she had a crush on him but left after finding he is dating someone else, and her friends were three girls...I don't know their names...wait one named Raya."

It's not Missy or Penny so Heather had another friend other than these two. I checked the list to see no Raya's and I think he must have missed it out. I turned to see a picture of three girls standing in a photo. I guessed one of them is Penny.

"Do you use any drugs?"
"Used to but after my parents left Heather to me...I left it for her."
"How old are you?"
"30 and we have good age-gap."

I noted his age and his drug use which was in past. Heather seems a bit more thrown girl not like Penny Owens. Still, who is Raya? What is her surname?

"Any idea you know Raya's surname?"
"Nope, she came here once and then never."
"Any enemies to you?"
"Many but I would never guess someone would Heather on bases of that."
"Why so?"
"Just saying."

After talking for few more minutes, I winded the session up and thanked him for chatting with us. Fiona felt odd with his talking style and what can we say about this now? A fucked up alone guy with hope to make money and grave on his lost sister. Now we have Lexus to meet, and I drove bit faster because I have to meet Valeria after this. Lexus welcomed us and both parents were looking happy rather than past two house.

"Missy Lexus 17, last seen at a bowling center."
"Right, she went to play with her friend."
"Who? How many were there?"
"Only one and her name was something with R."

Raya, the same name coming here, and I think there is something off with this Raya. I noted the bowling center and Raya's name in caps because her names came twice.

"You both seem happy?"
"Our gone Missy is going to be elder sister."
"Good news and I hope Missy could see this."

I noted their names and all and asked Mr. Lexus to leave the room for single questioning.

"Did Missy ever mention of guys?"
"Nope, she was too afraid to love because her crushes all looked down on her."
"Any other friends Missy had?"
"Heather, Penny and Alice."

Alice Chris is on the list next, and Missy seems close with Alice because she showed me many photos with them together. So, Missy didn't go bowling with Alice that day but Raya. Did Penny have friendship with Raya like her other two friends? But Mrs. Owens never mentioned anyone else close to her.

"Does this Alice come around here?"
"Most of the time."

I thanked her and called Mr. Lexus in and asked Fiona to watch over Mrs. Lexus because she can be fainting any moment.

"You and Missy close?"
"She chose mom over anything, and they were close."
"Any guys around her?"
"Once dropping her to music class I saw a guy kiss her cheek and it's normal these days."

I have to check the music class and that guy to. Raya still stayed unknown. Maybe Mr. Lexus knows about Raya.

"Did she mention a name Raya?"
"Once or twice, I guess but why ask?"
"Filling gaps."

I thanked him and left with my notepad filled with scribbles. Fiona was getting anger about Raya because we are having zero bend towards her. It's been a month since these girls went missing and where the fuck did Raya go? Missy, Heather, Penny and now Alice were all known by each other and only Missy knew Alice and Penny doesn't know Raya but other two does. Five more girls to look and maybe this Raya thing can be solved.

"Ask Connor to check tower locations of Jacob."
"Consider it Boss."

I laughed hearing her call me boss and dropped her at apartment and drove to Valeria's house because it's been good lot of hours since I kissed her. 

My Valeria.

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[word count: 1317]