Klara

So far, the afternoon was better than the sandwich I'd grabbed at the local store.

I was satisfied; the dressing down I had given to the school's director had been rather impressive. He had taken me to Marcus' class, and I had pressed the words rather stiffly. Harassment, and its consequences, would be filed up instantly at the police station.

A few teenagers had paled, and one tried to be a smartass. I had taken him away from his class, and my threats were now embedded into him. Another word and I would file a complaint for bullying. That people still reverted to this king of behaviour in the 21st century appalled me; we were supposed to be educated, now ! Witch hunting in the 12th century, I could understand. But this madness, now ?

I shook my head, driving through the diminutive city center. I took a left, then a right, and found myself rather puzzled. There, on the side of the road, walked a blond child I knew well. Little Klara, officially five years old, was getting home on her own. ALONE ! Alone by the side of the road. My heart lurched, and I took a dep breath to refrain from choking on my own saliva.

I remembered Mr Jensen telling me he walked with the child often, especially when her parents were not available. And now that the guardien angel wasn't there, now that her child had accused a man of sexual assault, they still left her on her own. Anyone could literally stop and abduct her… and then, they wouldn't be shunning their friend. They would bury her clean and proper, with little flower and a lot of make up to cover for…

Ugh ! I shivered in the car, and pulled aside to park. I watched, for a long time, that little blond head's progress. Her shoulders were slumped, her featutes tight. It was little wonder; she used to walk home with Lucas – her friend – and his funny dog. The one that barked whenever they talked about Kristan. Now, her support was gone, her parents probably a mess, and she had lost her only adult friend. Klara walked slowly, and I counted the minutes. Twelve. Twelves minutes before she reached the estate where her parent's home was. Plenty of time to snatch her, should any psycho pass by the village.

My blood was fucking boiling !

I parked in front of Klara's home, and took a few minutes to calm myself down. To think that this whole town had turned against an innocent to overlook the negligence of its own parents… a negligence that Lucas put up with, going out of his way – literally – to protect the girl. Damn… they were going to hear me, that's for sure !

I rang the door bell in a passable mood. A tall man with an unkempt beard opened; he seemed totally stunned. His uneasiness radiated in waves; stunned, and lost. Like a sock thrown in the washing machine, searching up and down. North from south. His little girl had been supposedly abused by his best friend, and his sadness permeated strongly. Betrayal as well. Curiously, there was no anger. Weird.

I forced a smile, and got invited inside; I needed to regain my bearing, and try to make them understand that it wasn't allright to leave Klara on her own at her age without biting their heads off. The man, Theo – what a lovely name – offered me a drink. He told me his wife would be back soon with his eldest. I took the chance offered to me with glee; people where more approachable alone. The scolding would have to wait.

- "You know why I am here"

A nod. The man wasn't a talker. It didn't matter, I had plenty to tell him. And he touched me, that tall guy with his brownish hair so tussled I couldn't find where his beard started and the rest ended. His blue eyes were heavy and pained, hidden, and I couldn't help but sympathise. We didn't exchange many sentences, but all of them were meaningful. I understood why he and Lucas got along so well…

- "Have you seen his dog ?", he eventually asked me.

I started.

- "Uh?"

- "Fanny. Lucas' dog. When he is too sad, I say 'Kristen' loud enough for her to bark."

I lifted an eyebrow in my best schoolteacher impression; how did the dog relate to that mess ? I knew better than to interrupt, and allowed Theo to follow his line of thoughts.

- "I taught her that trick, to make him laugh, you know ? Because he was so sad when that bitch left him…"

And he dissolved into tears… I sat awkwardly, my cup of tea steaming hot, while I watched this big guy cry over a friendship that meant so much to him.

- "How could he do that ?", he eventually hiccupped.

- "Are you sure he did it ?", I bluntly stated.

Theo lifted his head, piercing me with a hash stare.

- "The director said…"

- "I know what she said. We will know better once Denise has seen your daughter for a few sessions, sir. But for the moment, what Klara said was suspicious, but not convincing."

I saw his features morph, felt his hope building inside my own chest at the idea that maybe, this was all a misunderstanding. So I nailed it.

- "What if Mr Jensen is innocent ? Do you think it is possible?"

Theo lifted his hands to the sky.

- "You have no idea how I want it to be true ! I couldn't believe it when they told me"

A wave of anguish reached me, and a vision came to me. I watched, helpless, as Lucas dragged his best friend out of freezing water. A stupid game that might have ended so badly if not for the selflessness of this man. My man returned to the present; to this man who didn't know where to stand. How could he even buy such a lie ? The mind wasn't rational when it came to your own children…

- "What if I am wrong ?", he continued. "The others are saying the children are having nightmares as well. What if I left my daughter…"

I pursed my lips, deep in thought. If the other parents had convinced themselves and their children of abuse, I understood the city's animosity. This was getting out of hand, and fast. Cursed myself for not having called Denise before I came; seeing Klara all alone had raised my hackles. Damn, a beginner's mistake ! I bit my cheek, and tried to soothe the man before me.

- "Sir. Your daughter will be cared for either way."

- "Will she ever be allright ?", he asked, his voice breaking.

The memory of those little shoulders, slumped in defeat, caught in my throat. This psychosis, rapidly spreading, was harming the children. All of them, not only Klara.

- "It all depends on you, her parents, now"

I knew it might have seemed harsh, but placing the responsibility back to their shoulders should also fuel their sense of protection. And, for sure, Theo's sagged posture straightened a bit as he understood my words. Good… because there was a tongue lashing coming, and…

The door banged open, a blond woman rushing into the house as the rain poured outside. Shit, I had forgotten to take an umbrella. Behind her came a teenager. Sport clothes and head slumped into his shoulders, he paled a notch when he saw me.

Supsicious.

The teenager stood there, frozen, afraid to break our little stare contest.

- "Who are you ?"

A harsh welcome. I turned to Theo's wife, or so I assumed, but her husband actually stood to greet her.

- "She is Officer Torsø, or child services."

- "Haven't we said enough to your colleague ?"

The dark circles under her eyes forced me to stand down, but I was an inch away from biting her head off.

- "I follow my own leads, madam. And I deal with adults"

- "What do you want ?"

A quick peek by her side told me Theo was totally out of his depth, and I lazily stood to be eye level with her.

- "I came here to ask about your common past with Lucas Jensen, and retrieve everything I might need to assess the situation. Your husband has been very helpful"

The teenager darted off to his room, his parents oblivious.

- "Right."

Helpful and Theo didn't see to walk hand in hand in her opinion. Those two had serious issues; Lucas had shyly breached the subject on Wednesday, hence his care for Klara when her parents were not available. But issues or not, the children should have been their priorities. Despite DenJon being a very safe country, Klara couldn't wander around on her own. So I straightened on my heels, and stood to full height.

- "As I drove here, I also came upon a little girl. Blond hair, five years old, walking alongside the road. Is that a recurring situation for Klara to walk home?"

The woman gave her husband a murderous glare. Ouch. Poor sod was going to get it bad… His blue eyes suddenly took a great interest in the ground, guilt mingled with fear. His lips, though, remained sealed at his wife answered curtly.

- "No, it shouldn't."

I nodded.

- "So… this evening is an isolated occurrence ?"

Theo's wife grit her teeth.

- "No. It happens"

And I knew she hated me, for her anger radiated so strongly I could almost taste it. She hated me for nailing the issue here; if Klara had not been left to her own devices, this situation wouldn't have happened ? That crushing guilt was eating her away, gnawing at her insides… transformed into anger, and thrown at the perfect culprit. Lucas. Self loathing finding an outlet.

I couldn't let it go; they needed to understand their responsibilities, as parents.

- "You are the adults here", I sternly said. "You know a child cannot be left without surveillance at this age, let alone walking on the side of the road. Klara could have been snatched by anyone one. Do you not realise how dangerous it is ?"

Theo's wife almost spat at me, her features morphing in disgust.

- "We don't need strangers to assault our children, we have our own local breed"

Such contempt, such disgust directed at a man she once trusted. It hit me like a wave, and I felt like retching to get rid of that sick feeling. And the worst was that I could feel how disturbed she was with the notion; deep down, she didn't believe Lucas capable of such a despicable act. Yet… it was the only option.

- "So you go accusing your husband's best friend, but you don't mind selling your daughter to the first psycho that comes around ?"

- " WHAT ?"

I didn't flinch at her tone, letting her know that no amount of shouting would intimidate me. My glare pinned her in place.

- "As an officer of child services, I'll have you know that I need to file a complaint for negligence. A five years old must NEVER be left alone"

I could feel Theo's gaze upon me, shocked. Had he not realised, this father that waited at home, what dangers lurked outside ? Wasn't it enough, that he daughter might have been abused, to understand the danger ? Lucas had certainly been watching out for Klara better than her own parents; it was little wonder she had developed a crush.

As I felt, more than I saw, realisation settled upon Theo. Good; I was getting somewhere.

Hey ! I don't think anyone is ever going to read this. But if you do, leave a review pretty please so I don't feel too useless.