AN: Thanks to everyone who's Reviewed. It hasn't been many.well in fact
it's only been one, but hey it still motivates me hehe!. Well anywho
here's chapter 5.
Kermit and Strenlich were waiting by Peter's desk when the trio arrived. They weren't having a conversation. They were simply waiting. Strenlich was standing straight up arms crossed across his chest. Face serious as usual. Kermit on the other hand was more relaxed, leaning against the younger Caine's desk, with a grin on his face.
"What's up guys?" Peter questioned, as they approached. "I didn't expect a welcome party."
"Caine, the Captain wants to see you in her office," Strenlich stated. "Now."
"Okay," Peter said, unsure of the Chief's tone. "Pop you and Aurora stay here with Kermit. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Caine gave a slight nod as Peter and Strenlich went to see Captain Simms.
Peter knocked on the door as he opened it, and poked his head inside. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes," Simms replied, standing up. "Come in." She was wearing apple red pants, and a white shirt. A matching jacket lay over the back of her chair. Her hair was pulled back into a French braid.
Peter and Strenlich walked in, but neither sat down.
"What's up Captain?"
"I read the Chiefs report on today's events. In his report he said there was an underage girl with you. Is that true?"
Peter ran a hand through his hair. He should have reported the girl, but he just couldn't bring himself to, not yet.
"Yeah it's true."
"Who is she and please don't tell me she's your long lost sister."
"No," Peter said. "No, she's not my sister."
"Well then who the hell is she?"
"Look Captain I can't explain right now. Let's just say she's a friend. A friend who's in trouble and I'm trying to help her."
Simms sighed. She liked the Detective whether she admitted it or not. She had a soft spot for young Peter, especially after what he did for her son.
"You should have reported her. I had Kermit run a check on her description, and we came up with this."
She picked a flyer up off her desk and handed it to Peter. It was a picture of Aurora, taken with in the last year or so. Her hair was down and flowing around her shoulders. Her golden eyes shined, without the present fear. A smile spread across her face making her seem older than she was. On the bottom it read:
Missing Name: Aurora Ramirez Birthday: November 29, 1985 Last seen January 12th, 2002, wearing blue top, black pants, and carrying a baby blue knapsack.
If you have any information on her where about please contact the police.
"Look Captain," Peter began.
"No Caine," Simms cut him off. "You look. This kid has been missing for two months. Her parents are worried about her. Now either you report it, or I will."
"Captain please," he pleaded. "Aurora needs my help. Just give me seventy two hours to get to the bottom of this."
Simms looked at Strenlich. "What's your take on this Chief?"
"I trust Peter."
She sighed. "Fine Caine. You've got forty-eight hours. No more."
"Thanks Captain."
She nodded and the two walked out.
"I still need your statements." Strenlich told Peter, as they walked back to the desk.
"I know. Why don't you do that now? I have to talk to Kermit anyway."
Strenlich nodded.
"Is everything all right my son?" Caine asked as they approached.
"Yeah everything is fine," He replied. "Aurora I want you to go with Chief Strenlich to make your statement."
"Your not coming?"
"No, I have to talk to Kermit. I'll be there as soon as I'm done."
"But.."
"I will accompany you," Caine stated, interrupting her protest.
"I'll be there as soon as I can," Peter told her. "My father won't let anything happen to you."
Aurora nodded.
"This way," Strenlich said, and started for the interrogation room.
Caine and Aurora started behind him. She paused for a moment to look back at Peter. Caine put a hand on her shoulder and they continued to follow Strenlich.
After they were out of hearing range Peter turned to Kermit.
"What did you find?"
"What no, 'hello how are you Kermit'?"
"Cut the crap Kermit."
"All right," he said turning serious. "Aurora's mothers name is Sheila West. Previously known as Sheila Ramirez. Maiden name Sheila Annette Combs. Presently married to Thomas West. Ex-con convicted in 1987 of murder under an insanity plea. Sentenced to five years at the Miami Mental Institute. He was released in three. Several other accusations, none of which were proven. Free to do as he pleased he married Sheila. Mother to our young Aurora."
"Christ, this guy was convicted of murder and Aurora's mother still married him?"
"Oh that's not the best part. Want to hear how he got the insanity plea?"
"Enlighten me."
"Thomas West stated that the thirteen year old girl he killed was a witch whom he had to kill for her power. He is after all a Warlock who thrives off the power of witches."
"Please tell me your joking?"
"Hey kid this should be right up your alley."
Peter glared at Kermit. "So what? He gets out of the asylum, marries, and instead of killing witches beats the hell out of little kids?"
Kermit raised an eyebrow behind his green glasses. "Unless he thinks she's a witch."
"But if he thought she was a witch why wouldn't he kill her straight out?
"If he makes it look like an accident, like the kid fell down the stairs or something, then he doesn't go back to the mental institution. He gets to go free."
"Just like if he made it look like her father had committed suicide?" Peter asked.
"I'll get on it," Kermit said.
"Thanks, I owe you one."
"No kid, you owe me a lot, but we won't get into that."
Kermit smiled and left for his office. Peter shook his head and went in the opposite direction towards the interrogation room.
Peter walked into the interrogation room. It wasn't a very large room. There was a square table in the middle, leaving about two feet on either side. Aurora and his father were sitting at the far end, and Strenlich was leaning against the edge, closest to the door. Aurora was very pale, and looked as though she was having trouble breathing.
"Are you all right?" Caine asked her, as Peter shut the door.
She nodded. "I just don't like tight places too much."
"I'm sorry Aurora," Strenlich said. "But I have to get this statement. Now you said that you don't know the guy who attacked you?"
"No," she told him. "I've never seen him before in my life."
"Aurora," Peter said. "Tell him the truth."
Aurora looked at Peter through puzzled eyes, but did as she was told: telling Strenlich all about Donnivan.
"Now we're finally getting somewhere," Strenlich said, sitting down.
Peter stayed by the door, leaning against the wall. Strenlich proceeded to ask her a few more questions, and had her sign the document.
"Can I get out of here now?" Aurora asked, feeling a bit confined.
"You're free to go," Strenlich told her.
Aurora pushed her chair back and quickly exited the room, not waiting for any of the others. In the hallway she put her forehead against the wall, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She was grateful to be out of the tiny room.
Peter came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. Aurora jumped and turned to look at him.
"Sorry kiddo didn't mean to frighten you. You okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine. If I would have been in someplace any smaller I probably would have freaked."
"Claustrophobic?"
"You could say that."
"Come on," Peter said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Let's get out of here."
"Yeah," Aurora replied. "We have a lot to talk about. Don't we Caine?"
Peter turned around and saw his father behind them.
"Yes, it seems we do," Caine replied.
"Well we can discuss whatever it is over dinner," Peter told them.
"That will be fine," Caine said.
~~End
Ok guys let me know what you think. Reviews are ALWAYS welcome hehe.
Kermit and Strenlich were waiting by Peter's desk when the trio arrived. They weren't having a conversation. They were simply waiting. Strenlich was standing straight up arms crossed across his chest. Face serious as usual. Kermit on the other hand was more relaxed, leaning against the younger Caine's desk, with a grin on his face.
"What's up guys?" Peter questioned, as they approached. "I didn't expect a welcome party."
"Caine, the Captain wants to see you in her office," Strenlich stated. "Now."
"Okay," Peter said, unsure of the Chief's tone. "Pop you and Aurora stay here with Kermit. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Caine gave a slight nod as Peter and Strenlich went to see Captain Simms.
Peter knocked on the door as he opened it, and poked his head inside. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes," Simms replied, standing up. "Come in." She was wearing apple red pants, and a white shirt. A matching jacket lay over the back of her chair. Her hair was pulled back into a French braid.
Peter and Strenlich walked in, but neither sat down.
"What's up Captain?"
"I read the Chiefs report on today's events. In his report he said there was an underage girl with you. Is that true?"
Peter ran a hand through his hair. He should have reported the girl, but he just couldn't bring himself to, not yet.
"Yeah it's true."
"Who is she and please don't tell me she's your long lost sister."
"No," Peter said. "No, she's not my sister."
"Well then who the hell is she?"
"Look Captain I can't explain right now. Let's just say she's a friend. A friend who's in trouble and I'm trying to help her."
Simms sighed. She liked the Detective whether she admitted it or not. She had a soft spot for young Peter, especially after what he did for her son.
"You should have reported her. I had Kermit run a check on her description, and we came up with this."
She picked a flyer up off her desk and handed it to Peter. It was a picture of Aurora, taken with in the last year or so. Her hair was down and flowing around her shoulders. Her golden eyes shined, without the present fear. A smile spread across her face making her seem older than she was. On the bottom it read:
Missing Name: Aurora Ramirez Birthday: November 29, 1985 Last seen January 12th, 2002, wearing blue top, black pants, and carrying a baby blue knapsack.
If you have any information on her where about please contact the police.
"Look Captain," Peter began.
"No Caine," Simms cut him off. "You look. This kid has been missing for two months. Her parents are worried about her. Now either you report it, or I will."
"Captain please," he pleaded. "Aurora needs my help. Just give me seventy two hours to get to the bottom of this."
Simms looked at Strenlich. "What's your take on this Chief?"
"I trust Peter."
She sighed. "Fine Caine. You've got forty-eight hours. No more."
"Thanks Captain."
She nodded and the two walked out.
"I still need your statements." Strenlich told Peter, as they walked back to the desk.
"I know. Why don't you do that now? I have to talk to Kermit anyway."
Strenlich nodded.
"Is everything all right my son?" Caine asked as they approached.
"Yeah everything is fine," He replied. "Aurora I want you to go with Chief Strenlich to make your statement."
"Your not coming?"
"No, I have to talk to Kermit. I'll be there as soon as I'm done."
"But.."
"I will accompany you," Caine stated, interrupting her protest.
"I'll be there as soon as I can," Peter told her. "My father won't let anything happen to you."
Aurora nodded.
"This way," Strenlich said, and started for the interrogation room.
Caine and Aurora started behind him. She paused for a moment to look back at Peter. Caine put a hand on her shoulder and they continued to follow Strenlich.
After they were out of hearing range Peter turned to Kermit.
"What did you find?"
"What no, 'hello how are you Kermit'?"
"Cut the crap Kermit."
"All right," he said turning serious. "Aurora's mothers name is Sheila West. Previously known as Sheila Ramirez. Maiden name Sheila Annette Combs. Presently married to Thomas West. Ex-con convicted in 1987 of murder under an insanity plea. Sentenced to five years at the Miami Mental Institute. He was released in three. Several other accusations, none of which were proven. Free to do as he pleased he married Sheila. Mother to our young Aurora."
"Christ, this guy was convicted of murder and Aurora's mother still married him?"
"Oh that's not the best part. Want to hear how he got the insanity plea?"
"Enlighten me."
"Thomas West stated that the thirteen year old girl he killed was a witch whom he had to kill for her power. He is after all a Warlock who thrives off the power of witches."
"Please tell me your joking?"
"Hey kid this should be right up your alley."
Peter glared at Kermit. "So what? He gets out of the asylum, marries, and instead of killing witches beats the hell out of little kids?"
Kermit raised an eyebrow behind his green glasses. "Unless he thinks she's a witch."
"But if he thought she was a witch why wouldn't he kill her straight out?
"If he makes it look like an accident, like the kid fell down the stairs or something, then he doesn't go back to the mental institution. He gets to go free."
"Just like if he made it look like her father had committed suicide?" Peter asked.
"I'll get on it," Kermit said.
"Thanks, I owe you one."
"No kid, you owe me a lot, but we won't get into that."
Kermit smiled and left for his office. Peter shook his head and went in the opposite direction towards the interrogation room.
Peter walked into the interrogation room. It wasn't a very large room. There was a square table in the middle, leaving about two feet on either side. Aurora and his father were sitting at the far end, and Strenlich was leaning against the edge, closest to the door. Aurora was very pale, and looked as though she was having trouble breathing.
"Are you all right?" Caine asked her, as Peter shut the door.
She nodded. "I just don't like tight places too much."
"I'm sorry Aurora," Strenlich said. "But I have to get this statement. Now you said that you don't know the guy who attacked you?"
"No," she told him. "I've never seen him before in my life."
"Aurora," Peter said. "Tell him the truth."
Aurora looked at Peter through puzzled eyes, but did as she was told: telling Strenlich all about Donnivan.
"Now we're finally getting somewhere," Strenlich said, sitting down.
Peter stayed by the door, leaning against the wall. Strenlich proceeded to ask her a few more questions, and had her sign the document.
"Can I get out of here now?" Aurora asked, feeling a bit confined.
"You're free to go," Strenlich told her.
Aurora pushed her chair back and quickly exited the room, not waiting for any of the others. In the hallway she put her forehead against the wall, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She was grateful to be out of the tiny room.
Peter came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. Aurora jumped and turned to look at him.
"Sorry kiddo didn't mean to frighten you. You okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine. If I would have been in someplace any smaller I probably would have freaked."
"Claustrophobic?"
"You could say that."
"Come on," Peter said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Let's get out of here."
"Yeah," Aurora replied. "We have a lot to talk about. Don't we Caine?"
Peter turned around and saw his father behind them.
"Yes, it seems we do," Caine replied.
"Well we can discuss whatever it is over dinner," Peter told them.
"That will be fine," Caine said.
~~End
Ok guys let me know what you think. Reviews are ALWAYS welcome hehe.