A day off from work seems like something entirely foreign to Damien, as his free days are usually filled with mundane tasks of everyday life and trying to figure out where the hell Tally could possibly be. On this particular day off, the detective intends to finally wash his laundry before doing anything else, as he's heard the whispers at work when the gossipy women in the office think they're being quiet. Apparently, some days he smells like old clothes or unwashed hair. Sure, hygiene is an essential part of life, a basic need, but sometimes it's a struggle for Damien. And people who don't know what he's going through really shouldn't judge him. However, he supposes it won't kill him to do his laundry. You can really only wear jeans a few times before they start looking used, anyway.
Gotta at least try to keep up appearances, you know?
After throwing his clothes in the wash, Damien decides to give his parents a call. It's been a while since he's spoken to them, and sometimes it's nice to check up on them. In Damien's opinion, it feels particularly satisfying to pretend that they still care about each other every now and then. Damien and his parents sort of fell out with each other in the aftermath of Tally's disappearance. Each of them has struggled and coped in their own way, leaving little room for each other during their healing processes. It's unfortunate that such a travesty couldn't bring them together instead of pushing them away from each other, but it's too late to change things now.
His mother answers the phone after the third ring, and a typically awkward conversation ensues; unfortunately, this isn't anything unusual for them. Damien's father chooses not to speak other than a grumbled greeting in the background. Throughout the entirety of the conversation, sentences are short on both sides of the discussion, with prolonged and somewhat discomforting pauses between them. The pathetic attempt at small talk doesn't last long, the call ending after only a few minutes. However, it's enough to satisfy Damien.
Once the detective is convinced that his parents are still alive and well, caffeine withdrawals seem to overtake his body. Because the craving is undeniably strong, Damien chooses to go to his favorite coffee shop to fulfill his need for the drug. A beautiful woman tries to flirt with him at the coffee shop, which isn't exactly unusual for Damien. Even though his hygiene can sometimes be lacking, he's a fairly attractive man. Unfortunately for the detective, he's too disassociated with himself to even realize that the woman is interested in him until she walks away, handing him a slip of paper with a phone number on it. It's just as well, though, as he likely wouldn't be able to bring himself to get attached to her, anyway. Not with his mind so preoccupied with kidnapping cases and life's basic necessities.
With his laundry freshly washed and his coffee craving satisfied, he feels somewhat content with the achievement. Now, if only he could find the ambition to wash his collection of coffee mugs piling in his sink. Wouldn't that be something? Unfortunately, that'll likely have to wait for another day; Damien's mind can only take so much monotony before he feels like he'll literally burst if he doesn't do something more useful.
Like, find his sister, for example.
Although it's his day off, Damien can't stop his mind from wandering to the Elisana Rosario case, hastily dialing the number to the station to get an update. He's filled with mixed emotions when he hears that Gabby finally confessed that she initially lied; she had sent Elisana upstairs to play in her bedroom while her boyfriend came over. Gabby and her boyfriend, Uriah Hale, had gotten into an argument within the Rosarios' home. Elisana had gone downstairs to see what the noise was all about, and Uriah grabbed her, threatening to hurt her if Gabby tried to stop him or if she told anyone. Gabby admitted that Uriah took Elisana and left; she had no idea where they went.
Her rectified statement prompted a visit to the Hale household by police. At first, it appeared that the house was empty, as no one answered the door and there were no cars in the driveway. However, soon after the arrival of the police officers, crying could be heard from an outside cellar door. After busting in the door, officers found Elisana hiding in the cellar; her clothes and skin were dirty, her cheeks stained with tears, and she smelled strongly of urine. She admitted to the police that Uriah had told her that he was never going to let her go and that he had plans for her, but he had to "take care of a few things first."
Damien feels his heart crack slightly for the trauma inflicted on little Elisana. However, he's incredibly thankful that she's been found. Returning his phone to his pocket, he allows his mind to shift back to the only thing that ever really occupies him lately: Tally Tate.
He heads to the woods to continue his search from the previous day, a profound sense that he's finally a step closer to cracking the case wriggling into his heart; things certainly appear different when looked at from another point of view. Trying to remain hopeful that he will find even a single clue, Damien pushes aside any negativity trying to weasel its way into his brain. He doesn't have time to be pessimistic today. Today, he's taking a shot in the dark and looking for absolutely anything that could possibly lead him to his beloved sister.
The woods are dense with trees, allowing little sunlight to filter through the leaves above him. Damien is used to the darkness, though. Sometimes he thinks darkness is his only salvation from the problems of the world. From his pain. His eyes adjust to the strain quickly, and he has a flashlight for backup if it becomes too difficult to see. Taking a deep breath, he wanders into the tree line, gripping tightly onto the possibility that he'll find a clue among the branches and roots.
After hours of searching, it becomes nearly impossible to continue, even with the flashlight. Resigning himself to the fact that he'll have to come back tomorrow after work, Damien retires from the woods for the night, his small amount of hope fleeing from him. There's probably a better chance of finding a clue in these woods if he had a search party, but the case has been cold for years. Would the chief even allow it? As much as Chief Davis knows about Damien and his sister's case, he likely wouldn't choose to send a search party on a wild goose chase without any evidence.
He'll just have to keep looking by himself, he tells himself. He'll eventually find something. There has to be a clue somewhere, anywhere; Tally didn't just fall off the face of the Earth. Rubbing a hand over his face, Damien chooses to remain hopeful, even if he has to force himself to feel that way. He refuses to give up yet, not until he knows for sure what happened to his sister.
YOU ARE READING
I'll Find You
Mystery / Thriller**This story is currently under construction. Damien has spent the better part of a decade searching for his sister, who was abducted from a nearby park when she was fifteen. Devoting his life to finding her, Damien hasn't had much time for anything...
