Tracked

Chapter 4

(Edited)

A blast of air conditioning hits me greets me as Dan and I push open the doors to Station House 9. Memories from my childhood enter my head, but for the sake of the task at hand, I try to push them out of my mind. Some of the officers that are in the main room turn to stare at us as we walk by, many of them giving me a welcoming smile.

"Rebecca Jones! It's been too long!" A voice echoes across the room.

"Chief!" I reply, turning to smile at the large man walking towards me with a large smile on his face. "You saw me a few months ago."

"A few months is still too long. Hello Daniel. I didn't expect to see you." He says turning to face Dan who has stopped on my left.

"Hey Chief. Yeah, Becca wanted some company on her little adventure."

"What brings you two here when your summer has just started? Shouldn't you be out doing something fun instead of here at some dark police station."

"Oh, come on Chief, the station is awesome. Besides, we are on a mission." I reply, glancing to my side.

"Oh, really? What kind of mission?" The chief asks with amusement.

"Dad forgot something in his office and when he was cleaning around the house earlier this week, he realized it was missing. I offered to come get it because he seemed really torn up about it." I reply as Dan gives me a sideways glance.

"Is that so?" The Chief drawls slowly, as though he doesn't believe me. "What was this very important something that your father forgot in his office and hasn't noticed it's been missing for six years?"

"A picture of mom and me when I was little. It's the one he used to keep in his desk drawer at the office, he hasn't seen it since he left."

"That picture was extremely special to him Becca, how is it possible that your father didn't notice the photo was missing for so long." Dan glances at me nervously, but I ignore him and respond easily.

"My father has only been able to look at pictures of my mom again as of less than 2 months ago Chief. Until then all the photos of her have been put away in a room in the house and haven't been seen since. Even still he only has one or two that he's taken out." The Chief's jaw tightens, and he nods slowly.

"Oh, Daniel, by the way, I think your uncle just came into work, hang on a second-"

"Oh, um...Chief, that's alright, I actually don't need-"

"Your uncle works here?" I ask, cutting Dan off.

"Yeah...about that..."

"Hello nephew, Rebecca." A familiar voice greets Dan and I in a formal fashion as Sergeant James Sanders steps out of his officer. My teeth grind against my lip at the discovery that my father's best friend, and the man who told me my mother died, is Dan's uncle. 'How did I never know? Does dad know? Why didn't Dan ever tell me?'

"Hello uncle. How are things?" Dan replies, shallowing hard as he shoves his hand into his front pocket.

"Things are, well. How about you Rebecca, what's new in your world? It's been a while since I've visited." Sergeant Sanders asks me, but the fact that he keeps calling me Rebecca is odd.

"Nothing new to report James and yes, it has been a long time. Do you think I'm too old now to still be called Becca?" I reply, smiling at him. He flashes a quick smile at me, looking me up and down.

"You've grown Becca, and of course not, I just wasn't sure if you'd outgrown daddy's little nickname for you." He teases.

"I did, he isn't allowed to call me Becky anymore."