Chapter Eight: Story Time
I sat on the picnic table, my feet on the bench as Ian and Kayden sat in the grass at the park instead of on the toys like they had first wanted to. Sherlock had taken me back to my flat so I could change before spending time with my family. I had washed up real quick, brushed out my hair; deciding to leave it down for today, and then grabbed one of my few skirts to wear. I rather liked this skirt, it was a dark navy color, stopping just above my knees and flowed rather nicely. I wore a robin's egg colored top with it due to the fact that it was the only shirt I had without a design on it that matched and would still look decent.
After I had changed, Sherlock had dropped me off at the park where I had told my dad I would meet them after they got all settled into the hotel. He then left me there and returned to, presumably, Baker Street or possibly the police station or morgue. But not before deducting everything he could about my family to their faces.
He managed to discover that Dad had had knee surgery within the last 5 years, Both of my brothers had been born via C-section. Daniella got her braces off only a week ago, judging by the amount of cement that was still on her teeth, Ian was left handed only some of the time, and Kayden had eaten something containing blueberries and brown sugar for his snack. He also managed to reveal, much to our surprise and my amusement, that Miss "I hate needles" Ana, had gotten a tattoo on her left shoulder, even though her shirt currently hid it. All that impressed my dad and received stunned faces from my sisters. Ian and Kayden instantly loved him and had wanted him to stay and tell them more secrets.
I pulled my jacket around me as I looked down at the two boys. This had all started because Dad had asked what I had been up to and when I had mentioned working on the story for them, they wanted to hear it right then instead of letting me finish.
"So the prince had been taken by the evil wizard, making the princess very sad. Who would she play with now that the prince was missing? The young knight bravely stepped forward.
'I will go save the prince! He's my best friend and I cannot lose him to such evil!' and this made the princess happy.
'Oh, thank you kind knight. Go and save the prince.'"
"Joey?" Kayden piped up, raising his hand.
I couldn't help but smile. "Yes?"
"Does the knight find the prince?" His question was jumping ahead but at the same time it was to be expected. Kayden was the type to always want a happy ending while all Ian wanted to know was if the bad people died.
"I expect he does. Since the knight is very strong and brave and cares a lot for the prince." I winked at Ian, who had always been the knight in the stories I made for him even before Kayden came along.
"That's right!" Ian piped up, standing and putting his hands on his hips. "The knight wouldn't let some stupid ol' wizard take away his best friend! Especially when it makes the princess sad."
"No one likes the princess sad." Kayden agreed, nodding. "But she still is right now, even though we're both here." Kayden's green eyes looked up at me, searching for answers. He could tell that I was upset about something but I managed to smile.
"I'm not sad at all! I have both of my little heroes right here!" I jumped down and grabbed them in another hug. "I won't let anyone ever take you away or hurt you." I closed my eyes tight as I held them close, trying to hold them so close I could feel their hearts.
"Not even evil wizards?" Kayden mumbled as he wrapped his little arms around my neck and held on tightly.
"Especially evil wizards!" I laughed as I broke free and scooped just Kayden up this time, cradling him in my lap and pulling up his shirt so that I could blow on his stomach. He squirmed and squealed, quickly breaking free and taking off after Ian, who knew he was next.
Lunch was a nice chance to talk to everyone and catch up. Kayden had managed to earn himself some stitches when he jumped on the bed and cracked his skull on the headboard. Ian had lost his first tooth and promptly swallowed it almost immediately after, making Dad fairly unhappy about the whole retrieval. Daniella had joined her school's soccer team, which pleased me since she was the fastest girl with the hardest kick I knew. Analise, in the meantime, had had her first date two months ago and she was only just now telling me!
During lunch, Victoria and the girls decided to take a bathroom run, dragging the boys along because we all knew they were probably lying when they said they didn't have to go. This gave Dad and I a few minutes alone.
"There's something on your mind that's bothering you, I can tell." He said softly, taking a drink from his water.
"I don't really want to talk about it."
"Does it have to do with that boy?" I knew what he was implying and sighed.
"No, Dad. It does not have to do with 'that boy'… At least, not entirely… And he's a little old to still be called a boy…" I shook my head and rubbed my temples. "I've been dragged into something bad. I didn't want you to worry."
"You're not doing drugs are you?"
"No! Dad! Common…" I groaned and sighed, slumping down in my seat as I stirred my ice cubes with the handle of my fork. "There's been bad things happening in London. Things I don't want you guys dragged into."
"A gang then?" He was still trying to guess. He was going to make me tell him.
"I'm not in a gang, Dad. Quite the opposite in a way." I sat up and crossed my arms on the table, leaning forward on them. "Sherlock, he told you he was a detective, remember?"
"A Consulting one. Never heard of one quite like that before."
"Because he's the only one. He invented the job. Anyway, kids have been disappearing. No ransom notes, no phone calls, nothing. Over the last week, they've started turning up dead. Different causes of death, different disposal site; the whole M-O for each kid is different. But they're all connected.
Sherlock is someone that the police go to for advice. He finds things they don't and knows things I've never heard come from anyone. He's very smart." I found myself picturing him at the first crime scene, looking intently at Kirsten's bracelet; his pale eyes searching carefully. I shook my head and continued.
He found out I knew a lot about kids and could get inside their heads; that I can think like them. Well, he decided he needed that kind of information and dragged me along with him to the first confirmed crime scene…"
"What happened?" Dad was opposite me, now sitting exactly the same as I was. "You saw things that I've only told you about, didn't you?"
I nodded. "The first girl was strangled manually; I saw the handprint on her neck. The second victim was hit in the head, and the last victim had her throat cut…" Dad touched my now clenched fist and I continued.
"Yesterday, my boss's daughter was taken. She was taken because of me…"
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do! This time, a video was sent to the police. Melissa was in it, crying. This guy who took the kids was doing it because he's Sherlock's rival, his enemy. While Sherlock solves crimes, this man, if I can even call him that, he's a consulting criminal. He helps organize the crimes Sherlock usually solves. He's playing a game with Sherlock. Like cat and mouse."
"But how does that make any of this your fault?"
"He took Melissa because he's been watching Sherlock. I've been there with Sherlock when they find the children. He took her to get my attention; to make us chase him even more. I'm on Sherlock's team, making me Moriarty's new toy. He wants to get in my head and its working!"
Dad covered my hand with his, making me look up at him, tears being held back with all my might. "Zoey… Don't let him in. I've seen so many bad things and I had hoped you would never get that sort of glimpse of my world outside home. Things like you've seen will stay with you forever. Trust me, they don't go away no matter how much you want them to. But…" He placed a large hand on either of my cheeks, looking right into my eyes which resembled so closely his own. "But I know, even though you have such a kind heart, one that wants to love and care for everyone, I know that you are strong enough to get through this."
"I don't want him to hurt Melissa…"
"Then don't let him. Go after him, find him and kick his ass! I've seen how feisty you can be when someone you care about is being hurt. I know that your heart can be so strong that it can love even the people who have hurt you even after it's been broken. You do have a caring heart. It does make my job difficult for someone like you. You take these sorts of things home and you can't help but wish you could do more. But your caring heart can also turn around and fight for those you care about. You're my daughter. I've seen you grow up. You. Are. Strong."
I nodded as the tears escaped only to be brushed away by my dad's rough thumbs. He smiled and leaned forward, kissing my forehead.
After that, the rest of lunch went by in a blur. Ian ordered one thing but ended up eating what was on my plate and Kayden dropped his fork in his lap, covering his pants in the chocolate frosting that had been on his fork.
We started walking back to the park when my phone went off. I took it out and saw the text from Sherlock. As did Ana.
"Oooh! Your boyfriend is texting you."
"He is NOT my boyfriend!" Really, around Ana and Danni it was like they were back in middle school over some things. "He's someone I'm helping. That's it!"
"Then why are you blushing?" Danni grinned, her hands folded behind her head.
"Because you guys are acting like children. I'm an adult. Every guy I hang out with is not my boyfriend."
Ian held my hand, making me look down. "I liked him. He can read minds."
"He can't read minds. He's just very smart."
"And you always did go for the smart ones." Ana grinned, making me elbow her away so I could actually read Sherlock's text message.
Watched the video again and found a clue. Meet me at Police station. Come immediately.
"Police station?" Ana asked, looking over my shoulder. "Why do you need to go to the police station?"
"And what video?" Danni asked over the other shoulder. Oh, how I hated being short right now.
"Sherlock works with the police. Of which fact, I approve." He looked over at me with a strange nod that somehow made me blush again. "He needs Zoey to help him with an art fraud case." When he said this, both girls turned around in understanding. Art was boring for them. They had instantly lost interest about hearing any more about it.
Dad gave me a smile as I started walking away. "I'll meet up with you later!"
"Zoey!" I heard my name and turned to look back at them, Dad was standing where I had left him as the others kept going towards their destination. "You're strong. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not."
I nodded and smiled, turning back once more and running off into the London crowd.
