Oh god, so many thoughts through my head, one of them being that when I gave my phone to Liam I didn't know he put his name as beast in my phone, god forbid what he has my name as. The second being that I knew something was up with Michael. My gut was telling me something, now I am certain Jamie has been keeping something from me, looking into his eyes he wants to tell me something but I know he thinks he doesn't want to bother me, he is stubborn that way. He takes after me in that department, I never think of myself, everyone comes first, mostly Jamie, then Scooby.
I don't want to worry my beautiful, heart of gold nephew until I find out what this asshole has on his record, so help me god Maia is not keeping me away from that little boy. I try and keep my anxiety at bay as I am pulling up to the police station, even though I've done nothing wrong I still feel like I need to make sure I park in the right place, I have my seatbelt on. I rethink everything seeing a police car, even if it's not for me, which they never are. A fear that I slept walked to a shop and shop lifted. Am I the only one who thinks like this?
I park my silver car and make sure to scan the area for parking meters, I pay and display making sure it's easily noticeable. I need to calm down!
I walk ahead into the scary, full of glass windows building. I see the receptionist, she gives me a smile which I return, her dark auburn hair tight in a bun with her clean uniform reading Rita.
"I'm looking for Liam..." oh shit what's his surname? I didn't think to ask seeing as I thought I wouldn't see him again after that first meeting, then again I didn't think I'd be in a police station on my Saturday off.
Will I have to describe this man to her to help me? She has the face of a statue, not giving anything away, damn are all these police officers cold they can't even look like they have zero emotions?
"He is tall, dark hair, green eyes the colour of a tree...Oh! He has a son called Miles, mini version of him." I get nothing but silence in return, the crickets are having a party.
The most uninterested monotoned voice breaks the silence, Rita answers me.
"Liam Alexander?" I just stare at her.
"If that same Liam matches the description I gave you then yes." I say.
"One second." Holding up a finger, she sighs like she hates either her job or sick of seeing my face for more than a few seconds. I scan the room from where I'm standing and notice multiple people walking around some with files, everyone is so serious, I wouldn't last a day here.
All white walls square rooms and offices with telephones ringing in the background, I see a row of seats against the wall closest to the reception area.
"I'll just take a seat over there." I point and notice Rita isn't even looking at me. Just typing on her computer, okay then.
I sit down on the plastic uncomfortable looking seat, above the desk where Rita sits is a clock, I wait and sit there watching the hands tick by for five minutes before I get up and ask her if Liam has been notified of my presence.
"He is just coming." A stiff smile on her face. Her acrylics hitting the keyboard, picks up the phone. I sit back down and I wait some more. Ten minutes past and my patience is thinning, my leg is shaking up and down, my fingers restless.
Fuck this worrying! I take out my phone and send him a text being impatiently.
I'm here. Is all I send and within three minutes, I know since I was watching the clock, I see him exiting an office.
"Hello, Emilia. I was wondering when you'd arrive." His voice filling the air.
"Actually I arrived a while ago but I guess your computer is broken or your phone isn't connected." Looking over at Rita with all sarcasm and ignore her. She just rolls her eyes, who pissed in her cereal.
Liam notices my gaze and whispers. "Don't worry about it, she hates everyone. Come on let's head this way to my office." As we walk by the reception and I am walking behind Liam's tall form all I hear is. "Hey Liam." A bit too light and friendly, girly voice. I turn and see Rita shooting heart eyes only on Liam, with her head against her hands. Seriously?
What did I ever do to these people to get treated less? Maia, Rita, Michael.
Why me?
I know I'm not enough but I'm trying my best!
I hear the door close and I am snapped back into reality. We are in a big enough office with stacks of filing cabinets and a worn out wooden desk. I take a seat in front of his desk and he sits in the big comfy chair, my back is starting to hurt from these plastic ones. His one looks like you could live in it. I'm getting jealous of a bloody chair.
"Thank you for meeting me." I say looking around.
"I should say the same, I'm aware my first impression wasn't particularly pleasant." He replies dusting invisible dust from his police uniform. It looks strangely good on him.
Understatement of the century.
"Let's forget about it. What exactly have you found on Michael?" I say leaning forward in my seat. "Straight to the point huh Tink?" He smirks while I resist the urge to eye roll. I see him go into one of his draws and pulls out a file. I see Michael's name and my heart drops to my stomach.
Comes round to sit in the chair next to me and leans in showing me the paper, I see the record and I see the word prison sentence and I look away and put my hands in my face scared to read what he went to prison for.
Liams deep voice fills the space. "He went to prison for seven years for drugs and alcohol abuse. He also has history with an ex wife." I look at him confused. I turn to him, taking the papers out his hand. I face his green eyes which are already trained on me.
"Michael doesn't have an ex wife. He never mentioned it, though I never stuck around long enough to really get onto the subject of what our favourite colours are. Whenever I did try to get to know him he just kept quiet and brushed me off, I figured he was just a private person. God I'm an idiot."
"I'm sorry Emilia, but there is a bit more to this ex wife, but I don't want to continue if you're not in the right mind."
"I'm fine. I promise, I need to find out." A big, warm hand covers my own, that's when I realise I'm shaking. Liam gently takes the file out my hands and he goes through it pulling out what looks like images. I can't tell what they are at first glance. But my breath gets caught in my throat the more I piece it together.
My vision goes blurry but I keep my composure. With a steady voice as I can muster. "How long ago was this?" I barely notice my leg shaking until his hand relocates from the paper to my leg. I would shove him if I weren't so in shock.
"It's dated back in early two thousand and ten. So just over ten years ago-" I cut him off shooting out my chair.
"I need to get Jamie out that house! I can't leave him in there with him? I don't think Maia knows but I need to ask her." I pace around the room running my shaking hands through my now messy blonde hair.
I see footsteps in my vision and strong hands are now on my shoulders and I glance up at Liam. He looks concerned, that's a first besides cocky.
I am hyperventilating now, my chest hurts. A whisper is all I can hear. What's happening?
"Hey, hey you're okay, shh." Soft hands goes to mine and sits me down in what I assume is Liams main desk chair.
"Look at me Tink, it's okay. Just try and calm your breathing." He rubs his thumbs on my knuckles. His eyes burning into my blue ones.
"That's it. Good."
"I'm so dizzy. What happened?" I just stare at him.
"You had a panic attack." Damn I thought I was doing well, it's been a while since I had one.
"Just relax. I'll help you with what to do next."
I just sit there and nod at him, my hair falling in my eyes. A hand reaches and pulls it back. I just stare past him to the papers scattered around.
My eyes glaring at evidence photos of bruises and scratches. Hand prints on her neck, black eyes with tears rushing down on Michael's ex wife
Michael's prison sentence was for possession of drugs, alcohol abuse as well as physical abuse against his ex wife Erin.
I must get Jamie out or get rid of Michael.
Next step....I don't know.