Disclaimer: I don't own Psych or its characters, etc.
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"Prisoner one-seven-eight-three report to the main gate."
A man in a drab prison uniform stood up from a table and followed the instructions projected by the PA system. When he reached the gate, a well-dressed man on the other side signaled for it to be opened. With a loud beep, the gate slowly lifted, allowing the prisoner to pass under it. "Why are you here?" he asked the man in the suit.
"I'm not sure yet," he responded. "They called me in and told me to get you."
"Maybe they're letting me go," the prisoner said with a dry laugh.
"Right," the other man said sarcastically.
0o0o0
"You're being released."
"What?" The two men looked at the speaker in shock.
Ignoring them, he turned to the man in suit. "You are his legal counsel, correct?"
"Yes—"
0o0o0
After the meeting, the lawyer shook hands with his client and left. The former prisoner went to the holding station to collect his few belongings, and then walked slowly to the exit in a state of disbelief. Minutes later, he was outside. Standing still for a moment, he observed his surroundings with relief and whispered, "Free."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Juliet watched Lassiter with a smile as he helped hide Easter eggs around the outside of the station. He acted as though he didn't like having kids around, but underneath his gruff exterior, she knew he was a bit of a softie. Her smile grew as he berated an officer for placing an egg up too high. Picking up a basket, she joined the others.
Kids and parents started to arrive just as the police were finishing. Gathering them into a group, Juliet stood in front of them and said, "Hi!"
"Hi!" came a scattered response.
"Oh, come on," she said, in the classic way of greeting children before an event. "That wasn't very loud. Let's try it again. Hi!"
"HI!" they shouted back at her gleefully.
"Well that's better! So who wants to find some Easter eggs?" Juliet covered her ears as they yelled and squealed in affirmation.
"Alright, here are the rules. When we tell you to go, anybody who doesn't have a basket can come and get one over here," she said, gesturing towards a nearby pile. "Then you can start looking for the eggs outside, around the station. Whoever finds the most eggs will get a big prize. How does that sound?"
"YAY!" they screamed.
Laughing, she waited for them to quiet down again. "Okay…ready, set, GO!"
Shrieking, they ran off in all directions.
Spotting Lassiter, Juliet thought she saw an almost longing look in his eyes. She was about to walk over to him when she heard Gus call her. "Over here!" she answered.
Jogging up to her, Gus greeted her with a swift kiss on the cheek. "Hey."
"Hey," she said back, smiling.
"How's it going?"
"It's great," she told him, looking back to watch the kids. "They love it."
"Seems like you do too," he remarked, putting an arm around her shoulders.
Juliet grinned at him. "I do, I really do."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Carlton thought of Shawn as he watched Guster and O'Hara walk around together. I wish he were here. It's just like Henry to call him at the worst time. He probably wanted him to chop wood or something. On Easter! Shaking his head crossly, he decided to go inside, where he wouldn't be distracted by things that reminded him of Shawn. Strolling over to his desk, he noticed Buzz sitting at his, staring aimlessly out a window. Carlton rolled his eyes and called out sharply, "McNabb!"
Buzz jumped guiltily. "Yes, Detective Lassiter?"
Carlton looked at him sternly. "Stop wasting time in here and get outside."
Slowly, a big smile appeared on Buzz's face. "Really?" Seeing the detective's expression, he stammered, "I-I mean, yes sir, right away sir."
Carlton couldn't help chuckling as the officer beat a hasty retreat for the exit. Sitting down, he turned on his computer. While he watched for it to finish loading, he glanced around aimlessly. Easter was always a fairly quiet day at the SBPD. A few officers were at their desks working (or pretending to) as per the chief's orders, but most were outside enjoying the weather and watching the egg hunt. Turning his attention back to the computer screen, he logged onto the department's system and opened his email. Clicking on the sole new message, he scanned it lazily and then froze in disbelief. Scrolling up, he read it again, and a third time. Five words stuck in his mind, the way an image of the sun stays behind your eyelids after you look at it, even when your eyes are closed: JOE WARREN HAS BEEN RELEASED.
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Shawn stood up straight, wiping sweat from his forehead. He glared at his dad. "Is this really necessary?"
Henry kept his arms folded as he said, "Shawn, you told me you would chop this wood, and then you never did."
"That was in eighth grade!" Shawn exclaimed.
"It's never too late to do the right thing. Don't roll your eyes at me, I'm helping you out here."
"Helping me? You said if I didn't come you wouldn't help me with cases anymore!"
"That's how it works in the real world, Shawn," Henry said, shrugging.
"No, Dad, that's how blackmail works, in your crazy world!" Turning away, Shawn picked up the axe and got back to work, simmering with resentment.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Carlton rushed back outside, searching desperately for Chief Vick. "Chief? Chief!" Seeing her, he ran over and started talking rapidly about the email.
"What? Detective Lassiter, slow down. What's this about an email?"
"It's Joe Warren, Chief! He's been released!"
"Released? How is that possible?"
Carlton shook his head, as bewildered as she was. "I don't know. He's a serial killer; he wasn't even supposed to be paroled."
"He wasn't just a serial killer; he killed children, and he—" Chief Vick stopped mid-sentence.
"Chief?" Carlton prodded, concerned.
"He--he lived a block away from here," she whispered.
Horrified, Carlton said, "You think—you think he might—"
"Well, it's practically right around the corner, and with all the kids here…"
"Oh my God. What should we do?"
Pale, Vick thought for a moment, and then told him to inform the parents of the situation.
"What about the kids?"
"I'll take care of it," she assured him.
As he turned away, Carlton heard her call O'Hara and several of the officers. After he had gathered the parents together, he started to explain what had happened as calmly as possible. By the time he had finished, he was hard pressed to keep them from dashing off to search for their children. Finally, he managed to tell them that the rest of the police were busy retrieving the kids.
Within minutes, officers began to appear, carrying or holding hands with one or more children. Parents ran forward in relief as they saw them. When most of the kids had been accounted for, Carlton asked the families to stay, so that the police could talk to them. They agreed immediately, and proceeded to talk nervously with each other.
"Excuse me, Detective?"
Carlton looked at the woman before him in surprise. Interesting…most people say officer. "Yes?" he answered.
"I—my—my daughter…she isn't here," said the woman, wringing her hands.
"Your daughter?" Carlton repeated, concerned. "What's her name?"
"Annie, sir. Annie Marshak."
"Marshak? She's related to David Marshak, the prosecutor?"
"Yes, sir. David is my husband, Annie's father."
Something clicked in Carlton's mind. Oh…that's how she knew I was a detective.
"Alright. I'll get right on it, ma'am." Glancing around, he spotted Buzz. Calling him over, he told him to get some of the other officers and search around the station for Annie.
When they returned in five minutes, having been unable to find her, Mrs. Marshak began to panic. All the other children had been located, and were safely back inside the station with their parents. Worried, Carlton asked everyone who was able to help look. In the end, he actually had to order a few officers to stay with the rest of the children because everybody wanted to help.
They searched everywhere: outside of the station, inside, and in the areas surrounding it, shouting her name, but to no effect. Annie was nowhere to be found. Mrs. Marshak was shaking and in tears, and the officers were grim.
Carlton told O'Hara to put out an APB, and then set off as quickly as he could to find the one person who he desperately hoped could help.
He had tried calling Shawn's cell and Henry's house phone, but no one had picked up. Dialing Shawn's number for the umpteenth time, he reached the messages once again. "Damn it! Why aren't they answering?"
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Shawn glowered at his dad. "Would you please let me answer that?"
"No, Shawn," Henry said calmly, holding the phone out of reach. "Finish the work, then you can have your precious phone back."
"Dad! It has to be important! Why else would they call so many times?"
"What could be so important that anyone would call you so much?"
"God, Dad! I work for the police, remember? At least tell me who it is!"
"Fine," Henry snapped. Checking the last number that had called, he said, "Why do you have Lassiter's number saved?"
"I—" Shawn hesitated briefly. "He's a detective—at the police station. I work with him. Why wouldn't I have his number saved?"
Examining him curiously, Henry said, "Oh…alright. I just thought you two didn't really get along."
Shawn blushed almost imperceptibly, but it was enough. Just as Henry was about to question him, Lassiter pulled up in his car.
"Lassy! My savior!" Shawn shouted.
As Lassiter walked grimly towards them, the smile disappeared off Shawn's face. "What's wrong?"
"I need you to come down to the station, Shawn."
Henry watched them closely, not missing the fact that Lassiter used 'I' and his son's first name.
"Okay. I gotta go, Dad," Shawn said, dropping the axe gratefully.
"Wait, what's going on?" Henry asked.
"Joe Warren was released this morning, and David Marshak's daughter went missing from the station's Easter egg hunt," Lassiter told him bleakly.
"Joe Warren was released?" Henry exclaimed, shocked.
Shawn looked at them, confused. "Who's Joe Warren?"
Lassiter nodded at Henry and grabbed Shawn's arm, pulling him towards the car. "I'll explain on the way."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Henry questioned, following them.
Hesitating only briefly, Lassiter gestured to the car, saying, "We can use all the help we can get."
0o0o0
When they arrived at the SBPD, Chief Vick rushed up to them, relieved. "Mr. Spencer, thank God you're here! Oh, hello Henry."
"Karen," Henry responded shortly.
"I assume Detective Lassiter has informed you both of the situation?"
"Yes," Shawn and Henry answered simultaneously.
"Alright, Mr. Spe—Shawn, I need you to try to psychically locate Annie while we do our best using traditional methods. Detective Lassiter, you go with him; Henry, come with me."
After Vick and Henry had left, Shawn turned to Lassiter. "Where should we start?"
"Well, we've already searched everywhere nearby, and she's obviously not here. If you can find…anything…at all…that would really help." Lassiter met Shawn's eyes anxiously. "You can help, right?"
Determination crossed Shawn's features. "If there's a way, I'll find it. I have to…for Annie's sake."
Relaxing slightly at his words, Lassiter leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "Thanks."
Shawn gaped at him. "You realize you just did that in public, right?"
Lassiter smiled a little. "I checked out of the corner of my eye first."
"Aha." Becoming serious again, Shawn said, "Let's go talk to the kids."
"The kids? Why?"
"To find out who saw her last. I gotta have some idea of where to start."
Staring at him, Lassiter shook his head in amazement. "Damn, you did it again; I didn't even think of that. Maybe I was just distracted by everything that happened, but…I don't know…I might never have thought of it if you hadn't been here."
"Well, I am here, and we're on the same side. That's all that matters, right?"
"I guess." As they walked into the station to see the kids, Lassiter added, "Maybe I ought to take some lessons from you."
Shawn looked at him in surprise. "You wouldn't feel…degraded?"
"Of course I would. Here they are." Lassiter talked briefly with the parents, asking them to gather the kids together and get their attention. "They're all yours," he told Shawn.
The pseudo-psychic stepped forward, crouching down to bring himself to their face level. "Hey guys. Can I ask you a few questions?"
When they nodded at him, he said, "Okay, thanks. So, how many of you know Annie? Raise your hands."
Nearly all the hands went up.
"Good. Now, do you remember when the police came and brought you all back to your parents?"
They nodded again.
"Did any of you see Annie right before that? No?" Shawn paused, thinking. "Alright, the last time you saw her, where was she?"
A little blond girl in pigtails raised her hand shyly.
"Yes?" Shawn said, pointing to her.
"I saw her by the big bush outside. She told me she saw the Easter bunny."
Shawn peered up at Lassiter questioningly. The detective beckoned to an officer and asked him to find all the big bushes around the station. The officer returned a few minutes later, reporting the locations of four large bushes.
"What's your name, honey?" Shawn asked the girl.
"Kacie," she answered.
"Well, Kacie, there are a few big bushes outside. Do you know which one it was?"
She put a finger to her mouth, apparently trying to remember.
"Was it the one by the driveway?" he hinted.
"No."
"What about the one in back? By the gate?"
"Yes!" she said excitedly. "That one!"
"Good, that's really good," Shawn told her, smiling. "Thank you very much, Kacie."
She bit her lip, grinning at him bashfully. "You're welcome."
0o0o0
Shawn and Lassiter hurried over to the bush Kacie had identified.
"She said Annie saw the Easter bunny," Shawn remarked. "Do you think it was a—"
"Maybe," Lassiter responded curtly.
Shawn poked around the bush and then froze, noticing something on the ground underneath, slightly hidden below the leaves. He kneeled down and reached out for it.
Lassiter leaned over to see what he was looking at. Their eyes met over the object Shawn was holding.
"It's her basket, isn't it?" Shawn asked, picking up one of the eggs that had fallen out.
"It must be," Lassiter agreed. "Damn."
To Be Continued…
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A/N: So, what do you think of chapter one? Not quite what you expected? This is my first story with an actual case, and it's kind of hard coming up with what's going to happen. Anyway, hope you like it so far. I have a test Tuesday that I have to study for, so I don't know how soon I'll be able to write the next chapter - I'll try not to take very long.