desertion

179

LYDIA

The air was thick with tension as Mason and I pulled up to the small, two-story house tucked in the back of a quiet neighborhood. Police cars and an ambulance were already parked out front, their lights flashing ominously against the evening sky. The crowd of neighbors stood huddled on the sidewalk, murmuring amongst themselves, their faces pale with fear and curiosity.

I took a deep breath, pushing away the familiar knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. Another case. Another nightmare for someone else. But this one was different-there was a child involved.

As we stepped out of the car, Officer Darden approached us, his expression grim. "We've got a mess here," he said. "The victim is a woman in her late 30s. Blunt force trauma. The suspect's already fled the scene."

"And the child?" Mason asked, his tone sharper than usual.

Darden gestured toward the house. "She's in her room. Won't come out. One of the neighbors said they heard her screaming when it happened." He hesitated. "She's really shaken up. We need someone to talk to her. Someone good with kids."

Mason glanced at me, and I immediately felt his hand on my shoulder. "Lydia's your best bet," he said firmly.

I blinked at him, my heart skipping a beat. "Mason-"

"You've got this," he interrupted softly, his eyes meeting mine with quiet reassurance. "Just... be you."

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Okay."

********

The house was eerily quiet, the kind of quiet that made my skin crawl. As I made my way down the hallway, I noticed the splatter of blood on the floor, the broken lamp near the doorway. I kept my gaze forward, forcing myself not to linger on the scene.

The little girl's room was at the end of the hall. The door was slightly ajar, and I could see her huddled in the corner on a pink bean bag, surrounded by stuffed animals and scattered toys. She was so small, her knees tucked up to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around a teddy bear.

I knocked gently on the doorframe before stepping inside. "Hi," I said softly, keeping my voice calm and warm. "My name's Lydia. I'm here to help, okay?"

She didn't respond. Her big, tear-streaked eyes just stared at me, wide with fear.

I crouched down a few feet away from her, making sure to stay on her level. "What's your name?" I asked gently.

For a moment, I thought she wasn't going to answer. But then, in the smallest voice, she whispered, "Madilyn."

"That's a beautiful name," I said with a soft smile. "It's nice to meet you, Madilyn."

She clutched her teddy bear tighter, her little hands trembling.

"Madilyn," I said gently, "can you tell me what happened?"

Her lip quivered as she looked down at her teddy bear. "My... my dad hurt my mom," she whispered.

My chest tightened, but I kept my expression neutral. "I'm so sorry that happened," I said softly. "You're really brave for talking to me about it."

She sniffled, her eyes filling with tears again.

"Hey," I said gently, shifting a little closer. "Do you like adventures?"

Her head tilted slightly, a spark of curiosity breaking through her fear.

I smiled at her. "How about we go on an adventure together? Just you and me. Would you like that?"

After a moment, she nodded slowly. Then, before I could say anything else, she suddenly bolted toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight hug.

I froze for a second, startled, before hugging her back. "It's okay," I murmured. "You're safe now. I promise."

She nodded into my shoulder, her tiny body trembling against mine.

"Do you want me to hold you?" I asked softly.

She nodded again, and I carefully scooped her up, holding her close as I stood. "Okay, Madilyn. Let's go."

As we walked down the hallway, I kept one hand over her eyes to shield her from the crime scene. Her little fingers clung to my jacket, and I could feel her breath against my neck.

Once we were outside, I spotted the mailbox at the edge of the yard. It was labeled Evans.

"Officer Darden," I called out, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions churning inside me.

He jogged over. "What is it?"

"Check the database for a Madilyn Evans," I said, my tone firm. "We need everything we can find on her and her family."

He nodded, immediately heading for his car.

I sat down on the front steps, still holding Madilyn as she buried her face in my shoulder. Mason came out of the house a moment later, his expression somber.

"Hey," he said softly, crouching down beside us. He gave Madilyn a small smile, but it quickly faded as he turned back to me. "We found a bloody hammer in the kitchen. Prints match the father's."

My stomach churned, but I kept my composure. "Anything else?"

"There's a neighbor who saw him leave in a blue pickup truck," Mason added. "We've already put out an APB."

I nodded, my grip tightening slightly on Madilyn. "This poor girl," I murmured.

Mason's expression softened as he placed a reassuring hand on my arm. "You're doing great, Lydia. Just focus on her for now."

I glanced down at Madilyn, who had fallen quiet in my arms. She didn't deserve this. No child did.

"We'll get him," I said quietly, more to myself than anyone else. "We have to."

Mason nodded, his gaze steady. "We will."

And in that moment, I believed him. Because we had to. For Madilyn. For every child who'd ever been through something like this. We had to.