Rachel Shore's Answers

4: Pieces of the Puzzle

The more I learned about Officer Richland the more he reminded me of my dad. There were a few times I almost slipped up and called him dad.

"Hey Rachel." He said when I picked up the phone.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"Oh nothing really. Why?"

"I have something that I think will help our search go faster."

I sat forward in my chair eagerly waiting for his next words.

"Well! Don't keep me in suspense! What did you find?"

I heard him laughing on the other end of the phone. "Ok I won't leave you in suspense. Remember that guy you saw and photographed?"

"Yes." I said impatiently waiting for the actual information.

"I saw him and I heard him talking to some guy he calls boss and I overherd the name Trevor Matthews. I looked him up and he is an orphan but he was adopted 2 months ago."

"Interesting. Let's follow up on that."

"I can't today because I have a few official cases to chase down but soon I will."

"I'll see if I can find him and see what he's up to." I said eager to help for once.

"NO no no. That would be way too dangerous for you. I won't let you do that. Why don't you just relax at home. I'll tell you what happens when I share our progress in the case. They may want to open up an official case at which point I will no longer be permitted to share the details with you without gaining specific permission."

I smiled at that. He even sounds like my dad. "I'll be careful. I hope you realize that you sound like my dad."

"Awe thanks. Wait. You liked your dad right?"

"Yes I liked him." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well I better get to work you have fun kid."

I laughed. I am 26. I'm far from being a kid. I suppose I am a kid to him though.

"Bye" I said

"Goodbye" he said as he hung up.

...

I was sitting on my couch when a loud pounding on the door broke me free from my daydreams. I was a little concerned. I waited a moment deciding whether or not to answer. The fast loud pounding started again. I opened the door a crack and Kallen stood there bouncing up and down. I immediately opened the door the rest of the way.

Squealing she ran in and gave me a big teary hug.

"What's going on?"

"I don't even know where to start!" She could hardly speak through the grin stretching her cheeks.

As her hand moved light caught on it and this beautiful emerald ring was gracing her finger.

"He proposed?!!!" I asked looking at her smiling face. All of my thoughts about the case carelessly thrown to the side.

"YES!!!!"

"Can I see the ring?"

She lifted her hand for me to see. The ring matched her perfectly. It was on a silver band that looked like several strands of hair lightly woven together. The emerald was in the standard diamond shape and a few strands of silver laid on top of it.