Whittaker Forest

one.

          "I know this can be a bit unnerving but it is necessary that we currently tell you this, as an update of sorts. The lead to the warehouse has gone cold." Harsh. But that was his job wasn't it? To tell the families what he could with whatever little information he has. It's not like this was his first missing person case.

          But still, Miles couldn't believe what he was hearing, the fact that Bek could possibly be dead? Well, it made his stomach churn. He was just with her the other day and from what he could tell she seemed fine but that's it. That's what scared him. She was fine, acting normal and then suddenly she ups and disappears? How does anyone go off of that alone?

          Well, there were those messages she sent him but that did no help, they traced her phone back to the old abandoned warehouse on Rae Avenue. She wasn't there, yet they're still looking? They might be fooling everyone else but Miles isn't stupid, they have no idea where Bek is they're only saying she's in the general area of the warehouse because that's the only lead they had.

          The area around the warehouse isn't rundown, it's far from it actually, there's little boutiques lined up all around the streets so it's always busy out there. If she was really out there then someone, anybody should have seen her, right? Right.

          The sound of the clock ticking back and forth, along with the faint sound of Mrs. Whitfield crying was all that could be heard in the otherwise quiet house. Mr. Whitfield was attempting to soothe his wife but Miles could tell that he was on the brink of tears himself.

Tick.

Tock.

Miles couldn't figure it out.

Tick.

Tock.

The police must have missed something. Those messages, they must've meant so—

Tick.

Tock.

But what?

________________________________________________________________

Miles

Bianca and Bayley were thinking about having a get together this weekend. You know ever since we've all went our separate ways with college and what not.

Sent.

Seen 8:42pm

Bek

miles

Received: 10:36 pm

Bek

i don't know whats going on

Received: 10:36 pm

Bek

i'm

Received: 10:38 pm

Bek

i'm confused miles

Received: 10:38 pm

Bek

i don't understand it

Received: 10:39 pm

Bek

miles

Received: 10:40 pm

Bek

its all true. it is

Received: 10:42 pm

Bek

miles i need your help

Received: 11:22 pm

________________________________________________________________

          Miles didn't see them in time. He was up the night before studying for a test so he went to sleep earlier than usual the next night. She called him a couple of times after the last message but no voicemails were left.

          "Ma'am I have to ask again, are you sure your daughter showed no suspect behavior? No signs that something was bothering her?" The detective, Sam Jones was his name, pulled out a notepad and pen walking Bek's parents through the days before their daughters' disappearance.

          Was she taken? God, Miles didn't want to believe that someone could have possibly done something to her. But that could explain why she didn't leave behind a voicemail. Or what if she saw someone up to nothing good and she needed his help to get out of there not leaving behind a voice message in fear of getting caught? Yes. That made more sense than someone possibly kidnapping her. Or did it? Did Miles assume that because he didn't want to think of what could have happened had she been kidnapped?

          Mrs. Whitfield sniffles, wiping her nose with the tissue she had clutched in her grasp, "I-I'm sorry detective but she was behaving like she always did. There was nothing that seemed off about her, y'know?" She glances at her husband for a brief moment, giving him a shaking smile before turning back to Detective Jones. "There was nothing she did or was doing that made us seem suspicious about her. Though, Detective I think you'll have better luck with asking Miles over there he was with her a lot more than we were these past few days."

           Upon hearing his name Miles looked up from his spot at the kitchen doorway. All eyes were on him and it made him feel nervous. What if he couldn't give them any information that was worth looking into? He couldn't even think of a reason as to why Bek would send him messages of that nature. How the fuck was he supposed to be even remotely close to helping the police?

          "Miles," Detective Jones strides over to him, looking at him with a stern gaze.

          "Yes?"

          His eyes search Miles' for something Miles couldn't quite place his finger on but he just looks back at the Detective with a questioning glance.

          He points a thumb over his shoulder, towards the Whitfields. "Mrs. Whitfield tells me that you were with her for some time these past few days?"

          "I," Swallowing slowly Miles blinks up at the Detective. "Yes. I thought that you knew that though? I, just, no offens− Have the police checked in with any of the store owners in the area where her phone was found?" He didn't understand why the Detective was acting like he wasn't aware that Miles had been with Bek. He should be asking around. Not asking questions everyone already knows the answers to.

          "Listen Miles," Detective Jones puts a hand up, the pen in his hand held up by two fingers. "There's no need to be so defensive. We're currently working on it but that's not my place to be questioning storeowners. I'm supposed to be here, understand?"

          Miles squared his jaw, clenching and unclenching his fists. Nodding his head in understanding he signaled for the Detective to continue his questions.

          "Alright, then."         

          Miles didn't like the way the Detective was just brushing this off. He would just have to wait for the Detective to leave and then he'd be able to look into things on his own.