Misfortune ( Lin Manuel Miranda )

Chapter 6

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13 hours.

13 hours since her husband went missing.

13 hours she hasn't slept.

13 hours and another minute goes by, Vanessa's husband still not found.

Vanessa dropped Sebastian off at her cousins a few hours ago, briefly explaining what is going on. She doesn't want a lot of people to know. She especially doesn't want the public to know yet, doesn't want the tabloids and magazines to get a hold of a story not meant to be told yet, or maybe ever.

Vanessa hasn't left the police station, and sitting next to her are Lin's parents, just as traumatized and worried as she is.

Vanessa's leg shakes uncontrollably, has been since a cop told her she should sit for a while because she looked a little pale and exhausted.

The police have Lin's phone as evidence. They tell her over and over again that the first 48 hours of a missing person case are the most important, and Vanessa is unsure about how that is supposed to be comforting.

"Anything new?" Vanessa asks as the lead detective walks by her, and she stands up, following him.

"No, not since we discovered he was taken by a taxi that left that ally, and not since you asked the same question about an hour ago." He responds in a tired mumble, not even bothering to look her in the eye. He turns his back to Vanessa, seemingly dismissing her.

Vanessa grows angry.

"Will you fucking stop and talk to me for a second?! My husband was kidnapped and no one in this station is giving me and our family any time, respect, sympathy, and fucking updates!" She yells, and she's breathing heavily, suddenly light headed- but she stands her ground.

Vanessa doesn't know where this anger has come from. Maybe from the lack of sleep, no food or water, and the pure stress she has experienced within the past 13 painful hours. All she knows now is that she's caught the attention of the whole station, every cop stopping for a second to look at her.

The detective sighs and turns to face her again, "Listen, we're doing everything we can to track the taxi and find your husband. You'll be the first to know when we have an update." He says, and turns back around to walk away.

Vanessa clutches her hands into fists so tightly her knuckles begin to turn white, and she marches away to find a bathroom.

When she does, she locks the door behind her, and breaks down. Her knees buckle and she falls to the ground. Tears come streaming out of her eyes, and her chest heaves, a deep ache living there. She knows she can't let herself be seen like this, she has to be strong for everyone.

She has to be strong.

-~-

*3 hours later*

16 hours. It's been 16 hours now and they found the taxi abandoned just outside of NYC in a parking lot with no cameras.

The detective tells Vanessa that whoever is doing this is not an amateur. Vanessa is unsure about how that is supposed to be comforting.

"You should go home, get some rest." The detective tells her, and Vanessa hesitantly agrees, seeing that it is three in the afternoon. She tells him to call as soon as there are any updates.

She hates that man, but she knows that he is her only connection in knowing what's going on.

When Vanessa gets home, she grabs a water bottle from the fridge and collapses on the couch, clutching her phone close to her chest.