Find Her

Chapter 2

"She was getting groceries?" Joe asked with a huff, "Amy couldn't have been abducted there, too many witnesses."

"That's the story her girlfriend gave us, Joe. We'll just have to work with that." Frank rubbed his temples, annoyed at his brother's unneeded anger.

"This could very well be a human trafficking ring." Nancy suggested, "All of the victims have been females." She looked down at the portfolio of the victims, trying to string together any common signs between the three victims.

Joe shook his head. "Then why are they turning up dead. If this was a trafficking ring, they'd just be abducted and sent back into the world."

At that moment, Vanessa appeared in the doorway, opposed to the melancholy mood the detectives shared, she was bright and seemingly intrigued about the case.

"Why don't you just scope out the apartment, see if you can find anything, and get more details on the story?" She suggested, handing Nancy a paper containing the address of the apartment complex.

"What would we do without you?" Frank smiled at his sister-in-law.

Vanessa laughed, "Sometimes you need a fresh pair of eyes to look at things in a new perspective."

"You're a lifesaver, babe." Joe pecked her cheek, but as he grabbed his coat, Vanessa snatched it away.

"Oh, so you won't mind if I join you?" Her eyes pleading and her devilish smirk lighting up her face.

Joe shifted uncomfortably as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Of course you can-" Nancy started.

"Not!" Joe finished, "Now is not the time to start this." He murmured in a deep voice.

Vanessa crossed her arms. She was not backing down.

"I'm sorry, when is the time?" She glared at her husband.

"We should really get going." Frank interrupted, as he and Nancy stepped between the brooding couple.

Joe whispered in her ear before giving her a kiss. Whatever Joe had said seemed to disappoint his wife, Nancy thought. She would have to ask her about it later.

As the three were walking out of the offices, Nancy was deep in thought. She felt something was up with the Hardy clan on this particular day. Joe and Vanessa seemed to be in an argument and Frank was acting jittery and somewhat panicked. Whatever it was, Nancy wanted the personal issues set aside for a day and focus on finding Amy Attwood's killer.

"Dr. Kane?" The middle-aged secretary poked into the psychiatrist's office. The wunderkind doctor looked up from his computer with a handsome smile on his face.

"A Mrs. Hardy is here to see you."

Mark raised a dark eyebrow and smirked.

"Send her in."

Ding!

The elevator door opened and a remorseful-looking Joe and Nancy stepped out. The two started walking when Nancy realized her boyfriend wasn't at her side. She turned to see Frank, one hand wringing through his thick brown hair and the other scrolling through his phone.

"Frank?" Nancy asked, worried about her frazzled beau.

He looked up and gave her a loving smile. He walked over and caressed her check. The couple both ignored Joe's dramatic gagging, before Frank shooed him away.

"I've never been better." Nancy gave him a doubting look and Frank laughed.

"Cross my heart." He said in a serious tone. He gave Nancy a loving, passionate kiss before stepping back into the elevator.

"Wait, where are you going?" Nancy yelled, concern growing on her face again.

"I have an important errand to run. I'll be back early tomorrow morning, promise." Frank hastily told Nancy.

"But- Nancy murmured.

"I love you!" Frank interjected before the elevator door closed.

Nancy pushed her hair back before letting out a sigh and turning to Joe.

"What the hell is going on, Joe?"

"I have no idea." Joe said with a shrug and a firm shake of the head.

"Ms. Attwood? I am not allowed to share any information about my patients." Dr. Kane said in a rigid, cold voice.

"So she was a patient?" Vanessa questioned, pushing her chair closer to the marble desk.

The doctor's jaw locked into place and gave her a cruel stare.

"Listen, Amelia Attwood is dead. So, you spill or I'm going down the station and picking up a warrant." Though Vanessa had a confident air about her, she felt a frog in her throat. She didn't know how to even obtain a warrant, let alone were the station was! It was one thing Joe taught her: Act confident even if you're scared as hell. 'God, how I miss Joe already, maybe I shouldn't have brought anything up… No! Stand your ground, Vanessa.'

The young doctor sighed before rubbing his temples.

"I treated Miss Attwood for depression. She was considered dangerous, but I gave her the all clear." Mark Kane explained, pulling out her file and skimming through.

"Dangerous?" Vanessa asked.

"Self-harm. Where there any marks on her body when she was found?" He asked, leaning forward in his office chair.

"Dr. Kane, Amy Attwood was barely recognizable when the authorities found her." She pulled out a picture of the scene and laid it on his desk, "She was skinned before she was incinerated."

Vanessa's eyes widened. He showed zero emotion looking at the revolting photo. She even saw a curl tug at the end of his lips.

'What have I gotten myself into? I've got to get the hell out of here!'

Frank nervously tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

'I'm about to ask the nation's toughest lawyer for permission to marry his only daughter', Frank thought.

He took a deep breath before typing 'River Heights' in his GPS.

AN:/ Hey guys! Finally getting to update! I quickly skimmed it so sorry if there are any errors. I changed a little bit of the story (Frank and Nancy dating for a longer time… etc.) Please remember to R&R because I love your feedback!