Espera | R. Grayson ✔

[06]

Carrie Kelly had short yet curly strawberry blonde hair, bright green eyes and looked younger than her age, Barbara deduced from the first impression of the girl as Richard had brought her to meet her. 

Her aunt had been rather nosy about what they wanted to talk about but Barbara had shown her the GCPD badge and politely asked her to stay out of the interrogation.

Right then, Carrie did not look scared but was a bit nervous.

When Richard was about to leave the room as well to give both privacy to clearly talk, the girl held on to his wrist and shook her head, as if asking him to stay.

In that short time, Barbara had observed that Richard was very kind and caring towards the girl and treated her like a younger sister. There was no doubt that Carrie trusted him more than she trusted anyone else there so Barbara decided she would have to let him stay.

Besides Carrie might be more comfortable if he stayed so that she would be assured that she wasn't alone facing a detective.

"It's okay, Grayson, you can stay."

"Oh, thank you," he replied, sitting back on his seat.

Barbara started with the easier questions on what Carrie had been doing when she was taken and where she was, carefully recording each word on her phone. She held that notepad with her too, noting down the important points.

Then she asked her further about the place she was being kept in and indeed it turned out that Richard's assumption of a warehouse being used temporarily had been correct.

Almost half an hour later, Barbara had answers to all her questions and she smiled at the girl appreciatively, telling her that she did right to open up about the incident and they would make sure the kidnappers were dealt with properly.

Though as the two were to leave, she turned to see Richard talking softly with Carrie, assuring her that she should not be scared anymore and that it wasn't her fault that she had gotten taken.

"In fact you did me proud by escaping from there," he remarked, ruffling her curly hair gently, "I'm proud of you, Carrie. You've been very brave."

A small smile flickered on Barbara's face to see him as such, it was a side to him she had never even considered before. And she couldn't help but be reminded of those words he had said to the audience that night in the club. 

We have no idea how much our eyes deceive us.

And at that moment, she felt as if he had spoken an undeniable truth. Perhaps her eyes had kept deceiving her about him for so long.

Behind that facade, he was actually a very caring person.

Behind that deception painted for her to see everyday hid a very genuine man who could go to any lengths for the people he cared about.

"Anything else you need, Miss Gordon?"

She was startled to hear him speak to her but disguised it, "no. Thank you very much, Carrie. You've been a great help."

"I hope you find the rest of them," Carrie spoke up.

"We will try our best," she replied determinedly. 

The plan was already forming in her head and the determination in her tone indicated that she meant to find those girls even if it was the last thing she could do.

"Grayson, if you would come along please?"

"Oh sure," he straightened then turned to Carrie, "bye, I'll see you later, okay?"