KILLED

Chapter Ten

In the end, the adults decide that I should be taken back home so I can pack some of my things. They decide after a few phone calls that I should stay with Detective Patrick and his wife and his daughter until this is over.
But I don't want to leave.
"I'm not going anywhere", I protest. "I want to stay."
"Tess, please", my mom says sleepily, her eyes half closed. "Do this for me."
I nod and stand up, leaning over to quickly kiss her pale forehead before turning around to follow the others out of the hospital room.
"Feel better, Momma", I whisper.
My father is waiting for us in the waiting room, and as soon as I come close enough, he grabs my free arm and tugs me with him.
I struggle to keep my balance as I exclaim, "Let go of me!"
"I am your father", he hisses. "I'm taking care of you now."
He jerks on my upper arm, and I go crashing to the floor, my crutch skidding across the tiles.
My dad pulls me back up, but before he can drag me any further, McCormick steps forward, pulling his gun out of the holster and cocking it, pointing it at the man's head.
"You are trying to take a girl somewhere without her consent, or the consent of her mother", he says evenly. "This is technically kidnapping. If you don't want to wind up in a jail cell, I'd release her and be on your way."
To emphasize his point, Patrick pulls out his weapon and holds it up, his eyes narrowed.
But my dad shoves me away from him, causing me to stumble again, and this time Tyler catches me and hoists me back to my feet, just as the man turns and storms  out of the building.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you", I say to Detective McCormick. "Don't let me go with him."
"We won't", Tyler promises, picking up my crutch and holding it out to me. I take it with a grateful nod.
"I want to lock him up anyway", Detective McCormick mutters.
"Please do", I murmur. "Then he wouldn't be able to go to court to try take me away from my mom."
"What?!", the forensic analyst exclaims. "A**hole."
Patrick sighs, turning to me. "Ready to go?"
I pull my phone out of my pocket out of habit, sighing sadly at the cracked screen.
"Yeah", I say quietly.
"I'll get you a new one", Tyler says, referring to my phone.
"No. It's fine."
"Kiddo, after what has happened the last few days, you deserve something nice. You're not going to stop me, no matter what you say."
I sigh. "Okay."
"Which means I need your phone." We reach the car, and I pull it out of my pocket and hand it to my friend.
"Don't you have a laptop?", he asks, opening the back door for me.
"Yeah."
"Good. Because you aren't going to have a phone until this is over."
"Okay", I say again.
>>>>-------->
Detective Patrick turns off the engine, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.
"We're here", he says awkwardly, glancing in me, seated beside him in the passenger seat.
I nod, picking up my backpack off of the floor and opening my door.
I sling the bag over my shoulders before standing up and tucking my crutch underneath my arm.
Silently, I follow the man up to the front door of the pale green, one-story house. He unlocks the door, and holds it open for me. I clump inside, my crutch making a thumping sound that echoes off of the wooden floor.
"Sam? Is that you?", a woman's voice calls from what I think is the kitchen.
"Yes!", he yells back.
I return my gaze to the floor, listening to the sound of incoming footsteps, looking up just in time to see a dark blonde haired, light blue- eyed woman kiss the detective on the cheek.
She surprises me when she leans down to give me a hug. I stiffen, then let myself relax, and for what I believe is the third time today, my eyes fill up with unwanted tears.
"I am so sorry for what has happened to you."
"Thank you", I whisper.
She releases me and straightens up back to her full height and says, "Come on, let's get you set up in the guest bedroom."
I nod and follow both adults into the hallway and to the second room on the left.
"I'll leave you two to it. I'll go make dinner, Soph."
Short for Sophia or Sophie, I think.
He leaves, shutting the door behind him.
I look down at the floor, shifting my feet awkwardly in silence. "What now?"
"Whatever you'd like. You can talk, or we can stand here in silence."
I laugh quietly in spite of myself, slowly lifting my gaze to look into her eyes.
"Thank you", I say again. "For letting me stay here, I mean."
"Of course", the woman replies, sitting down on the mattress. "Now, how about you get off your feet for a few minutes, and we'll get you set up in here."
I give her a small smile and take off my backpack, hopping up a couple inches away from her onto the bed.
"Okay."