Authors Note: Thanks for reading! Hope you all enjoy!

Hailey POV

I'm starring at this young girl in front of me trying to figure out my next move. For the past 15 minutes this girl has completely shut down. Just as she looks up and I think I have a shot to get more information there was a knock on the glass. I look towards the girl and say, "I will be back."

I leave the room to find Jay and Voight and I say, "Please tell me you have information give me something so I can get something out of this girl." Jay says "Yes, I looked into schools in the area with the uniforms, reached out to the unis, and found a match. Our victim goes to Sacred Heart, I contacted the head of the high school and he identified our friend in interrogation. He identified her as Sophie Langford, 14, she's a foster kid. He also said "You can never find Sophie without Savannah Sutton." "We reached out to the Sutton Family, they stated that Savannah never made it home, they are on their way over."

I looked at Jay and said "Wait she kind of revealed she is living in that alleyway we found the victim is there any record of her running away for her foster home, that some how the school didn't find out about?"

He replied, "She isn't missing, I contacted social services her social worker will be here as soon as she wraps things up with an emergency case. So we have a limited time frame."

I shook my head and head back into the room. I sit down and say, "Hey Sophie, the young dead girl in the alley it is Savannah isn't?" She looks up in shock and says "How?" I replied "We are the police we would figure it out eventually. Your social worker is on her way, so if you don't want to go to jail for something I know you didn't do, start talking now Sophie, before I can't help you. You can start by telling me what you were doing in that alleyway considering you aren't reported as missing or a runaway from your foster home."

She looks at me and says, "I do live in that alleyway in empty storage space behind the market on the corner. Savannah usually comes over to me because her parents don't want her to hang out with the foster trash. I was sitting on the air mattress when I heard the shots I opened my door ran outside and peaked around the corner I saw some guy running, I realized Savannah was the one lying on the ground. I ran to her, I put my hands on her chest wound. I checked for pulse I couldn't find one. I stood up and was going to run into the market to get help when the two other detectives showed up. I panicked and I ran. Now I'm here with you. My foster parents and I made an agreement they kept getting the check, I didn't have to live there and they wouldn't report me as a runaway. Wait you said my social worker was coming?!"

I replied, "Yes she was going to take you back to your foster home if we didn't formally press charges, but I'm going to half to report to her that you weren't living there.

She slammed her hand the table and started yelling, "You cant do that. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I RAN! I can't go back to living in fosters homes. I can't I can't!."

Wow I didn't think she would have this kind of a reaction! I move towards the girl trying to calm her down and she jumps back and yells "Don't touch me." I reply, "I promise I'm not here to hurt you. I need you to calm down and why can't you go back to living in foster homes?"

She replied, "Because they have all sucked! In one way or another they have hurt me. I can't handle being hurt anymore. Group homes aren't any better the last one I was in I ended up being in hospitalized after the other kids beat me up. I have been in this system since I was 6, I'm 14 now and still haven't been adopted. I started taking care of myself at the age of 4 after my Mom died and my Dad chose to cope with drugs and cared about them more than me. When he wasn't worried about getting high he was beating the crap out of me. Like I said I've always taken care of myself so why can't I now? Honestly, I'm just going to leave wherever shitty home I end up in next. I would rather go to jail then go to a new foster home so please arrest me."

Wow. I feel so bad for this girl. I think about what it was like with my Dad. I shudder. This girl reminds me of myself and I don't want her to run and be on the streets at 14.

I ask her, "Do you or Savannah do drugs? Look you won't be in trouble, but we found a small empty baggie."

She replied "No, God no, I don't do drugs, my Dad doing drugs ruined my life. I hate drugs will never do them. I doubt Savannah would be doing drugs she always said "Drugs make people ugly, and I'm not letting anything ruin my beauty." Do you think drugs are involved with her shooting?"

I reply, "I'm not sure, but you said you saw some guy run from the alley after. Did you see his face?"

Sophie said, "Yes he was young in his early 20s maybe, Hispanic, maybe

I asked her "Would you be able to describe him to a sketch artist?" Sophie nods her head yes and then there is a knock on the door. I turn to her and say, "I will be back."

Jay, Kim, and Voight are waiting for me. I look at them and say "I don't think she did this. Jay replies "Neither do we, we pulled security footage from across the street. Matches the Sophie's story she doesn't show up until after shots fired. He shows me the video. There were two people in the video Savannah and the man. I watch a man reach into his pocket bring something out. I cant make out what it is and then there is pause and he runs, Savanah is lying on the ground, then I see Sophie come around the corner just like her story. The video ends. I look up and ask "Is there any footage of this guys face?" Kim says "Yes we ran it through facial recognition, we just go a hit. His name if Julio Ruiz he is originally from Mexico, known drug lord, has ties to the to Colmena Cartel, his brother Carlos is the head of the cartel, as well as ties to the Latin Disciples. Can you see if Sophie Sophie can confirm?"

I reply, "Do we really want to put her in danger? Identifying this man could get her killed she's just 14." Voight replies "If he saw her she might already be in danger, have her ID him and until we have this contained we will take her into protective custody."

Two Hours Later (Hailey POV)

Sophie identified Julio, we found him hiding in a compound. Voight and the rest of the gang are about to break down the compound. Jay and I are at the safe house with Sophie. FBI is now involved apparently he is on their most wanted list. Sophie is eating a slice of pizza and Jay is on guard by the door. I ask Sophie how she's doing and she shrugs her shoulders and says "Okay I guess, I'm scared about what's happening and more worried about what's going to happen when this is done, where I go next ya know?" I reply "Kiddo I know you're worried but I promise your going to be safe." She replied "Don't! I've heard that line one two many times to believe it. Every social worker tells me this home you will be safe. Then I get there and I'm not. I will get denied food, neglected, or worse hit. I can't handle being hit Hailey. You can't even imagine what that's like." I replied "Unfortunately I do kiddo." Just then I got a call from Voight it was a major shootout everyone including Julio was killed in what the FBI is taking credit for as a raid. Savannah will not get justice. He also informed that her toxicology report came back clean and that according to a kid at school Savannah was selling oxy so most likely they were arguing over cash. He believes that Sophie should be safe and be free to go back to her social worker. I hang up the phone.

I look around the room and at Sophie I think about what's next for her. I want to make sure she is safe. I call her social worker and I am going to make sure she is safe. After speaking to her social worker, I hang up the phone and head over to Sophie.

I say, "Hey, Sophie you are safe now. The guy who killed Savannah is dead and he can't hurt you. In fact your name will not be involved in any official paperwork to ensure your safety. I called your social worker she's on her way here. She has given me assurances that your new foster home is a safe space and she will not let anyone hurt you there and I know you will be to."

Sophie replies, "Like I said I have heard that one before. How are you so sure that this one will be different than all the previous ones?"

I reply, "Because I am your new foster parent. Your social worker approved me temporarily and said she will help to speed up my foster license. That is if this okay with you?"

Sophie hugs me and replies "Yeah it's okay with me, I kind of trust you. But I have one question. Why? Everyone in my life ever hasn't chosen me. Every foster parent, my biological Mom (I'm adopted), and my adopted Dad chose drugs over me. So why?

I reply, "Because I once was you. Never feeling safe and I didn't have anyone to help me. I want to give that chance to you, because there is something special about you. Now let's go home."

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Review to let me know what you think or where you think the story is heading. New chapter to be posted soon.