The Shadows Between the Lines

Chapter 1

Mallory Hale POV

This Monday started just the same as every other one for the past four years. I started my day by walking into the little coffee shop, the aroma of fresh roasted coffee beans instantly curing the grogginess of the early morning. I waited in the surprisingly short line, ordered my usual, and sat at a small table waiting for my order to be ready.

I usually take this time to check my emails for any pop up meetings and plan my day accordingly. What I wasn't expecting was to be joined by an middle-aged man who flashed his detective badge as he sat down.

"Mallory Hale?" He questioned. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of his badge. "I'm Detective Nathaniel Andersen." Could they have found me after all this time? I took a deep breath trying to still my mind, I covered my tracks perfectly.

"Yes?" I answered hoping my voice sounded steady.

"I was hoping you could answer some questions about a case I'm working on."

I swallowed hard, "Of course." I clutched my phone turning my knuckles white, I need to breathe. I forced myself to put my phone on the table, and met his eye contact. Relaxing my posture, I folded my hands on the table.

"Do you know who Samantha Evans is?" He questions.

"Mallory?" The barista called seconds after his question sent alarm bells off in my head. Both of our attentions turn to the barista as she hands me my drink. After my brief thank you to the barista, I turned my attention back to the officer. "I have never heard of Samantha Evans before. Is everything okay?" I frowned at him displaying fake concern.

"Ya know I thought you may say that, so—" Detective Andersen paused and opened the file he was holding on the table. "You're saying you've never seen this person before." He slides a picture across the table to me. I look down at the picture of the girl with dark blonde hair and brown eyes, more specifically my brown eyes. After all these years of being careful and hiding, I finally had moved on from my paranoia, which all came crashing back as I looked at the picture of my younger self. "Because, I think she may be you."

My brain froze momentarily, for years I had always had an escape route planned out for wherever I went. For years I was prepared, so why did this happen when I wasn't. I scrambled to my feet, the chair screeching backwards at my quick reaction. I turned to run out the door, but suddenly the two other couples in the cafe stood reaching to their concealed sidearms.

"I'm going to need you to come down to the station with us." I turned back to the detective shaking slightly. "We can do this with or without arresting you." He offers.

Seeing no way out besides following his request, I reluctantly said, "Okay." And followed two police officers outside to the awaiting cop car. As we silently rode to the precinct I went over all the possible evidence I may have missed when I first disappeared. Then like my father taught me I began thinking of my possible escape from custody.

By the time we pulled up to the precinct I recalled the schematics that I had memorized earlier in my move to New York City of their police station, just in case something like this ever happened. I knew that there was the main entrance, two side exits, and one in the very back, depending on where they placed me would decide my escape route.

I spent the ride over trying to calm my emotions, as I had stupidly become attached to my new life. I had my job, I made friends, I had my roommate who had become my family. And now I was faced with having to leave all of this behind again to start new. While I was distracted thinking about losing my life, the police officer placed handcuffs on me. I cold shiver went down my spine, realizing I had let my emotions distract me, my father would be so disappointed.