She was trying not to panic. She was trying to breathe calmly and slowly and not draw any attention to herself. Every ten seconds or so, Jen reviewed her magic to make sure that her wings were invisible and the clothing she'd created for herself was intact and looked as human as she could manage. It was the first time she wore trousers, trying to model them after ones she'd seen other human women wear. Hopefully she looked alright. And at least focusing on posing as human kept her mind occupied.

The doors to the small wooden room opened and Jennifer went inside with a few other people. One of them was a man she recognized, thank goodness. He was one of the younger detectives in Homicide. He had been talking to Graham Procter with Duncan on that last night that Jen had been to the police station and had then kissed Nick goodnight before leaving. She would follow that detective to get to where she needed to be. She just hoped that he was going to the right floor; she had no idea what number to push in the small wooden room. It lurched into motion and stopped at numbers two and three before Nick's colleague left. Jen followed him.

"Excuse me," she called out, catching up to the man.

He turned around, looking at her curiously. "Something I can do for you?" he asked.

Jen didn't much like his tone. He sounded less polite than she might have expected. She squared her shoulders, trying to counteract the way he made her feel small. "Do you work with Nick Buchanan?" Jen asked.

"I do, yeah. But Nick's not working today, he's…"

"Jennifer?"

She looked up at the sound of her name and saw Duncan coming over. Thank goodness. She didn't need to deal with his less pleasant man now. "Duncan, hi," she greeted.

The younger man turned to his colleague. "Dunny?"

Duncan explained, "Rhys, this is Jennifer Mapplethorpe. She's Nick's girlfriend."

Jen couldn't help but smile at that.

Rhys raised his brow in surprise. "Didn't know Nick had a girlfriend. He's a quiet sort."

"Yes, he is," Jen agreed. "Have you seen him?"

"Not since we arrested Graham Procter," Rhys replied, shaking his head. "Duncan?"

Duncan frowned, keeping his eyes on Jen. "No, me neither. I haven't talked to him since he left here. I tried calling a couple times but it went straight to voicemail. I figured he didn't want to talk to anyone and shut his phone off. I was gonna go by and see him today, actually."

Jennifer felt her face grow hot and her whole body start to shake as she tried in vain to keep control. Duncan hadn't seen him. Duncan hadn't spoken to him. No one knew where Nick was.

"What's happened, Jen?" Duncan asked softly, putting a gentle hand on her arm.

Funny, she'd not told him to call her Jen. Maybe Nick had. Maybe that's how Duncan knew. Maybe Nick talked to his best friend about her. Well, Duncan had called her Nick's girlfriend. A strangled sob escaped her throat, and she pressed her fingers to her mouth. She did not want to cry. She needed to find out what was going on. "Nick's missing," she breathed.

"Missing how?" Rhys asked.

"Nick and I talked after you arrested Graham Procter," she explained, feeling her strength return to her as she pushed through and told her tale. "He was really upset, but I knew he needed to be on his own, so I left and went home. I slept at home for two nights and then went to go see Nick. There were newspapers on his front step but his cars were out front. No one answered the door, so I used the spare key to go inside. But he wasn't there. And I waited. I waited all day. I thought he might have been out with you, Duncan. But he didn't come home. I waited all night, and the sun came up this morning and he still wasn't home. And I…I don't know where he is. He wouldn't leave and not tell me, and I think something might have happened."

Duncan looked very concerned at that, and Jen was glad for it. Jen was right to be worried if Duncan had that expression on his face.

Rhys looked less convinced. He looked away and called out, "Hey, Sarge!"

The older man, Senior Sergeant Wolfe, came by. "What's this, Ms. Mapplethorpe?" he asked.

Jen had forgotten until that moment the false name she'd given the police after Juliette died. She was a bit surprised that Wolfe had remembered.

"Nick's missing, sir," Duncan explained.

Wolfe looked from Jennifer to Duncan and back again. "Ms. Mapplethorpe, why don't you come with me to my office. Duncan, you too. Let's see what we can figure out."

Jen followed through Homicide floor with Duncan beside her. Something about his presence was a comfort to her. He believed her. He cared about Nick as much as she did. If he believed her and wanted to help, perhaps everything would be alright.

They went inside a dim room, and Wolfe closed the door behind them. Everyone sat down. "What's going on with Detective Buchanan?"

Duncan began to answer, relaying what Jennifer had told him and adding in that he'd tried calling Nick multiple times in the last two days. Jen provided details where she could, but she was very careful not to give away any information about the fairies or the realm.

Wolfe listened carefully and without expression. When they reached the present moment in the narrative, he gave a curt nod, indicating they could quiet. "Ms. Mapplethorpe, what do you think has happened to Nick? You're obviously concerned."

She hesitated, not quite sure how to answer that question. "He wouldn't just leave without telling me. We…well, we left things on an important note. Nick's not the type to run away from the important things. And I've never not been able to find him before. I know I haven't known him as long as you all have, but I know him different. I know him well. And I know he wouldn't just up and leave. Something must have happened for him to not come home all night."

"You're afraid for his safety?"

Jen nodded gravely. "He was distracted and upset about Graham Procter, and if…if there was something…he might not have been paying attention enough to help himself."

Wolfe narrowed his eyes. "How so?"

Steeling herself, she admitted her fears. "I think Dane Majors might be out for revenge and I think he blames Nick for putting him in prison."

"That's quite an accusation, Ms. Mapplethorpe," Wolfe said warningly.

"I thought the same thing as soon as Jen told me Nick was missing, Sarge," Duncan interjected. "I know Majors was innocent, but he's no saint. I wouldn't put it past him to try something nasty to Nick and anyone else he might blame for being in prison."

After a moment's hesitation, Wolfe sighed. He said to Duncan, "Take Allie to Dane Majors' house. Check in on him. Say we had a report of a disturbance if he asks what you're doing there. Ask him if he's had any contact with Nick Buchanan. Anything suspicious, bring him in." Duncan nodded and got up to leave the room.

Jen sat there stunned. She had not expected everyone to believe her so easily. But these people knew Nick. They'd worked with him for years. They'd probably seen him at his best and at his worst. Even if Nick wasn't a very expressive sort of man, Jen was rather sure his friends knew him well enough to know the difference. They knew him well enough to know that Jen was right about this being unlike Nick. And they certainly knew Dane Majors enough to know he was a vindictive sort.

Wolfe turned his attention back to Jennifer. "Ms. Mapplethorpe, this is not a Homicide case as there is no death, and I think we can all hope that there won't be, but I cannot send my team to search for Detective Buchanan, even if he is our friend. He was supposed to come in this morning to discuss his resignation with me, but he never showed up. I'd like to know why. But after Detectives Freeman and Kingston speak with Dane Majors, we will have to refer the case to Missing Persons."

She nodded in understanding. While she hoped that Nick's own friends would be the ones to help her find him, she could not ask more than what they were allowed to do. Jen understood duty and rules as well as anyone who worked in service and protection, answering to a superior. "Thank you for doing this, sir," Jen said. Her voice was thick with emotion. Probably thanks to her sleepless night. "I didn't know where else to turn. I knew his team here would be able to help."

"And we will," Wolfe assured her. "But I think it's best if you go home. We have your information on file, and I'll have Duncan give you a call with any update."

"Thank you, sir," she said again, standing up. He led her out of his office and shook her hand, and they shared a kind smile.

With that, Jen headed back to that moving wooden room. But she checked her surroundings to make sure no one was watching her. She ducked around a corner and blinked herself invisible before anyone noticed her. Then, confident that no one would see her, she watched from a short distance as Duncan put on his jacket and grabbed his car keys with Allie Kingston following him. They were going to talk to Dane Majors. And Jen would be right behind them.