Flint was flabbergasted.
"how did it happen" Flint asked, his mind a scramble of confusion.
"have a look yourself" The police chief said, turning the screen of the laptop which sat on his desk to him.
Flint slid it closer and watched the black and white footage.
In the clip, which was less than 20 minutes, he saw the girl look around the station for a while, then she herded her siblings away a few minutes later, out of the first camera frame only to resurface in another frame, joining up with some group of kids in the frame, who apparently were on their way out.
"so you just mean to say that they just decided to go out just like that" Flint asked incredulously.
"i wouldn't know" the chief said shrugging his shoulders.
Flint just eyed him.
"they couldn't have gotten very far.... I've put out an APB on them....they'll be found soon." the chief said.
Flint eyed the man suspiciously. He seemed utterly un bothered that three children went missing under his watch.
Flint let out a deep breath, then got up.
He went to Doyle's desk.
"i heard" his partner said the moment Flint stood in front of him.
"were you here when it happened?" Flint asked him.
"nope....i just came in" Doyle replied, his eyes not leaving the file he was working on.
Flint felt the little hope he had managed to gather within 24 hours, get dashed within seconds. Now he had the problem he had always feared on his hands. Missing children.
He went to the coffee maker and brewed himself a cup.
A thought occured to him suddenly. " why does everyone feel nonchalant about this entire business"
He looked around, everyone was going about their usual business, without a care in the world.
He trashed his disposable cup and went back to Doyle's desk.
"what is actually going on here" he queried.
"Pardon?" asked Doyle quizzically.
"come on Doyle start talking." he said, hands akinbo.
"i don't know what you're talking about" Doyle replied eyeing him.
"oh i think you do" Flint said, leaning in pretty close.
He placed his hands on the desk and leaned in closely.
"You and me are going for a little walk" Flint said, closing the file Doyle was working on with a thud.
Doyle let out a harsh loud breath and leaned back on his chair.
"fine" Doyle said, leaning back on his chair.
"what do you want to know" he asked, putting on his poker face.
"everything." start from scratch Flint replied.
"i don't know everything but i know a few....and its not going to be here"
"atta boy" he said, tapping Doyle on his shoulder.
*********
Griffith flung the vacant chairs at the table as he spoke.
"what do you mean you can't find them" he asked angrily. He put the phone on speaker.
"boss i swear....one minute they were just standing together and the next they were gone.I went to the ladies to take your call boss and the next thing, i came out and they were gone"
Glint grunted in anger.
"I got their bags"she said attempting to placate him.
"you got their bags?" he repeated incredulously.
"did you just hear this bitch" he asked no one in particular incredulously.
"she brought me fucking bags instead of people" he said wide eyed.
"i'm sorry boss" she said.
"Miguel chased after them boss...he couldn't get to them boss....they seemingly vanished into thin air."
Griffith chuckled menacingly.
"and what are the contents of the bag" he asked, smirking.
"just a box and personal belongings sir"
"and the box? what was in it?"
"nothing"
"nothing? nothing?" he asked repeatedly.
"it was empty boss" she repeated.
Griffith struggled to keep his anger in check.
"return to the house" he said, dropping the call.
Glint pranced around the room.
"i thought you said she was perfect for the job" he said eyeing Griffith.
"who knew she was going to be a pitiable fuck up" Griffith replied grimly.
"she should better be here to explain the load of shit she just spat on the phone because none of the fucking thing makes any sense" Shaun added.
"i can't believe i left my fucking office for this" Barth muttered irritatedly.
The men turned to look at him. He lifted his hands in a what gesture, spreading his palms open, sideways.
Then they turned to William.
" what?" he asked.
"In this room, you're the only one who knows the family and the children inside out"
William raised his brows.
"so?"
"so, your fucking input" said Shaun
"as if it wasn't fucking obvious" added Barth.
"they have no fucking family. Nowhere else to go.... I'm supposed to be their last grip at hope but, here we are he said, gesturing dramatically, spreading his palms wide"
"so in essence, what you're basically trying to say is that, at this moment, you're fucking useless" barth smirked.
" watch your tongue" William warned.
"are you threatening me?" asked barth menacingly as he got up from his seat.
"gentle men" said Griffith diplomatically.
"we are here to suggest solutions not bring more fights and arguments" he said, also getting up from his seat.
Barth and william involved themselves in a stare down as they sat down slowly.
Just then, the woman known as Irene came through the doors, into the room with unsteady steps, miguel following closely behind.
When faced with the menacing men in the room, she felt her insides liquefying. Nope, not the good kind of liquefying, that makes your brain swirl with emotions, the other type. The type that makes you want to shit on yourself when you see some terrible scary thing. Right now, she felt like peeing herself. She was fast approaching the shitting part.
"now from the top irene.... what did you say happened again?" Griffth asked getting up from his chair and cocking his head.
Irene's lips quivered.
"what's the matter Irene? cat's got your tongue? you sounded so bold on the phone" shaun taunted.
"iiii.....l-llllost them boss" she started to say, stammering. A loud deafening slap landed across her face. Irene felt a splitting headache instantly break out across her skull. She fell to the ground, her eyes stinging ad watery, her head dizzy, holding her cheek.
"IIIIII.... iiiiI'm sss...sorry boss she muttered, curling into a ball"
Griffith gripped her harshly by her jaw and turned her face sideways, then he brought his mouth to her ear.
"they had better be found within 48 hours bitch or it's your head" he threatened.
He turned to Miguel. Without a word, he flipped his knife and slashed him across the face.
"cunt" he cursed as Miguel held his palms across his cheek.
Then, with his hands on his hips, he walked around the room and unleashed a string of colourful words.
Then he broke off the leg of one chair and proceeded to pummel Miguel with it. The man was seriously bleeding by the time Glint rushed to where Griffith stood and held him. "Enough Griffith.... you're going to kill him" Glint said, his arms around Griffith who was struggling to get closer to Miguel, so he would pummel him some more.
By this time, Irene had shrunk to a corner of the room and curled up in a foetal position, shaking.
Griffith turned to her and was about to head in her direction when Barth stood up, obstructing his way, while Shaun stood in front of Irene.
"that's enough" Barth said.
Griffith's chest heaved. He turned without a word and headed back to his seat, shaking.
"come on get out" William said, gesturing with his head towards the door.
Irene crawled on the floor for a bit before she staggered to her feet and ran out of the room.
It didn't take long, two men walked into the room and pulled Miguel by his hands through the door. He was unconscious.
" you need to get that fiery temper of yours under control" Glint said eyeing him.
Griffith gave him no reply.
"we need to send men out to search the streets. Since they have nowhere to go, they'll be wandering about" Griffith said, struggling to get his breathing under control.
By mid day, they had sent out more than 30 men, each with a photo of the children, provided by William, in their pockets.
********
Flint sat across his partner, a table in their middle, at a cafe that offered breakfast options.
Flint ordered coffee and as he waited for his order, he busied himself with studying the people who passed by.... He occasionally turned to look at his partner. Doyle had ordered mineral water.
"alright...tell me what's going on" Flint queried.
"I don't know much Flint....I swear" he said, setting his drink down on the table.
"tell me the inkling you know"
"okay, let me start from this evening then work it backwards" he said.
"I've got nowhere to go at the moment... I've got all day.." Flint said, adjusting his position on his seat.