As Ray and Fraser-with Diefenbaker-sat in Ray's car, the silence almost seemed deafening. After being assigned a case by Lt. Welsh to find the Canadian legend, Detective Gardino and Huey had left to investigate the train station where she and her canine companion were last since. That left Ray and Fraser to do a city-wide scope, looking for the running Canadian in a city with as many hiding places as the Canadian north had.
"OK Sherlock, now where?" asked Ray as he turned to face his partner
"Pardon Ray?" asked Fraser as he turned to face his Ray
"What do you mean 'pardon'!" exclaimed Ray, looking at Fraser with disbelief "You know so much about this 'Riley' girl and her family; you must know where she might hide!"
"I do know about her and her family Ray, it's because they are widely known by the force, but that doesn't mean that I will be able to track her and find her exact location" said Fraser, who seemed at the moment to point out the obvious and not answering Ray's question or exclaim nation
"And why not?" asked Ray sarcastically
"Because Ray" said Fraser, talking to Ray as if talking to a child, "Riley may be a child that has a great heritage but she is still a child, a young scared teenager at best and is probably home sick and-" Fraser stopped in mid-sentence, realization coming over him as if he was struck by lightning
Ray seemed to notice this and smiled, "I know that look" said Ray smiling, "You figured something out, didn't you?"
"Yes Ray, yes I did" answered Fraser, "Start the car, I will explain on the way"
"Not going to tell me before I start the car?" asked Ray, his hand on the key which was in the ignition
"We will save time and accomplish our task assigned to us by Lt. Welsh faster" said Fraser, not telling Ray what he had realize but you could tell that he was trying not to spill the beans before Ray started the car.
Ray signed in defeat and started the car, and it was only, when Ray had pulled away from the curb near the police station that they had parked when Fraser blurted, "Home sickness"
"...excuse me?" asked Ray, looking at Fraser oddly
"Home sickness" repeated Fraser, looking at Ray as if that simple answer solved their case
"Home...sickness?" said Ray, unsure of what the meaning was behind that simple answer
"Correct" said Fraser smiling, looking forward at the traffic
"I'm afraid to ask but could you explain that?" asked Ray sighing, giving up trying to decode the message
"It's quite simple actually Ray" said Fraser, turning in his seat to face him, "Riley is a Canadian, correct?"
"Ah...yeah, according to Lt. Welsh, the US government, the Canadian Mounties and Rangers, the Canadian government and you" said Ray sarcastically
"So that means that she is familiar and comfortable with the Canadian terrain and way of life but not the American terrain and way of life" continued Fraser, either not noticing the sarcasm in Ray's voice or just ignoring
"Just get on with it Fraser!" exclaimed Ray, "I am wasting time and gas waiting for you to tell me, I bet that when you tell me, we will be on the other side of town and far away where we have to be!"
"Ray" said Fraser, "She is in another country, away from her family, away from her friends, away from everything that makes her feel safe and is in a country, in a city that completely opposite of what she is used to. She is probably scared, hungry, lonely and very home sick. And if you were home sick..."
"...you would probably go somewhere...that...reminds you of home!" finished Ray, finally getting where Fraser was going
"And since Miss. Riley was in the North where there was nothing-in your opinion, Ray-but snow, seals and polar bears..." said Fraser, trailing off, waiting for Ray to finish
"She would go where its either cold or where there are animals to remind her of home!" finished Ray, a smile on his face, but the smile soon turned into a frown, "That's a great idea Fraser, but there are a lot of places in Chicago that are cold"
"Exactly" said Fraser, confusing Rat
"What?" asked Ray, who, again, seemed to miss where Fraser was going
"There are plenty of places that are cold, but if a girl was in an air-condition building, it would arouse suspicious, besides, it's too obvious. Miss. Riley seems to me like she doesn't want to be found so easily so she would go with the other option" answered Fraser
"Care to explain again, Fraser?" asked Ray
"She would go to a place where she wouldn't stand out too much and where she would feel a bit more at home and not be so lonely and probably find something to eat" explained Fraser, "And she also has a 'wolf' with her so needs to be in a place where she can be at home..." said Fraser trailing off again
"Not feel to lonely and find something to eat..." continued Ray
"And have her canine companion with her" finished Fraser
The car was silent for a few seconds before Ray yelled, "The zoo!" and Fraser chuckled, nodding his head. "Fraser, you're a genius!" exclaimed Ray, looking at Fraser with a stunned-like look on his face
"I just used my head" said Fraser
"But which zoo?" asked Ray
"Isn't there a zoo downtown with a new polar bear exhibit?" asked Fraser
Ray didn't reply, well he didn't reply using his voice. He replied to Fraser's question as he increased the speed of his car and took the corner fast and speeds down the road, with Fraser, reminding him that he was going over the speed limit and that he should slow down.
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As Riley watched the polar bear swim in the tank through the bullet-proof glass, she sighed, and pressed her hand against the cool glass. "I wish that I could be like you, swimming without a care in the world" she mumbled to the polar bear, which glanced at her and then went on with his swimming. She felt something wet press against her other hand and looked down, there; looking at her with wide eyes was Aru.
"Hey Aru" said Riley as she bent down and scratched Aru behind her ears, causing Aru to give Riley a dopey look. "What's up, hungry again?"
Aru yawned and shook herself before sitting back down on the ground, "Guess not" mumbled Riley as she stood up and looked at the polar bear again. Aru looked at Riley before letting out a whine, Riley turned and looked down into Aru eyes and shook her head.
"I'm alright, Aru" said Riley, "Just...a little...home sick, I guess". Just then, her stomach gave out a loud grumble, "And maybe a little hungry too". She sighed and once again turned her attention to the polar dancing gracefully in the water, "I'm just...wondering what's taking them so long"
"Do you mean us?" asked a voice from behind, causing Riley to cry out in surprise and to turn around quickly, not ready to face whoever was behind her. And for Aru, to turn around quickly and to attack the figure where the voice had come from.
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"Gah! Help! Fraser! Help me!" yelled Ray, as he struggled with Aru who had him pinned under her.
"I don't think you should struggle Ray" said Fraser, who was a few steps away, "It might end up thinking you're going to hurt the alpha female and rip out your throat"
"Oh that's really reassuring Fraser!" yelled Ray as he grabbed Aru's muzzle, causing Aru to growl menacing at him.
"Wait! Fraser?" said Riley confused, "Aru, off! Off the creepy man!" As Riley grabbed the torso of Aru and lifted her off Ray, he scrambled away from Aru and stood up with his hands in front of him
"OK kid, you've got some explaining to do" gasp Ray as he looked at Riley with one eye and tried to keep an eye on Aru with the other.
"What is there to explain?" asked Riley, her confused look early now replaced with a blank look that one could say was a look of boredom
"She is right Ray" said Fraser as he move and stood beside his partner, "What is there to explain?"
Ray looked at Fraser with a look of disbelief, "What is there to explain? There is a lot to explain! Like what the heck is she doing in Chicago, and not in Canada?"
"I can tell you everything you need to know and ask all of your question back at the station and not in a zoo...Ray" replied Riley as she kneel down and scratched Aru behind her ears
Before Fraser could reply saying that that it was a good idea to do as Riley had pointed out or before Ray could make a snappy comment, Ray's cell phone rang. Ray fumbled with his jacket before he was able to grab the phone and answer it
"Hello!" demanded Ray, "Whose calling". Ray's look of annoyance was replaced with a look of unbelief, "Ma! What are you doing, calling me on my private line?"
Riley snickered at the scene before her, and earning her a glare from Ray before jumping slightly at the voice on the other line got a bit louder, "Yes Ma! I heard you! I will be able to come home for dinner...you want me invite Fraser?", here Ray looked at Fraser who nodded, "Yes Ma, he's coming for dinner...what you mean to invite some of my colleagues for dinner too? I hate the people who I work with!" And here Ray cringe as the voice could be heard by all 3 people and dog.
"What do you mean you 'hate the people who you work with'?" yelled Mrs. Vecchio, "You work with them for crying out loud, you terrible excuse for a detective!"
"Um...Ray, am I?" asked Fraser, indicating to the phone
"GO ahead" was his answer as Ray handed Fraser his phone and went to rubbing his ear
"Mrs. Vecchio?" asked Fraser, "It's me, Fraser. Uh...I am doing fine...yes, I am eating well...uh...no, no, your son is doing a good job of doing what he does best...actually, I was wondering if I could ask you something? You see, Ray and I are working on a missing person's case and we have found the person we were looking for...actually, both Ray and I found her, not just me...anyway, she is from Canada, like me and is a very important person, so instead of just taking her to HQ and having her answer many question from my colleagues and dinning on sandwiches and water, I was wondering if we could bring her and her pet along for dinner? Really? Thank you very much Mrs. Vecchio. No, no, the pleasure is all mine...yes, I will see you at 7:30. Good-bye" and with that Fraser, hang up the phone and handed it to Ray
"There we are all set" said Fraser as he turned and began to walk away
"Whoa, whoa, what do you mean 'we are all set'? We're taking her to my place for dinner?" asked Ray, his voice shrill
"Yes" was Fraser reply as he continued walking, causing Ray to run after him, with Riley and Aru right behind him
"Why?" asked Ray, pausing only slightly for his eyes to get adjusted to the bright light as they were now outside, and continuing after Fraser
"Were you not listening to the conversation that I was having with Mrs. Vecchio, Ray?" asked Fraser, a puzzled look on his face as he stopped and turned to face Ray as he stopped beside him
"Yes, I was listening with my ear that hadn't gone deaf from my Ma yelling at me" said Ray, a scowl on his face as he rubbed his ear
"Now I know that I am breaking not only the rules that you have to follow back at the police station, but the regulations and rules of both the places where we are employed, but I think Miss. Riley is entitled to a full meal, since it looks like she hasn't eaten much lately" said Fraser as he glanced from Riley back to Ray
Ray sighed as he scratched his head and looked form Fraser to Riley, to...pausing to narrow his eyes at Aru who growled at him, "Fine...but the mutt is eating...outside" and with that he turned and jogged towards the car
Riley gazed at the retreating figure of Ray before she turned to Fraser and said, "He's quite odd...even for an American"
Fraser smiled and turned to look at Riley and replied, "That's how he is" and began to walk on the direction that Ray had disappeared to
Riley just stood there for a few seconds before turning to Aru and saying, "Guess this should be an interesting evening, Aru" before jogging to catch up with Fraser and Ray, with Aru on her heels.
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"Pass the potatoes"
"Get them yourself"
"I would but they are near you, so it doesn't make sense to move, go all the way over there, grab the potatoes, walk all the way back, put some on my plate, then half to walk all the way back and put them where they were before"
"Just do it already, I want a peaceful evening"
"Since when is it ever peaceful here"
"Come on, I had a hard day"
"You had a hard day, what about me? I actually did some work, not laying on the couch doing nothing"
"I did some work"
"Yeah, you did 'some' work, not 'a lot' of work, like I did"
"Ah shut up, your voice is giving me a headache"
The voices and conversation that the Vecchio family were having along with the clatter on forks, knives, spoons and plates along with the 'tink' of cups seemed to echo through-out the entire house as Riley sat there, eating quietly and listening to the conversation as Aru sat beside her, gnawing on a bone.
"Is everything alright dear?" asked a voice, jolting Riley from her meal and turning to face Mrs. Vecchio, who had a look or worry on her face, "Is it too loud for you?"
"No, it's alright Mrs. Vecchio. I'm fine, I just never had a family diner like this before" replied Riley as she turned her attention back to her meal
"What do you mean, 'you never had a family dinner like this'? Don't you eat with your family?" asked someone, the entire Vecchio family now quiet, wanting to hear where this conversation might go
"Yes, I have a family, but not a big family and it's not really together right now..." said Riley as she began to trail off
"Are your parents' divorce?"
"No, they're not...their dead" replied Riley, causing the atmosphere in the dining room to go cold and still
"I'm...I'm sorry"
"Don't be, it's alright" said Riley as she began to poke the food on her plate with her fork
"How did they did, if you don't mind me asking"
"My dad..." started Riley, ""My dad was on a gun smuggling operation, the force that he was leading had them surrounded and were ready to take them by surprise, my dad went first, checking to see if they had any traps and he...he was gunned down by the smugglers as they shoot through the door of the barn where they were hiding, he died instantly. My mother was working in a red zone of the forest, the part on the forest that was most likely to catch fire in the dry season, and when she was sleeping a large fire engulfed a part on the forest not too far where she was, she died from smoke inhalation while sleeping"
The air in the dining room had gone from cold and still to bone-chilling and uncomfortable and no one moved until Riley stood up and said, "I will be right back, I'M taking Aru for her evening walk" and left, with Aru at her heels. The house was still quiet even when the door slammed, showing that Riley had left
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As Riley walked with Aru at her heels, only stopping to smell a bush or a car or just to smell something for the heck for it, she didn't notice the black car with tinted windows slowly drive up behind her. She didn't hear the car stop and someone get out of the car and to start walking behind her. And she didn't know how to react when someone grabbed her and began to pull her towards the car. Riley fought back as Aru came charging only to collapse as one of the men in black pulled out put a gun and fired, the sound of the gun shot ringing in the quiet neighborhood. Riley felt a cloth being pressed to her mouth and nose and realized what was happening, bit too little too late as she fell asleep, letting the men in black pull her into the car and driving away.
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As soon as the car disappeared around the corner, Fraser and Ray arrived. Fraser seeing Aru on the ground and bleeding; rushed to her aid and began to do first-aid for her wound. Ray, pulling out his ground began to do a sweep of the area, looking for evidence, looking for anything that might help them figure out what had happen. Nothing, Ray found nothing. Seeing that there was no evidence or much or anything that could be labeled as evidence, Ray putted his gun away and went to help Fraser with Aru, both of them wondering what had happen and how they had failed to keep her safe.
((((((((((((((((+++++++++++++++++++))))))))))))))))) ==_== (+++) &*(^%$ #!
Major cliff hanger, I am sometimes so terrible to my readers…ah well, hope that you are enjoying so far. Things look like it's beginning to heat up, so I hope that you plan to keep watching me and this story to find out what happens next, btw- chapter 4 and maybe 5 [I don't know for sure, cause writing gives me headaches, major ones] should be up tomorrow, so see ya! XD :D And another note, this chapter, 8 pages long in Microsoft word, a new record for me
Sorry about the big spaces between the parts. I tried dividing the, this is like my 4th take on doing this chapter, I tried doing:
- (((((((((((+++++++++++++))))))))))))) then,
- ==_== (+++) &*(^%$ #! [Which is what I feel like right now] then I tried,
- )))))))))))))))))))))))))
Nothing happened, the paragraphs were close together…yes I know I'm a perfectionist, I just can't take it when paragraphs are too close to each other, gives me a headache. But rest assured readers, I will try and find a way to solve the problem but for now, just try and deal with the large spaces, thanks and so sorry!