Don't Talk to Strangers

XXXVIII

- Dan -
I climbed out of the police car, wincing against the unbearable handcuffs. I looked up blankly at my house, trying to ignore the fact that I wasn't alone.

I'd convinced them to let me help them, so I told them I'd need to get the file from my house. I was told I'd have to be escorted. I figured as much.

I turned and gave the officer and the handcuffs a pointed look. He raised an eyebrow and stepped over to unlock them. I rubbed my wrists for a moment. When I noticed he was still tense, I raised my hands with an exasperated sigh. "Look, I'm seriously trying to help. I'm won't try anything. Promise." He rolled his eyes and I snorted.

I hopped up the steps and opened the door, pausing in the doorway to breathe in the familiar smell. It had been a long time since I'd felt comfortable. I still wasn't entirely, but this was close. Then I noticed the couch where Cassidy had slept that first night and it shattered the peace. I jumped into motion and started toward the back hall. It's probably in the office, I thought, nodding to myself.

I opened the door and hardly noticed the chair I nearly tripped over. I went straight to the desk, rustling around. Then the file cabinet. Then the bookshelf. Then the drawer. It wasn't there. I started getting annoyed and desperate, my mind torturing me with images of Cassie sitting in a dark room, being tortured herself.

"Come on, where are you?" I murmured, running a tired hand through my hair. I tugged at it for a moment, closing my eyes and taking a breath. What was I doing the last time I'd held it in my hand?

My eyes popped open and I darted to the door, looking out to see the officer standing in the living room, glancing around. I shook my head and hurried into the room, making a beeline for the desk beside the couch. There it was, sitting under a mug and other obsolete papers.

I snatched it up and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling closer to Cassie than I had in too long. I flashed it to the officer, who nodded and gestured to the door. He allowed me to get into the back uncuffed and still holding the file. I shrugged it off, just staring at the piece of gold in my hand. Cassie... I'm coming. I could hardly think of anything else.

I shifted in the seat, anxiously waiting to do something, get somewhere. The drive seemed unbearably long. I continued looking at the folder, almost afraid to let it go, yet feeling repulsed by it at the same time. After a few mindless minutes, I found myself itching to open it once again.

You have brought me so much trouble. I glared at the beige covering. But soon I found myself pulling back the front cover and peering inside. The second I saw the title, yelling Dangerous! I pulled it open completely and violently.

My eyes hungrily scanned the pages, even the paragraphs about Cassie that I'd purposely missed before. Especially those. I reread them multiple times. But one other paragraph caught my eye. The name of the suspect. Connor Meredith. I turned the name over in my head for a while, trying to figure out why that seemed so... striking.

Then it was like the entire world had crashed around me. I felt myself drain of color and gripped the seat. I swallowed hard and looked again. Connor Meredith. It didn't change. Then I dragged my gaze down the page and found Cassie's paragraph.

My fears were only nailed deeper into my stomach. My voice caught in my throat and I nearly choked.

"It's her father."

Dun dun dunnn... Dan's figuring things out!! I'm going to try to wrap this up within the next few chapters. (Which could possibly mean 10 but who knows.) Thanks to everyone reading, voting, commenting, and adding! It means so much. xoxo