Phoebe's 'Big Thing'

🍃 Chapter 7 🍃

"Why?" I gabbled. They both frowned in confusion, Sarah even looked a little hurt.
"What do you mean why?" Thomas asked, a crisp edge to his voice, "Freya - our daughter is missing, why wouldn't we call the police." Sarah didn't say anything, just stared at me with her brown almond shaped eyes. She really didn't look like Phoebe I thought.
"Freya?" Thomas asked. I blinked several times, my gaze focusing on to his ageing eyes, blue like Phoebe's.
"Well, what I mean is she's ok! She's on a trip," I babbled. Just then the piercing sound of the doorbell filled the room. "That'll be the police," Thomas grunted, heading towards the door. Sarah hurried closer to me, hands clasped at her chest, "what was that, a trip? You've known this whole time?"
"No I didn't know!" I cried, "I just found a note-"
"Hello there," we both turned to see a bulky, serious policeman, with a small and smiling policewoman by his side.
"This is my wife," Thomas introduced, "Sarah O'Sullivan." Sarah forced a smile and shook the man's giant hand. He gave me an unsure glance, "and you are?"
"Freya McGuire, I'm Phoebe's best friend." He dismissed my answer as he plonked himself at the kitchen table. Sarah hustled over with Thomas in cue.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Sarah asked the man, who was taking away his police hat from his sweaty hairline. "Yea, please," he replied with a nod. Sarah switched her gaze to the policewoman, who now had a notebook in her manicured hands. She was young, with striking but beautiful features. Bright hazel eyes bore into her smooth, tanned skin. She had a long sharp nose and a mane of curly brown hair. Italian, I guessed.

"That would be lovely," she replied with a smile to Sarah. Surely enough, she had an accent when she spoke. Phoebe's mom shuffled off to the kitchen, rustling out a packet of biscuits. Chocolate chip cookies; Phoebe's favourite. I sat down beside Thomas, who was biting his lip as the policeman started.
"Alright Mr.O'Sullivan-"
"Call me Thomas, I didn't catch your name"
"Officer Austin Brady," he said with proud authority. "Now let's not waste time and get started." Thomas nodded fiercely in agreement. The thought of the letter was burning at the back of my head, I got up quietly to join Sarah in the kitchen.

"I have a letter form Phoebe," I whispered. Sarah glared at me from her tea making, "what are you on about?" I put the letter in her hand, "I just found it in her room, it says where she is." She dropped the tea spoon and the clattering sound engulfed the kitchen. "What? Let me see this," she hissed.

"Sarah come here love," Thomas called. Sarah let out a wince of frustration as she stuffed the letter in her pocket. I grabbed the tea tray for her as we headed to the table.
"Alright," the Italian said, yet again with a cheerful smile, "this is a silly question but we are required to ask anyway." We all nodded. "Do any of you know where she is?"
"No," Thomas replied clearly. The lady looked at me and Sarah, her eyes really were beautiful. "Well," I started nervously. Sarah shuffled her feet and refused to look her in the eye. I gulped, "I actually do know where she is," I whispered. The intimidating Mr.Brady slammed his hand down on the table, "excuse me?" I flustered, desperate to save the situation as I felt everyone's quizzical stare on me.
"Well, I didn't before now you see- only before you came."
"So this has been a waste of our time?" The man snapped roughly. His foreign companion gave him a warning look.
"No!" I cried, "Sarah and Thomas didn't know, well I just told Sarah about the letter but-"
"What?" Thomas and the policeman said automatically.
"But I don't actually know," Sarah said quickly, her voice wobbling. I watched as the officer's eyes narrowed with anger. He looked sharply at Thomas, "we have real cases to solve so if this is some joke, you better get yourself in check." The Italian lady put a hand on his shoulder, a frustrated look on her face, "Austin." He shook her off.

"Excuse me," Thomas interrupted harshly, "this is not a joke, this is my daughter's disappearance. Whatever information my wife and Freya are talking about has an explanation."
"Look," officer Brady said, "teenagers can get a little wild sometimes." He said the word teenagers with disgust. "So if it's nothing serious here, and if you know where she is, as parents sort it out. If you can even manage that much. Don't waste a policeman's time, have some respect." We all gaped at him as Thomas raged.
"Look here officer, have the decency to listen to us before you make assumptions. Maybe you are wasting your time being a policeman." Brady pushed back his chair abruptly, spelling over his tea, "sir watch your tongue. I'm taking you down to the station." Thomas stood as well to match his towering stance, "for bloody what? I haven't done anything!"
Sarah and I looked at the calmer policewoman who mirrored our look of disgusted surprise. When we looked back we were all appalled to see the grumpy giant of an officer pushing Thomas out of his own door- to the police station.

After three hours of waiting, questioning and explaining; Thomas was free to go. He wrapped his arms around Sarah and they clung to each other. He caught me watching and gave me a sincere smile, "it's all sorted. They've questioned all of us and it's fine. Mr.Brady's supervisor put him on suspension for two days."
"Piece of shit," Sarah mumbled with distaste. I chuckled, Phoebe may not have gotten her looks from her mother, but she had gotten her fiery ways.
"Anyways," Thomas continued with a small smile, "they understand the situation. They said to feel free and call if we have anymore queries." He paused and looked at me, "but for now we're going to sort this out between ourselves. That's what Phoebe wants also," he said quietly, the letter folded in his hand.
Now the both of them looked at me, hopeful but hesitant to ask.

"I'll leave tomorrow," I reassured them, "before anything else gets out of hand."

Ciao👋🏽
And so the journey begins🛣
I wonder what Freya will find along the way? 🔎
And what is the thing that Phoebe and the parents are hiding from Freya? ❌
Read on to find out! 🌀
A new character will be coming soon..... I wonder what they will be like? 🤔
Thanks for reading my lovelies but make sure to:
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Stay tuned for the next chapter when we start looking for Phoebe! 👀