The Secret - Camren

Part 23

I was lying in bed for the past few hours. I tried sleeping but I couldn't. I had gone to the police station earlier in the day to see the body they though was the girl I loved. I don't think I would be able to forget this day as long as I lived.

***

Earlier that morning

"Dinah I don't want to go! I'd rather not know if it was her!" I yelled as Dinah was trying to drag me into Clinton's SUV as if I was a three year old having a tantrum.

"You need to do this gurl! You know you will keep wondering what if if you don't go, so stop tugging and get in the damn car!" she said giving a final shove. I got into the car with a big sigh as she crawled in next to me.

The ride to the police station was short but felt as if it lasted forever. I did not want to do this but I knew Dinah was right. They need to know if the body was Lauren. Maybe I was in denial but I refused to believe that when they would lift the sheet it would be my green eyed love laying there motionless.

Once we got there some man asked Dinah and Clinton to stay in the waiting room. Something they both refused. Dinah even started going a little gangster on the officer, who continued to deny her entrance. Dinah was at least ½ a foot taller than the man. She was towering over him trying to push her way to my side. He finally accepted when he realized she wouldn't take no for an answer.

He led us to this large room. There were big cabinets in the walls. I knew there must be a few bodies in them. In the middle of the room were three large metal tables, one of which had a sheet over it; the outline of a body was clear underneath it. An older woman was sitting at a desk in the back corner of the room. She stood up and walked over to us a serious expression on her face. She was a short woman with long grey hair which was strange, she didn't look over forty.

"Hello I'm Mrs. Burns. I'm the coroner here. Now I know this is difficult and we thank you very much for coming here to help us. This body was found yesterday around 8 am. She was found by a jogger who was running near the river and saw her on the shoreline. The body is a little pale but the features are still very recognizable. Just let me know when you are ready." She said with a faint British accent. She placed her hand on the edge of the sheet and looked at us. Dinah placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, squeezing a little to comfort me. I looked at Mrs. Burns and nodded. She smiled in what I think was supposed to be a reassuring manner before lifting the sheet off the lifeless body on the table.

I was completely shocked. The girl laying there had long brown wavy hair. She had plump rosy lips. Her cheek bones were defined and slightly angular. She was tall and had the perfect curve to her body. Not that I could see, but it was obvious through the sheet. This girl looked exactly like Lauren in every way. I started crying. I don't know if it was from relief or from sadness but I knew that even with all the similarities this girl lying before me was not my Lauren. I knew that if she opened her eyes I wouldn't find the loving green eyes I had spent so much time gazing into. I didn't know who this was all I knew was that it was not Lauren, and that gave me hope that she was still out there alive probably being tortured or worse.

***

When we got home Taylor jumped on me demanding to know what had happen. She started crying from relief when I told her it wasn't Lauren. After telling everyone that they agreed to keep us informed on Jane Doe and any other information on Lauren I crawled into bed hoping I would fall asleep yet here I was still waiting for sleep to overpower me. But it wouldn't. I was left with my thoughts. My very scary thoughts I might say. I was constantly thinking about where he would have taken her, why he hadn't contacted me, what he was doing to her. The most terrifying thoughts could cross my mind. But the most confusing of it all was why he hadn't come after me of Sofia. Was it because we were being protected or was it simply because he knew the worst way to hurt me was to take Lauren from me?

I must have finally fallen asleep because I was woken by my phone going off. I knew it was still late because it was pitch black outside. I looked at my phone and found an unknown number was calling me.

"Heeeellloo" I said yawning at the same time.

"Bbbb...aaaabbby?" I hear on the other end. I instantly recognized the voice and wasn't feeling tired anymore.

"LOLO! OMG WHERE ARE YOU? BABY ARE YOU OKAY?" I asked frantically. I must have woken someone up because I hear running in the hall.

"IIII... I don't knnoowww" She said crying into the phone. Dinah's parents walked into the room followed by Clinton.

"Are you safe? What happened?" I said attacking her with questions. She just cried in response. Clinton took the phone from me and began talking to Lauren. I didn't know what was going on. This was the first time in almost two weeks that I heard from her. I was beginning to believe I was never going to see her again. I was in Dinah's arms now, crying now.

"Alright I'm on my way, don't move unless you aren't safe anymore. I'll be there soon" Clinton said into the small device before hanging up and handing it to me.

"I'll call the police on my way" he said headed towards the door to meet up with Rodriguez.

"Where are you going?" I cried.

"I'm going to get Lauren of course"