Her Name Was Jane

Her name was Jane. That was all Reese knew, but something about her felt familiar. He had read the police report a million times; a twenty year old girl had gone missing after a late-night party with some friends. Five years later, everyone seemed to have given up. Everyone but Reese. He looked at the calendar on his office wall.

"Happy 25th sweetheart.." He muttered to the tattered picture of the missing stranger he couldn't seem to get off of his mind.

Reese rolled his shoulders and stretched, pain climbing up his back. He really needed sleep. He took another look at the faded picture and stood quickly, pacing his office. There must have been something he missed, something he just wasn't seeing. Maybe if he went through some old leads, he'd find something.

He sighed in frustration and sat heavily at his cluttered desk. The other investigators had tried to convince Reese to give up, but he just couldn't seem to let this one go. He had to find her.

Reese's attention was quickly pulled back to the present when his partner walked in. Mac had a few years on him and was the one who had shown Reese the ropes when he first joined the police force.

Mac was a big man with a military style crew cut and a stern face. His muscular arms were nearly covered with scars that served as reminders from his many years on the field. Everyone at the station knew Mac, but few knew more than his name. And even fewer wanted to know more. The big guy came from a shady background. Even Reese, one of a very few that Mac considered a friend, didn't know the whole story.

He had asked Mac before and what resulted was a very long and uncomfortably silent all-night stakeout. But the big man had a softer side that no one saw. A side he had learned to hide many years ago.

Mac tossed a file onto Reese's desk and sat at his own, his chair squeaking in protest at the sudden weight.

"Another cold case." His voice was gruff and he crossed his muscular arms and put his feet up on his desk.

Reese leafed through the file quickly and threw it back on the desk, "The guy was a convicted criminal anyway. Whoever killed him was doing him a favor." He turned to look at Mac, eyes shaded from lack of sleep.

The elder looked over his usually calm and collected partner with a bit of surprised. He stretched casually and looked at the picture of the missing girl Reese kept on his desk. "Maybe it's time you drop that case." He said gently as he gestured to the opened police report, "She hasn't been found in five years by our best investigators. What's telling you that you'll do any better?" It may have seemed harsh, but Mac was concerned about the kid. He was really running himself into the ground.

Reese stood quickly, chair crashing into his desk as he clenched his fists. "You don't understand." His voice was a dangerous growl, "This stranger has become my life! She's in trouble and I can't stop until I find her!" His voice quickly changed to desperation but he kept his threatening stance.

With a soft grunt Mac stood, towering over his younger partner. Crossing his arms, he let a rare glimpse of his hidden worry for Reese show. "Go home. Get some rest. I'll cover for you if the boss comes looking."

Reese's face faltered and he unclenched his hands. With a nod he slowly made his way to his truck and drove home in a slight haze, nearly running a few red lights without noticing.

After a short drive across town, Reese pulled into his driveway and headed up the back stairs to his 3rd floor apartment. Mac was right, he needed sleep. Reese locked the door behind him and threw his keys on the kitchen table. At that second his phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Hello?" He headed for his bedroom but stopped in his tracks when he heard a whispered, feminine voice over a weak connection.

"Don't stop looking. She's still out there. Don't let them tell you otherwise." Before he could ask any questions, the call was cancelled and Reese was left there staring at his phone.