Found Obsession

Chapter 34: Dark Rose II

July 1, 2004

Rose's attitude continued and deep below they began growing more scared of her than Riley. They felt to dumb with her.

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The case was simple on paper—two teenage boys missing for over 48 hours, last seen at a local park after a soccer match. No signs of foul play, no witnesses who saw anything suspicious. But Rose felt something off the moment she saw the file. It was too neat.

By the time she made it to the precinct, everyone was already huddled around the screen in the meeting room. Will was going over details of the case, acting as the captan. His voice grated on her nerves as he spoke in that annoyingly self-assured tone.

“You’re late, again,” Riley commented as Rose walked in, barely looking up from the file.

“Yeah, thanks for noticing,” Rose shot back, slipping into a chair, her sunglasses still on despite being indoors. She wasn’t in the mood for his passive-aggressive jabs, especially not after the night she had.

Full of nightmares...

Will glanced at her and decided to continue. “Alright, where was I? So, two boys, both 16, disappeared Saturday night. Last seen at the Park. No leads yet.”

Rose clicked her tongue, unimpressed. “You mean to tell me that after five days, you have nothing? No witnesses, no leads? I’ve seen teenagers leave more evidence sneaking out for a party.”

Will stiffened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “It’s not like that. There’s no trail—”

“There’s always a trail,” Rose interrupted, her voice dripping with impatience. “You just haven’t found it.”

Mira and Javier exchanged glances but didn’t say a word.

“So, what’s the brilliant plan here, huh?” Rose continued, leaning back in her chair, arms crossed. “Wait for more days and hope they turn up alive?”

“We’re following procedure,” Will answered, his voice tight. “We’ve interviewed the families, checked their friends. It’s just going to take time.”

“Right. Time,” Rose echoed sarcastically. “Because these kids have so much of it. I’m sure they’re just out there waiting for us to get our act together.”

“Rose—” Will started, but she cut him off.

“No, don’t ‘Rose’ me,” she snapped, standing up. “This is sloppy work, and you know it. If we don’t act fast, these boys will be bodies in the morgue, and you’ll be explaining why you wasted days twiddling your thumbs.”

The tension in the room was thick, everyone watching the standoff between them.

Riley cleared his throat, trying to diffuse the situation. “We’re all under pressure here, but let’s stay focused. We need to—”

“Save it, Riley,” Rose said, her tone sharper than intended. “I’ll find these boys myself if I have to.”

Without waiting for a response, she stormed out, the door slamming behind her.

Riley had tried to talk to her but she-
She just listened and then walked away.

As she lit up a cigarette outside the station, the cool air hit her face, clearing her head slightly. She was angry, but she knew it wasn’t just about the case. The pressure was getting to her, and Will’s smug attitude made her want to explode. She took a long drag and stared at the night sky, her mind racing with possibilities.

It didn’t matter how much they messed this up. She was going to solve it—her way.

Rose drove in silence, her cigarette burning low as she replayed the details in her head. Two boys missing. The Park. No leads. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that something had been overlooked. The team’s approach felt too sterile, too by-the-book.