nuts.
“Aw, don’t get your panties in a twist,” he teases again. This time I make a face that if looks could kill I would have a winner. Boss or not, there are boundaries. His expression changes as he tucks the laptop under his arm and he heads for the door. “Be on your toes, Andrews.”
I nod as I watch him rush down the stairs and head for the door. We are on a timer now. If given enough time they could easily poke into Charlie’s email and find out where the email was sent from. A location can lead us straight to him. I take a deep breath and peer around in the hallway before shutting the door and taking the time to carefully lock each deadbolt.
I head down the hallway to see the bathroom door is now open and completely empty. I continue a few more steps, seeing her bedroom door is now wide open. I peer in, and see that Charlie is now sitting on her bed, leaning up against the head board with her knees up to her chest.
“Are you alright?” I ask.
She looks a little worn. Her eyes have dark circles under them. She’s a little shaky, and I can tell she’s having a rough time with the email. She’s a sad sight to see, sitting on her bed, her lips turned down in a frown while they quiver just enough for me to see.
She nods. “I think so.”
“This could be it,” I remind her. “We could have him.”
She nods again and purses her lips. She’s fighting tears, and she’s honestly doing a good job at it. “How did he get my email?” She asks.
I shrug. “I wish I had an answer,” I tell her, making my way into the room to sit at the edge of her bed. “I’m still here with you. No one is going to get passed me, unless I let them.”
Her eyes meet mine again for a moment, and before I knew what was happening, she lunges forward, throwing her arms around me and her body into me. This time, I relax and wrap my arms around her. She accepts my arms, and I feel her sigh as she seems to melt into me. The warm and sugary smell of vanilla comes up to my nose again as I rub a hand up and down her back. This is clearly against what I am here for; clearly it wouldn’t be allowed, but Charlie seems so at ease, it’s difficult to push her away. “I won’t let him get you,” I say.
She nods as I feel her head on my shoulder. “I trust you, Nick.”
I smile. “That’s good.”
I feel her breathing begin to slow and her muscles loosen up as I continue to let my hand rub her back.
“Thank you,” she says, softly.
“For what?” I reply.
“For everything,” she says. “I know this isn’t normal. But, you’ve been here so long,” she tells me. “I just feel close to you; I feel safe with you.”
I smile. , “That’s what we wanted all along.”
My phone ringing makes her slowly, and reluctantly, move back. I fish it from my pocket, sliding the answer key and pressing it to my ear. “Please tell me you have great news.”
“He was at the campus library,” Sergeant Wilson wastes no time. “Tracking him was no problem.”
“That’s good, that’s not too far,” I say. “Do we have him in custody?” I ask.
I can hear the let down in his voice. “No, and no one saw a damn thing. Even the person next to him can’t remember a damn thing, and he’s been on that computer for three hours for research.”
I slouch for a moment, and right away, Charlie picks up on my body language as her head drops. “We have to find him. I don’t know how much more she can take. And, besides that, it’s getting harder to keep her out of the media.”
“I really appreciate your concern, Andrews,” he tells me. “But, you just remember your place in this case. We’re doing everything we can.”
“But, you don’t see her every single day; you don’t see what she goes through. I do,” I snap. “Maybe more needs to be done!”
He’s quick to interrupt. “We’re doing our jobs, I suggest you do yours.”
Before I can say another word, the phone goes dead. I mutter
“Aw, don’t get your panties in a twist,” he teases again. This time I make a face that if looks could kill I would have a winner. Boss or not, there are boundaries. His expression changes as he tucks the laptop under his arm and he heads for the door. “Be on your toes, Andrews.”
I nod as I watch him rush down the stairs and head for the door. We are on a timer now. If given enough time they could easily poke into Charlie’s email and find out where the email was sent from. A location can lead us straight to him. I take a deep breath and peer around in the hallway before shutting the door and taking the time to carefully lock each deadbolt.
I head down the hallway to see the bathroom door is now open and completely empty. I continue a few more steps, seeing her bedroom door is now wide open. I peer in, and see that Charlie is now sitting on her bed, leaning up against the head board with her knees up to her chest.
“Are you alright?” I ask.
She looks a little worn. Her eyes have dark circles under them. She’s a little shaky, and I can tell she’s having a rough time with the email. She’s a sad sight to see, sitting on her bed, her lips turned down in a frown while they quiver just enough for me to see.
She nods. “I think so.”
“This could be it,” I remind her. “We could have him.”
She nods again and purses her lips. She’s fighting tears, and she’s honestly doing a good job at it. “How did he get my email?” She asks.
I shrug. “I wish I had an answer,” I tell her, making my way into the room to sit at the edge of her bed. “I’m still here with you. No one is going to get passed me, unless I let them.”
Her eyes meet mine again for a moment, and before I knew what was happening, she lunges forward, throwing her arms around me and her body into me. This time, I relax and wrap my arms around her. She accepts my arms, and I feel her sigh as she seems to melt into me. The warm and sugary smell of vanilla comes up to my nose again as I rub a hand up and down her back. This is clearly against what I am here for; clearly it wouldn’t be allowed, but Charlie seems so at ease, it’s difficult to push her away. “I won’t let him get you,” I say.
She nods as I feel her head on my shoulder. “I trust you, Nick.”
I smile. “That’s good.”
I feel her breathing begin to slow and her muscles loosen up as I continue to let my hand rub her back.
“Thank you,” she says, softly.
“For what?” I reply.
“For everything,” she says. “I know this isn’t normal. But, you’ve been here so long,” she tells me. “I just feel close to you; I feel safe with you.”
I smile. , “That’s what we wanted all along.”
My phone ringing makes her slowly, and reluctantly, move back. I fish it from my pocket, sliding the answer key and pressing it to my ear. “Please tell me you have great news.”
“He was at the campus library,” Sergeant Wilson wastes no time. “Tracking him was no problem.”
“That’s good, that’s not too far,” I say. “Do we have him in custody?” I ask.
I can hear the let down in his voice. “No, and no one saw a damn thing. Even the person next to him can’t remember a damn thing, and he’s been on that computer for three hours for research.”
I slouch for a moment, and right away, Charlie picks up on my body language as her head drops. “We have to find him. I don’t know how much more she can take. And, besides that, it’s getting harder to keep her out of the media.”
“I really appreciate your concern, Andrews,” he tells me. “But, you just remember your place in this case. We’re doing everything we can.”
“But, you don’t see her every single day; you don’t see what she goes through. I do,” I snap. “Maybe more needs to be done!”
He’s quick to interrupt. “We’re doing our jobs, I suggest you do yours.”
Before I can say another word, the phone goes dead. I mutter
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