Long time no posts... so, it's been a while. I was working on a couple of stories which have kinda morphed into one & gone in a completely different direction.

Kim looked at Adam's phone as it rang for the fourth time. He was currently interviewing a suspect and they had been at it for a while. Their suspect was being particularly difficult and she could see both Adam and Kevin getting frustrated. They were like caged animals, pacing back and forth and waxing and waning on who was speaking and who was putting the silent pressure on. It was always fascinating to watch and you knew eventually they would make a breakthrough. As a pair they were damn good at it.

She decided to answer it. "Kim Burgess."

The quiet female voice paused for a moment. "Oh, I've been trying to get in contact with Adam Ruzek."

"This is his phone. He's not available at the moment." Kim checked the number and didn't recognise it. "I can take a message for him, he can call you back."

"Okay. You are Kim right? His partner?"

The caller now had her attention so she stepped out of the observation room and moved down the hall a little. "I am. Can I help?"

"Um, My son goes to school with Sam." She paused. "Sam's been here since last night, he says he's been home all weekend by himself."

"What do you mean by himself? Where is his mother?"

"Sam says he hasn't seen her since he went to school on Friday. I'm sorry Kim, he came home with Jack this afternoon. I didn't know who else to call. He gave me Adam's number eventually, he said he didn't want to call him."

"Did you try and call Kate?"

"I did. No answer. We went to his house, just to get him some clothes, he has sport tomorrow." Jack's mother rambled a little. "We've bought Sam back to our place. He's okay."

"What about the house? Did it look like there'd been a struggle, anything missing or out of place?"

"No nothing, the kitchen was a little dirty, dirty dishes and food around but Sam said that was him. I cleaned it up. Should I have left it?"

"No, that's fine." It would've been better if it had been left but most people didn't think like cops and assume the worst, they weren't concerned about evidence. She was just trying to help and she sounded lovely and very concerned.

Kim scratched her head. Kate could be a little flaky but this wasn't like her. She had dropped Sam off at their house at the last minute a few times and he'd stayed overnight if she had something on or wanted to go out on a date. Sam and Makayla got along, perhaps a little too well at times and they were as thick as thieves when he was here. They could also go weeks without seeing or hearing from Kate. Generally it was when she needed something so it was surprising that she hadn't called this time to arrange for Sam to stay.

"I'm sorry… " Kim paused. "…I didn't catch your name."

"Maggie."

"I'm sorry Maggie. Adam is busy right now, he's going to be a little while yet. I can come and get Sam."

"Kim, he's fine here at the moment. I'm happy to keep him here for a little bit longer."

She scrambled a little. Something wasn't sitting right with her and she wanted to come and get Sam. He worried about his Mom and despite putting on a brave face she knew that he would be anxious. Adam could be tied up for hours yet. "I think I will come get him, if that's okay with you. I know he can get a little anxious and our daughter will love to see him. I think Adam would like to see him too."

Sam's Dad wasn't in the picture. He hadn't seen Sam since his second birthday party, which according to Adam, had been an A grade clusterfuck. He had turned up uninvited and drunk, had abused Kate repeatedly about Sam, her new boyfriend and offended just about everyone there. When he pushed Sam away from him Adam lost his shit and dragged him from the house. He had broken the wing mirrors off Kate's car before he left and yelled profanities for the whole neighbourhood to hear.

Kate was mortified and beside herself. Her boyfriend at the time had bailed pretty quickly after that and she did end up moving house a few months later when he kept harassing her. Adam knew nothing about it until after it had stopped. Apparently he eventually moved interstate and there was no more contact between them. Sam never received anything for his birthday or Christmas and Kate never got a cent in child support and she was okay with that. Anything was better than having him in their lives.

It wasn't always like that though, Kate was doe eyed in the beginning and kept hoping for the dream when she fell pregnant with Sam. It didn't come, he couldn't get out of their quick enough and Kate pined for him and took him back time and again until he finally disappeared when Sam was three months old. Dylan Addison was a lost cause it just took Kate a while to figure it out.

Kim decided to just text Adam and tell him to call her ASAP with no other information. She added a second message. 'I mean ASAP Adam It's urgent.' He could be in the interrogation room for another ten minutes or three hours yet. Being adept at sending a million messages in a short space of time, but was unable to carrying on long winded conversation via text so anything over one or two sentences was unlikely to be read. If he thought it was about Mack he'd call her as soon as he got the message.

Sam did look a little relieved to see Kim but was still a little reserved with her. "Where's Adam?"

"He's a work sweetheart." Kim squeezed his hand. "I thought you could come back home with me and I'm sure Makayla would love to see you. Adam will be home as soon as he can."

He nodded sadly, his voice trembled a little. It had been a scary weekend for him and he knew he should've called Adam but didn't want his Mom to get in trouble. "Have you found Mom?"

Kim rubbed his shoulder gently. "Not yet sweetie, but we will."

"I'm sorry I didn't call Adam." Sam offered up quietly. "Will he be angry?"

"No, he won't Sam, he'll be worried about you and your Mom." Kim assured him. She thanked Maggie for calling her and taking care of Sam and promised to keep her updated and Maggie offered to help if she could. Sam and Jack were best friends and she really liked him, he was a sweet boy, always polite and she knew his Dad wasn't around.

Kim knew that Adam would interrogate Sam when he got home, that was just his way and he'd be freaking out about his sister so she tried the softly, softly approach with him and just tried to have a conversation to get some idea of a timeline or anything unusual going on at home. She tread very carefully being acutely aware that Sam was a little shy around her and seemed reluctant to talk to her.

"Has Mom been happy lately?"

"Yeah."

"Any new friends?"

"Nope."

Kim tried a different approach. "So Mack's team has been doing well at soccer, how's your soccer going?"

"Okay I guess." Sam shrugged.

"What else have you been up too? Life's been a little crazy for us. Adam kept talking about having you over but work has been pretty hectic and then we all got Covid."

Sam didn't answer, he just stared out the window. Kim glanced at him quickly and could see he was upset and worried and she thought about reaching out to comfort him but stopped herself. If she pushed him too hard he might shut down completely and not even talk to Adam. One thing they did know was that he could be very challenging and surly as only teenage boys could be, kate whinged to Adam about him all the time about how much he was like Adam was as a teenager.

"What should we have for dinner? Mack will be ecstatic to get take-out."

It was an awkward little silence before he responded quietly. "I like burgers, those ones Adam gets."

"Then that's what we'll get."

He looked at the phone in his hand. "Have you tried your Mom again?" Kim noticed it. He had looked at his phone a few times.

"Yeah. It just goes to voice mail." Sam had been given a phone when he started High School earlier this year so he could contact his Mom. He was doing a few more after school sports and activities and Kate was working. He often called Adam as well or sent him videos. "When will Adam be home?"

"As soon as we get home I will call him. Okay?"

He did perk up a little when Makayla hopped into the car. "Oh Sammy." She squealed as she threw her bag into the back seat. "I didn't know you were coming over today."

"Sam's having dinner with us tonight." Kim decided not to tell her too much just yet. She'd talked Sam's ear of anyway, it was probably best she didn't know about his Mom.

"Oh, can we get take-out."

"Burgers all round. As soon as Adam gets home."