Chapter 4
The woman awoke to softness of a well cushioned bed. She looked around to see that it was a rundown apartment with small commotions that stirred in the hallways. Ms. Scott exchanged a look at the canine that rested his head on the side of the bed. A bandage was wrapped around her arm, to secure the injury so it could heal properly. Fraser entered the room with a washcloth and a small bowl of water in his hands.
"Who the fuck are you and where am I?" She demanded.
"My name is Constable Benton Fraser from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and you're inside my apartment. Don't be afraid, I'm treating your injuries that you sustained. Who attacked you?"
"I don't know." She fibbed and changed the subject. "RCMP? Why is a Mountie doing in Chicago?"
"I followed the trails of my father's killers and for reasons that don't need to be explained at this point of venture, I became a liaison officer at the French Conciliate in Chicago." Benton precisely elucidated. "But that's not important. What is important is that you need to go to the police station and report that you have been assaulted."
"No one attacked me."
"Then who did this to you?"
"I...was reaching for something in my car when I accidentally cut myself."" She stammered."I think you should come with me." Fraser plainly suggested.
Detective Ray Vecchio sat in his small cuticle, anticipating his departure from the twenty-first precinct in Illinois. He avidly observed his watch, counting down with untainted excitement.
"Five...four...three...two.." Ray whispered to himself.
Before he could reach 'one', Benton and the teenager met up with the detective. What Ray didn't expect was the presence of this youthful girl. He ignored her sitting down on the chair across from him and fixated his glare at Fraser. Before the officer could state any obvious questions, the girl sighed in utter annoyance and then scowled at the two males.
"What do we have here?" Vecchio smugly smirked.
"I found her at twenty-Third Street." Fraser chimed in, "It appeared that she had been attacked. I suggested to her that she should report the incident."
"Ok, I can do that."
"What he didn't tell ya was that I was forced here to report it." Cassie rude fully said, shifting her purse over her right shoulder. "Now if you excuse me, I have to be leaving."
Benton inspected the fax machine processing information from a 315 area code...New York! What was so important in New York that Vecchio was working on?
A murder?
A homicide?
Or better yet-a witness that has runaway?
Bingo!
The thin, waxy paper exposed a picture of a very familiar young female. The headline vindicated that that she was a fugitive, detailing her exact appearance. Benton recognized the woman...this woman in front of him was Cassandra!
Ray gazed at the paper and noticed the similarities between the missing girl and the one that Benton brought in. The two both ran after her.
The police station had numerous twists and turns but this handsome Mountie easily made his way around the large cluster of people. He found the teen heading into the bedroom. Stepping aside, Bennie patiently waited for her to depart.
Inside the ladies restroom, Cass dove to the sink and sprinkled water on her face. This Mountie knew too much of her situation and knew that she was in too deep. She didn't want to give herself up and head back home...she would be dead. Her plan was to hide until it was the right moment to slip away and escape. Who would think to look in the bathroom? It was all too obvious.
Fifteen minutes seemed like eternity to this intelligent young girl. She finally exited the restroom. There, Benton had lingered around for her near the door, as if he knew she was there. She fierily glowered at him in frustration. Without any questions from both parties, she was sent to an interrogation room.
"Cassandra, sit down. Why did you runaway from your home? Mom and Dad have been hitting you?" Vecchio sat across from her, activating a mini-recorder.
"No, they treat me very well." She shot back.
"Why did you runaway then? Why the cut on your arm?"
"Are you deaf? I told you that it was an accident."
"Then why did you runaway?" The detective was now becoming agitated.
"I don't have any clue what you are talking about! My 'rents probably forgot about this trip and freaked out. This is not the first time they have done that."
Before he became angry, he paced around the room. Fraser was sitting across from the difficult teenager, and all he did was look down at the table.
"Fraser, she's not talking. There's nothing more I can do. I'll inform her parents that she had been found and an officer can be shipped to send her home."
"Ray, this is serious..."
"Bennie." Vecchio scolded.
"I can't tell you but if you do let me go, I'll die." Cassy bluntly stated.
"If you tell us what happened, we can protect you." Benton responded, with much concern on his adorable face.
"Did you hear me, Fras?! There's nothing more I can do! Witness protection is gonna start where we left off." Ray reminded the Mountie. He then sighed in despondency. "Do you know if any of your relatives resides in Chicago?"
"No, they don't." Cass reluctantly informed him.
"She can stay with me for the time being." The constable volunteered.
"I don't think that would be a good idea." The runaway retorted, nearly turning crimson.
"He's a Mountie with morals, what more could you ask for?" Ray exploded in anguish then swung to the RCMP officer. "I'll get on the case tomorrow."
"Thank you kindly, Ray.""Yeah, Yeah...whatever."
