Callous

Officer Mars arrived seconds before the Kane's. Jake and Celeste Kane, are his main suspects outside of Duncan Kane.

After three months of investigation, there had been little traction in the case, most of his suspensions now hinging on Lillian Kane's testimony. From everything that had been passed along to him, the young teen was lucky to be alive, saying if she hadn't been found when she had or if the attacker had thrown her into the pool, she'd have been dead. Instead, she had hung desperately to life, allowing doctors to save her life despite the 80% she wouldn't survive within the next several hours to now, beating the 50% odds she'd have remained in a comatose-like state. The girl was a miracle and a survivor.

Jake Kane looked disheveled, looking as if he hadn't slept restfully in weeks or had been sleeping in the office, seeing as his suit was heavily wrinkled. Celeste Kane looked as distraught as her repeated shots of botox and other cosmetic procedures would allow.

Despite the nagging feeling, they were hiding something. Keith hadn't any evidence that they were involved with their daughter's assault. He speculate that they were protecting their son, the one who'd found Lily three months previously. Although Keith doubt the boy would hurt his sister, how reluctant the parents were about him questioning Duncan made his investigation all the more challenging.

"Ahh! Mr. and Mrs. Kane!" A doctor called, approaching the three, the middle-aged doctor then addressing Keith. "And Officer Mars." They shared a curt nod of acknowledgment before the doctor gave his attention to the anxious parents.

"You said there was new!" Jake rushed, eyes wide and panicked, as if afraid to allow himself to be excited or hopeful after three long months. "She's awake?!"

The doctor, Dr. Shepherd, smiled. "It's a miracle."

Celeste grabbed Jake's arm, a watery yelp escaping her throat.

"She is rather weak at the moment but is very coherent and responsive. In fact, she's insistent that she speak with Officer Mars." Dr. Shepherd gave Keith a sharp look, Jake, and Celeste looking at him as well.

"Has she said anything else?" Keith probed.

The doctor nodded softly. "Apparently, two of Lily's friends were visiting when she woke, and Lily's response when we try to remove one of them has been rather volatile." Dr. Shepherd looked at the parents, Celeste looking unhappy while Jake looked concerned. "For fear of raising her stress, we've allowed the girl to remain and advise only one of you to accompany Sheriff Mars."

"It's Veronica, isn't it?" Celeste spat, venomous and visibly angry. "She wasn't supposed to be allowed visit!"

Jake turned to grab both of Celeste's arms, giving her a soft shake as he looked down at her. "Who cares?" He chided, eyes brimming with angry tears as he smiled. "Our daughter is awake! Lily is alive! For all we know, hearing her friend helped bring her out of a coma. I don't care how, but if Veronica is offering her comfort and that's what Lily wants, so be it."

Her eyes widened before nodding. "You're right. All that matters is she's alive." She offered a weak smile.

"You stay here, wait for Duncan, and I'll go in with Keith, okay?" Celeste nodded, wiping at another tear before giving Jake a kiss.

Jake looked at Keith, offering a nod before turning to the doctor so he could lead the way.

Walking into the room, Jake was practically trembling with every step, his anxiety palpable to Keith. If he didn't know the man, Keith would have thought his behavior suspicious, but the moment the door opened, Jake was a ball of emotion. He sailed through the room, falling against the hospital bed with a sharp cry of his daughter's name.

"Dad." Lily's voice came as a hoarse whisper, a broken sound of love as she leaned into tender touch upon her face.

"Sweet baby girl." He croaked with teary-eyed.

Keith's eyes slid to his daughter, his eyes conveying a single command: 'GET OVER HERE.'

She looked down guiltily as she went to get up, having understood immediately. Yet Lily snapped all attention from her father to Veronica, her hand locked in a death grip on the retreating blonde. "Stay." Even hoarse, the command in her voice was loud and clear.

Jake shot eyes at Keith, who looked from him to the doctor.

The doctor had a strained smile as he addressed Lily. "Miss Kane, no one is going to take your friend away."

Veronica smiled, patting Lilly's hand in a reassuring way. "I'm just gonna step out of the room so you can talk to my dad." She soothed.

But Lilly practically growled, seemingly trying to shake her head. "Stay." She repeated with as much force as the first. "Don't leave me alone," her voice croaked out brokenly, the words seeming to rattle Jake to a point of brokenness.

Looking up, Jake nodded to Keith. "I- if- well-" he started several times as if trying to give clear permission.

"If it's alright with you, Mr. Kane, I have a few questions for your daughter, and if you are alright with Veronica sitting in?"

Again Jake nodded, sitting at the edge of his seat, hand grabbing Lilly's other hand. "That's fine."

Keith nodded before pulling out a recorder and notepad. Setting the recorder on a tray, he nodded to the young woman in the hospital bed. "I'll be recording this interview if that's alright with you, Mr. Kane." Again Jake nodded with a soft 'yes'. "I'm sure you're going through a lot right now, Miss. Kane."

Blue eyes hardened stairs straight through Keith, it was the look he'd seen many times, and sadly all by victims of assault, yet there was a vengeance that seemed to grow brighter the longer she stared. "I know who attacked me."

The air had been sucked from the room. Jake shook, Veronica tensed, and Keith waited.