Chasing a Broken Butterfly

Chapter 20:

Once I've stumbled over my words multiple times in a hurried attempt to explain everything that happened, I look up at him and stare at his lips to wait for his response.

Instead of answering me, he gets up, slips on a pair of sweats and converse, grabs his jacket and keys before telling me to wait in his room.

What? Where is he going?

I disobey him and follow him to his car. When he sees me, he growls, "Elle, what the hell? I told you to stay inside! Did you not hear me?"

I feel my face flush once again when he says that last sentence. What is it with me and my insecurity about my hearing? Thankfully, Mikey knows me well enough to know that I'm sensitive about that subject. He realizes the impact of the words he said almost immediately.

"I'm sorry, Elle. You know I don't mean it like that," he sighs.

I shake my head to disregard his apology, I know he didn't mean it. It just always gets to me for some reason.
"Where are you going?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"I was heading to the police station," he says cautiously. I suppose he's trying to test the waters with me, to see if I'll agree with what he's doing. "Elle?" he asks when I don't respond. It's his way of asking whether I heard him correctly without actually asking. I like that he does that.

"Well, why?" I honestly don't see a reason for him to go. If they were unwilling to help me, what makes Mikey think that they will listen to him?

"Because it's infuriating that they just shrug you off like a pest without actually trying to figure out the root of the problem," he huffs. He eyes me before yanking the car door open and jumping inside.

Without a second thought, I climb right in.

The whole ride over we both sat in silence. Maybe it was his anger towards the police department's lack of investigation or maybe it was me and my nervousness to blame, but whatever it was, the silence was killing me. There was some type of tension in the air, and I didn't like it one bit.

When we pull up to the police station, Mikey instructs me once again to stay put. But I don't listen to him. Again.
Instead of trying to argue with me, he just rolls his eyes.

The smell of coffee and rotted wood greets my nose and I find it a comforting smell this time around. I have no idea why.

Officer McKinley isn't at the front desk anymore. Instead, a younger looking male, probably in his late twenties, with the whitest blond hair I've ever laid eyes on has taken his place. He doesn't have a badge, but he has a name tag fastened to his shirt.

Westmoreland. It's an interesting last name.

Mikey approaches him with such a determination, that I'm momentarily afraid for the blond boy. He's a newbie, I can tell.

"I need to speak to the sheriff," Mikey stares him down.

"I'm sorry, sir, but he's at lunch right now," the blond boy responds, his eyebrows furrowing, obviously trying to analyze the situation.

"Well, I need to speak to somebody. My girlfriend is being harassed in her own home and apparently your team of officers aren't doing anything about it,"

"Sir," the Westmoreland boy interjects, but Mikey cuts him off.

"She says that she's not responsible for any of the alleged calls, so I need somebody to get to the bottom of this," he half yells at the newbie.

I've never seen him so heated. And girlfriend? Did he just say girlfriend? No, I probably heard wrong.

I look back at the newbie, half expecting to see a face filled with apprehension, but instead I'm taken by surprise. The blond boy is standing up, fists clenched at his sides, and looking at Mikey right in the eye.

"Sir, I've told you. The sheriff is on lunch right now. You are more than welcome to stay until he returns, but I cannot have you making a scene inside the office. Now, you either sit down and wait quietly or I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Officer Westmoreland harshly replies, leaving Mikey a little astounded.

At that exact moment, I see the entry door open and look over to see Officer McKinley walk in. As soon as he spots me, his frown lines grow deeper and I see him heading straight towards us.