Partners in Crime

Chapter 7 - Find Her!

*At the district*

*No one's P.O.V*

The heat outside was suffocating and the tension in the air of the squad room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. As the unit reached the top of the staircase, Voight spun on his heels to face the rest of the unit.

"Burgess and Roman, you two will investigate the burnt body we found at the house. Ruzek, put a B.O.L.O out to all major travel checkpoints with a description of Jenkins and Erin in case he tries to get her out of Chicago. Atwater, you and Olinsky find out everything you can about Jenkins. Mouse, check all security cameras in and around the station. I want to know how Jenkins got Erin out of there" he ordered, each person getting straight on to their assigned task.

"What about me sergeant?" Jay asked, confused at having been left out.

"We are going to go into my office and you are going to tell me everything you know" Voight said, turning around, and striding into his office with Jay following close behind.

Voight shut the door to his office before turning to look at the young detective in front of him.

Jay Halstead was hunched over on the couch, with his head in his hands.

After a moment of silence, he raised his head to meet the concerned gaze of his boss. "This is all my fault. I should have been there. I should have protected her" he rambled on almost incoherently.

"Tell me exactly what happened after we agreed to meet back up at the front entrance" Voight requested, taking a seat on the chair in front of the couch.

"I looked over to the other platform and saw Erin looking at her phone. A train had just left that platform so there weren't many people around. We waved to each other and then I turned and walked up the stairs. The elderly woman in front of me was going really slowly so when I reached the top of the stairs and could not see Erin, I just assumed she had just gone to the front entrance to meet up with everyone else, so I just made my way to the meeting spot" Jay explained.

"Ok. Go pull yourself together and then come back and help Mouse look through security footage" Voight instructed. Jay nodded in response and left Voight's office, making a beeline for the locker room.

*Jay's P.O.V*

This was all my fault. I should have never let Jenkins take Erin. I was supposed to protect her.

My mind was all over the place as I sank down onto the bench seat in the locker room, my head in my hands. I let my tears fall as the ache in my chest seemed to grow with each passing moment.

I looked up as the sound of footsteps got closer. Ruzek stood in front of me, an apologetic look on his face.

"It's all my fault" I choked out, the tears now flowing freely down my face.

"Blaming yourself isn't going to get her back. You gotta pull yourself together and focus" Ruzek countered and deep down, I knew he was right.

I wiped the tears from my eyes with the sleeve of my jumper and took a deep, calming breath.

"Thanks man" I said, smiling at Ruzek as I got up to join the others in the squad room. Ruzek nodded his head to me as I walked past and then followed me out of the locker room.

Dawson greeted us in the entranceway to the squad room with a serious expression on his face.

"Burgess and Roman got a call from the M. E's office. They got an ID off that burnt body we found" he informed us, before swiftly turning and going to stand in front of the whiteboard.

Burgess placed the photograph of a young boy on the board and turned to face the rest of the unit.

"The burnt body was identified as that of Jordan Ramsey. He is six years old and went missing two days ago from the underground car park at Millennium Station. M.E says cause of death is the same as the other victims" Roman told us.

"Why did he burn the body this time though? What was different about this victim?" Atwater asked, voicing what we were all thinking.

"Maybe this one was personal" Olinsky suggested, earning a nod from each person in the room.

"Burgess and Roman, you keep digging into the Ramsey case, the rest of us are going to work on finding Erin. I do not care how many laws we have to break to do it, but we are going to find her. If anyone has a problem with that, leave now" Voight instructed, no one moving. Voight nodded before retreating into his office and slamming the door shut behind him.

The whole unit leapt into action.

'Whatever it takes, whatever the cost; I will get her back' I thought to myself.

A.N.////// Sorry this took so long. I was hoping to have it up before Christmas but got busy with work and cooking. 

Hope you like this chapter!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! 

Until next time lovelies!

AJ   xxxx