Chapter 25: Interrupted

"Hey Seth, are you ready?" Ryan shouted, slinging his school bag over his shoulder.

"Mmmm," Seth said his head stuck in a comic book. Sandy walked behind him and grabbed it out of his hands.

"Wo! Wo! Don't rip it!" Seth said panicking. "It just came this morning. It's the new…."

"I don't care. School. Now."

Seth gave up and picked up his bag as Sandy put the comic on the worktop and picked up his coffee. Before Sandy knew what was happening Seth sprinted back in, grabbed the comic, and sprinted out again.

"Hey!" Sandy shouted.

"See you later," Seth shouted back.

"Seth…," Sandy gave up and shrugged his shoulders, taking another mouthful of coffee. He turned to the worktop and lay the newspaper down. He started flicking through the pages when he felt arms around his waist.

"Morning," he said, as Kirsten kissed his ear.

"Morning gorgeous," she said smiling as Sandy turned round.

"Oh, good morning," he said, grinning cheekily. Kirsten rested her arms casually round his neck and kissed him deeply.

"Mmmm. Someone's in a good…." Kirsten put her fingers on his lips.

"No talking." Sandy willingly obliged and kissed her again. Kirsten started loosening his tie as they carried on kissing when her cell started ringing.

"Hmphg," she groaned leaning her head on his chest. "I knew it was too good to be true." She looked at her phone. "Ugh, it's my dad."

"Don't answer it," Sandy said, placing a kiss on her forehead, her nose, then her lips.

"Mmmm," I really need to take this." She flipped her phone open. "Hey dad," she said trying to sound happy to hear from him. "I'm alright." Sandy watched as she frowned. "Why are you telling me this? ….A woman's point of view? this have waited until I saw you at work?...Well I'll be there soon…Okay…Bye."

"What was that about?"

"He's surprising Julie with a trip to Paris and he wanted to know if I thought he should do it over dinner at home or at the Archers."

"That was it?" Sandy asked, annoyed that they had been interrupted over something so pointless.

"Yup."

Kirsten kissed Sandy again when his phone went off. They both groaned.

"Hello? Oh, Inspector Trueman." Kirsten frowned at him. "I could come by later….Yeah 12 sounds good. Ok…I'll see you then. Bye."

"What's going on?" Kirsten asked him, concerned.

"That was Inspector Trueman. He said they're struggling to find any leads on Marissa's case."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"No. Not yet anyway. She doesn't need to deal with that right now. It just makes me so angry!" he said clenching his fist. "Guys like this come and ruin an innocent, young girls life and just get away with it!"

"Hey, it's not over yet," Kirsten said massaging his shoulders.

"The way he was talking it might as well be."

"Well there's nothing you can do."

"That's the worst bit."

"Hey guys."

"Hey," Seth said putting his arm around Summer's shoulder.

"Oh, I need to go and see Dr Kim to get Marissa's locker code. I need to take her books to her."

"When's she coming back?" Seth asked her.

"In a couple of weeks. Her therapist said it would be good for her to stay at home for a bit before coming back to school seen as it didn't exactly go too well last time."

"That's the understatement of the century," Seth said.

"Well, I'll have to drop her books off later. We should all go. Just hang out."

"Yeah, sure," Seth and Ryan both replied.

"I'll see you guys later," she kissed Seth's cheek and walked away to Dr Kim's office.

Seth and Ryan grabbed coffees and sat on the couch. Seth took his comic book out of his bag and started to read it.

"I thought Sandy took that off you."

"You really think that would stop me? You still have a lot to learn when it comes to me and my comic books, my friend," Seth said lifting it up to his face.

"Well I know that you're obsessed."

"I am not obsessed," Seth said bringing it down from his face. Ryan just looked at him. "Okay maybe a little." Ryan raised his eyebrows. "Or a lot….Whatever. At least I have a hobby, unlike you."

"Comic book reading is hardly a hobby, and I do have hobbies."

"And what may these be?" Ryan was about to answer when Seth cut in. "Wifebeaters and making out with Marissa don't count." Ryan closed his mouth and frowned.

"Actually I do have one hobby that is really fun."

"What?" Ryan punched Seth on the arm.

"That!"

"Oww! I'll give you that."

"Thanks."

"No problem," Seth shifted along the couch, away from Ryan and stuck his head back in his comic book.

Sandy knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice shouted from inside. Sandy walked in.

"Ah, Sandy Cohen," he shook his hand. "Please, sit," Inspector Truman indicated to a seat.

"What's going on?" Sandy asked him seriously.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this case has pretty much ground to a halt. We don't have any witnesses and we've failed to trace any of Miss Cooper's belongings. I'm afraid there's not much else we can do."

"Well what about Marissa's descriptions of them?"

"They haven't been of much help. Miss Cooper was very unsure of their appearances, because of the trauma and everything that was happening. She wasn't even sure what colour the car was. I'm sorry Sandy but we've hit a brick wall."

"Thanks for everything you've done," Sandy said standing up. He shook the Inspector's hand.

"I really am sorry that we couldn't do anything more. I want more than anything to bring these losers to justice but there just doesn't seem to be any way."

"Well, let me know if anything comes up."

"Will do Sandy. I wouldn't hold your breath though." Sandy nodded grimly and left the room. He decided he would keep this off Marissa's radar. It was the last thing she needed.

"Hey guys," Marissa smiled widely when she saw Seth, Summer and Ryan standing at the door.

"Came to give you these," Summer handed her a pile of books.

"Oh thanks," Marissa said unenthusiastically. "Come on in." They moved in to the living area. "Anyone want a drink?"

"Yeah that would be great thanks," Seth said settling onto the couch.

"I'll help you Coop," Summer said glaring at Seth and following Marissa to the kitchen. Once Marissa left Ryan looked around the room and in cupboards. Seth looked at him weirdly.

"Uhh, I don't know if in Chino it's normal to rake round people's houses when they invite you in, but generally it's considered invasion of privacy."

"I'm just worried about her," Ryan said opening a cupboard door.

"What do you mean? She seems fine to me apart from being stuck in here all day."

"No I'm worried about how much she's drinking."

"I hardly think she's going to keep a stash in the living room."

"So you think she drinks a lot too?"

"I didn't say that. Don't you think that you're over reacting. That night on the cliff was a one off."

"There have been other times." Summer and Marissa walked back in carrying glasses of coke. Marissa handed one to Ryan, and kissed him on the lips. They kept kissing until Seth pretended to choke on his drink. They both turned and looked at him weirdly.

"Sorry, got caught in the back of my throat."

"So Coop did you miss school?" Summer asked sarcastically.

"Actually yeah. I'd much rather be at school with you guys instead of stuck in here all day."

"Where's your dad?" Ryan asked her.

"Out looking for a job."

"Hey, if he gets a job then you guys could move out of here and into one of those nice little houses on the beach."

"Yeah, I wouldn't count on it."

"Don't worry he'll find something."

"Can we talk about something else? How was school?"

"Good." She looked at Summer then to Ryan and Seth.

"Guys you don't have to be worried about me. Can we please just go back to normal."

"Normal, sure, yeah," they all said at once smiling fakely.

"Great," Marissa said with a real smile. "Who fancies watching a film?"

"Film, I love films," Summer replied a little too enthusiastically.

"Okay, I'll just go and get a few. I'll be right back."

She got off the couch and left the room.

"Man, that was so not smooth," Seth cringed.

"Come on guys, we have to really try. For Marissa," Summer said to them both.

Ryan knew she was right. What Marissa needed was for everything to be as normal as possible if she wanted to move on with her life. There was just one problem though. He couldn't get rid of the niggling feeling at the back of his mind that something was wrong.

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