Chasing Demons

Chapter Eight

When Leroy and Tommy arrived at the police station, a heavy set, pot-bellied man approached them outside.

"I'm Captain Francisco Marlin. But everyone around here usually either calls me Frank or Cisco. Whichever you choose is fine with me."

"I'm SSA Kruegler, and this is SSA Hatano," said Leroy.

Cisco shook Leroy's hand and held out his for Tommy to shake, but Tommy held his hand against his chest and shook his head. Tommy didn't like to shake hands. Or to be touched in general.

"I understand you have identified the survivor?" asked Leroy as they walked into the station.

"Yes, Charlie Bruskin. 16."

"What can you tell us about the investigation on his disappearance?" asked Tommy.

Cisco sighed. "Not much. His mother reported him missing eight years ago."

"You mean you didn't even investigate?" asked Leroy.

The Captain shook his head.

"No one even bothered to look for this boy for EIGHT years?!"

Cisco shrugged. "He had a propensity of running off."

"Are you sure it's not because he's part black?" Leroy asked.

Cisco crossed his arms with a sigh. "We don't have many officers. It's a small town. I couldn't risk utilizing all our manpower on a runaway. Most runaways don't wanna be found."

"That boy's whole childhood was taken from him and is never going to be the same because you and all of your other officers were too damn lazy to even bother searching for him," said Leroy.

Cisco sighed as a guilty look flashed across his face.

"How many other cases did you not investigate?" asked Leroy, anger building in his voice.

Cisco didn't respond.

"Do you have a place where we can set up?" asked Tommy.

Cisco nodded. "Right this way."

He led them to a white painted room with tan carpeting, a whiteboard, and a long table.

"I'll call Levins and have her dig up all the unsolved cases that involve missing boys," said Tommy.

"Tell her to go back at least 20 years," said Leroy, "There's a chance that this isn't the guy's first rodeo."

"On it," said Tommy as he took out his phone and walked into the corridor.

Audrey Levins is the team's technical analyst. She works from a small office back in Quantico and provides valuable information for the team.

Julian walked into the conference room a few minutes later.

"How's the boy?" asked Leroy.

Julian sighed as he shook his head. "He's so traumatized he can't even speak."

"And the boy's mother?"

"As you'd expect. Any updates on the missing boy?"

"The officers have been canvassing all night and this morning, interviewing all his friends, teachers and classmates. So far nothing. It's like he just vanished," said Leroy.

"Well he didn't, someone took him," said Julian.

"Walters went to talk to the family. She's getting an item of clothing for the search dogs. Hatano's getting Levins to give us all the unsolved missings that involve young boys over the past 20 years," said Leroy.

"You think this guy did this before?"

"Most definitely," Leroy asserted as he looked at a photo of Charlie. "A guy like this doesn't come up with this kind of torture overnight."