BOUND BY DESTINY

CHAPTER TWELVE

I pushed opened the car door of Leon's SUV with frenzy, before he had time to park in front of the police department office in Bolton. We'd already taken enough time to get there, with how far away from town Megan's mansion was located, not to talk of the unending traffic and the anxiety cursing through my body, made me feel like we'd been driving for hours.

After receiving the call from the police, they'd requested I come directly at their headquarters. The voice at the other end of the line didn't disclose anything about the case, insisting that all information will be given directly by the detective in charge.

It didn't take long for me to inform Leon of the situation and we hurriedly got in his car, and drove in the direction of the police department. I couldn't stop shaking during the drive there, my hands and legs were trembling so hard, Leon had to place his hand on my thigh, so I could calm down.

I heard him calling my name as I ran in the direction of the front doors, but I couldn't wait on him. I dove in pushing past men and women in uniform going about their tasks, civilians on the phone surely calling on their love ones and teenagers with sour faces as their parents dragged them out of station either scolding or smiling with relief.

The place was surprisingly packed for a weekday, but I recognized it was summertime and delinquency tended to expand considerably during this time of the year. I ignored all of them and moved through the crowd, mumbling quick apologies for the scowls, huffs and insults I will earn when I'd slightly tap or push aside those blocking my progress. Needless to say, I had to scramble before getting to the receptionist desk at the center of the lobby.

The woman looked to be around her late twenties. She had short wavy blond hair, which complemented her round shaped face and I could see the fabric of her floral summer dress beneath a black perfecto. She had on thick eye glasses and had been perusing through her phone for few minutes before finally turning her attention to me. She gave me a bored look, like I was yet another insect impeding on her time. I had to restrain myself from griping her by the hair and forcing what I wanted to know out of her mouth.

"Euhh miss... detective Hoskins is already waiting for you in his office, second door to the left, at the end of the corridor." She said dismissively going back to whatever she was doing on her phone.

I dashed directly the way she'd indicated and soon enough I was standing before the office of the detective I had to meet. Before I could walk in, I turned to my right and saw Leon running my way. I waited for him to near me and knocked twice on the door, with a trembling hand. We heard a faint 'come in' and Leon proceeded to open the door for us.

The office was in fact an open space with 2 individual bureaus facing each other. I noticed at the corners of the room were shelves filled with file cases from top to bottom. Leon guided me to the only occupied bureau, where stood a bald man with an impressive big abdomen, I assumed was detective Hoskins, seeing as I had never seen him before.

"Please take a seat, would you?" Detective Hoskins said after we shook hands in greeting and presented ourselves and the reasons of our presence. We did as we were told and waited to hear what he had to say. He took out a long breath before speaking, and it did nothing to calm my nerves.

"As you should know by now, we were able to locate Mr. Gardner, however the situation isn't as simple. It is a lot more complex." He said looking at me.

"W-wh-at do y-you mean sir" I stuttered forcing the words out of my mouth. My whole body was trembling furiously and I pleaded with all the divinities for what I thought to not be true. I dogged my nails hard on my right arm to try and compose myself.