Lessons Learned (Sequel to Love At War) Harry Styles

Chapter 27

I was possessed. The tires of the car must have been leaving marks on the road as I skidded round corners, braked and accelerated suddenly. I still couldn't get hold of Harry, he was in a meeting with the boys about some promotion stuff when sabbatical ended; great timing obviously. The police station was literally down the end of the road I was on, but it suddenly seemed so far away. Time felt like it was slowing down as I approached it. How in the world could Lucas sink this low? Where was Harry? Where were my beautiful baby girls?

My phone started blaring on my lap, and I answered it as soon as I was in a parking space. I didn't even need to look the phone to know that it must have been Harry.

"Baby, you know I'm in a meeting right now, you know I can't...what's wrong?" he sighed, the annoyance in his voice apparent. I knew that he still thought I was overreacting about the whole situation.

Well I wasn't. And what I had to tell him was going to prove that.

"I don't know where they are Harry!" I told him, breaking down once again. "He's taken them and I have absolutely no idea where they are!" There was silence from the other end of the phone. I prayed to God that he'd heard me because I don't think I'd have had the strength to say it again. "Harry, please talk to me."

"Where are you?" he whispered, his tone icy.

"At the police station."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes, wait outside for me," he replied, the dial tone following his final word.

I stared at the phone. I couldn't wait fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes could literally mean life and death for my girls. I didn't actually think Lucas would do anything, after all, his text had said 'adoptive daughters' and the girls had gone with him willingly. They liked him, he must have treated them well while I wasn't there. But I couldn't focus on that now. I needed Harry to be here so we could go inside the station and tell them what had happened. I couldn't repeat it again, I wouldn't be able to cope.

Within a few minutes, Harry's car screeched to a halt next to mine. He jumped out, his hair messy due to the fact he'd been running his hand through it constantly on the drive over. He didn't say a word, but engulfed me into a hug. My head rested into the crook of his neck, and I could feel his breath shake as he held me.

"I can't lose them again Liss," he murmured, holding me even tighter. "Not after everything, I can't lose them."

"I know," I muttered. "But we need to get inside. He could be anywhere right now, and the longer we wait, the harder it's going to be to find them."

--

I'd never known a case like this to move so fast. Usually when someone goes missing, there has to be a 24 hour period before the police can actually do anything. But because of the fact that Lucas was known to be dangerous, and because of Harry's position in the media, I was now sat on a long table, Harry to my left, and DI Adams on my right. There were other people on the table too, but I didn't know who they were. I'd been told, but I hadn't listened. I couldn't listen to anything or anyone right now, it all felt like an echo. In front of us were cameras, reporters, journalists.

A press conference. A press conference to appeal to Lucas, to find my girls.

I just prayed it worked.

DI Adams stood up and the crowd fell silent as he adjusted his tie and cleared his throat.

"At 3.30pm this afternoon, Madeleine Anna Green and Eloise Harriet Green were taken from their school by this man," he began, referring to a large picture of Lucas behind him. "This man is known to be incredibly dangerous and should not be approached."