The Licensed Mage

20 Catchers

        “Mr. and Mrs. Brown, is there anything more you can tell us about your daughter running away? Do you have any idea of where she may go? If she would contact any of her friends?”

       They were finally able to make it at the Brown’s and were all sitting in their living room. Mrs. Brown had brought out hot tea for everyone and Claire was the only one to take a cup but has yet to sip it. The dream she had kept playing in her head, something nagging at her about it. She tried her best to follow the conversation but only retained every other word.

        The couple looked at each other then turned to Raven with their red eyes Mr. Brown speaking, “No. She never told us anything about where she had gone or if she stayed with anyone.”

        “She never mentioned anything?” Raven was quickly scribbling away in his notepad as Mrs. Brown turned to him.

        “No, a few times she would return covered in dirt but whenever I asked her about it she would shut me out.”

        “Covered in dirt how?”

        Mrs. Brown whipped at her eyes, “Like she’s been sleeping in it.”

        Raven made another note as he asked more questions, “Did you ever contact any of her friends when she ran away?”

        Mr. Brown squeezed his wife’s hand as he answered, “The first time she had missed school. The school called us and we tried calling her but she never picked up. We even went to the school and met some of her friends. No one saw her or heard from her. We searched at all her favorite places and never found her till we came home that night. She was on the front porch waiting for us.”

        Mrs. Brown bowed her head as she whispered, “She looked so terrible.”

        Claire turned her head, attentive for the first time in the conversation, “Terrible? What do you mean?”

        Mrs. Brown suppressed a hiccup as she spoke, “She was so pale, like she hadn’t eaten all day or never seen the sun. She was practically white. We tried to get her to eat dinner but she refused to answer any of our questions and went to bed. She slept all night and into the next day. She slept for 24 hours almost.”

        “Hmm.” Claire held her chin with her finger as she thought. Raven made a mental note to ask her thoughts as he went back to his questions.

        “After that the durations of her disappearances would become longer, is that right?” They both nodded their heads, “Did she always leave quietly?”

        Mrs. Brown answered, “Yes, we would wake up in the mornings to find her gone.”

        “Do you know when she would disappear?” She shook her head, “Ok. Would she take anything with her as the hours turned into days?”

        She nodded her head, “Yes, she started taking her duffle bag. Her favorite blue one.”

        Raven raised an eyebrow, “One with a false bottom?”

        They both visibly stiffen as Mr. Brown spoke, “Yes. She loved that one. She would hide her favorite souvenirs in it when we go on trips. Did you find it?”

        Raven slowly nodded his head as tears begun to shine in their eyes once more. Mrs. Brown voice slightly shook as she spoke, “May we have it? Please?”

        Raven heaved a heavy sigh, “I’m afraid it’s evidence right now, but I promise as soon as the case is over you will get it back.” They weren’t pleased with that answer but consented for now, “Do you think you could list some of the items she would take? Something you noticed that would always disappear when she did?”