The only reassuring thing is that Detective Flynn is still on the case. He was the only one on the police force that actually gave the case a chance… me a chance. He wasn’t happy that they wrote it off as a burglary gone wrong, but he didn’t have the evidence to keep it open, and he was one man against the entire department.
As her words process, the familiar numbness flows over me again. I can’t do this a second time. I can’t relive this hell.
How much does the universe expect me to take?
I get up from the table, and she looks alarmed. Meeting her eyes, I set my phone down in front of her and turn around. My feet somehow carry me to the door and I wrench it open. She calls my name, but I take off at a full run.
I need space.
I need to be alone right now.
Somehow I manage to start running down the sidewalk, weaving in and out of the few people that are milling around.
“Charlie?!” Adam’s voice startles me and I pause. The tears are already running down my cheeks and I don’t have the mental strength to explain, so I try to run past, but he snags my wrist in his hand and pulls me back to him.
“What’s wrong?” he tries again, hand smoothing over my hair. When I can’t stop the tears, he just pulls me into a bear hug instead. It’s calming, but it barely chisels away at the panic threatening to consume me whole.
I guess I’m not as numb as I first thought.
When the damn of my full emotions threatens to break, I take a shaky breath and push away from the warm hug, though part of me doesn’t really want to leave his protection. Without looking back, I take off down the street. I don’t stop running until my lungs and legs both burn so bad I have to. Of course, I have no clue where I’m at this point, and I was stupid enough to leave my phone with Danielle. The panic doesn’t hit me again though, I’ve run to the point of numbness. The exhaustion is far too overwhelming.
Now that I see a destination ahead, I slow down to a walk and follow the road I’m on until I reach a park. I find a bench that’s hidden away by some trees and take a seat. Before I do anything else I have to try to sort through these awful emotions.
Friday
Late Afternoon
Adam
My mouth hangs open in shock as I watch Charlie run away from me. She’s always a little sad, but she isn’t one that seems easy to freak out. And freaked out is a fucking understatement. Her face was a mixture of panic, anger, and grief.
What the hell happened?
My hands shake as my protective nature resurfaces, wanting nothing more than to follow her. I try to not freak out as I pull out my phone, but the group is already texting.
Alice: Guys, someone new picked up Charlie today, and she didn’t look like it was a good thing. She was almost crying when she got in. I’m worried about her.
Abby: What did she look like?
Alice: Late forties, chunky, short blonde hair.
Abby: ummm, that’s not her foster mom. Sophia is young, thin, and Hispanic.
Trent: I didn’t realize she was in foster care. Hope everything is okay. Are her parents in the picture? Are they going to move her back?
Abby: I have no clue. I hope not. I can’t lose her
Cole: We won’t lose her.
Me: I just ran into her, she was running down the street crying and freaking out. I managed to stop her and give her a hug, but she pulled away and took off again.
Cole: Screw this, I’m going to find her.
I’m sure Trent, Cole, and Abby are freaking out too. We’ve talked in passing about how we feel, or at least they have, but nothing too serious. We eventually need to have that conversation… if this goes well. It isn’t good that she’s alone and this panicked, and I’m kicking myself for not following her.
I’m definitely not going to go look for that book I wanted, now. I turn away from the store and get into my truck. Knowing he’ll be walking if nobody gets him, I head for Trent’s house so he can ride with me. I’m sure Cole’s already gone to Abby’s house since she lives closest to him.
Trent’s already outside waiting, pacing up and down the sidewalk. He doesn’t even look surprised when I drive up, instead jumping in as soon as I stop.