What Lurks Beneath (RPDR AU)

1

❌Content Warning: Child abduction❌

Angie's POV:
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I would never forget the day that changed the route of my life forever.

I was younger, having just started working as a police officer when we were tasked with solving the case of a missing child. The abduction of Miss Chloe Valentine-Black was not an easy one to stomach. I spent hours with my colleagues watching grainy security camera footage, looking through DNA evidence, trying to piece together who the hell this monster who took her was.

I sat through listening to interrogations of people who proved they were innocent. Including the child's parents who wanted nothing more than their daughter back. As the weeks went on, nobody could find any answers. I was told I wasn't supposed to let myself get too emotionally invested in a case, but I was determined to find that little girl.

So I worked alone. Which I probably wasn't supposed to do. I stayed at the station late into the night, looking over the evidence and police sketches more times than I could count. I went out myself and retraced every step that innocent child took that day, my own little dog doing his absolute best to pick up on her scent.

It was when I finally got access to the security cameras of the elementary school Chloe attended that I got the exact lead I needed. There was that man's face as clear as day. I asked around the neighborhood to find out if anyone recognized him, and the very last person I asked knew his name and everything about him.

"He moved downtown about two days after Chloe was reported missing." Miss Visage had told me after giving me a detailed description of him. One that didn't match up to the police sketches. So that meant they were either lazy, or the witnesses actually had no idea what they were talking about. "I mentioned that to the police when they were searching the area, but I wasn't surprised they didn't take it seriously. I'm glad to see you out here doing it."

I had managed a smile despite the severity of this case. "Thank you, Miss Visage. I promise I'll have this solved and that little girl brought back home."

And I kept my promise. I was there when the police entered that disgusting man's home. It was a dump, and in no way fit for anyone to live let alone a child. I was the one who found her, locked in a dark room and crying quietly when she heard the yelling of my fellow officers.

"I'm not going to hurt you, little one. I promise." I had said softly, holding my arms out for her. "We're going to get you home."

She slowly made her way to me, and I wrapped her in a blanket and carried her out of that house and back to safety. I had done it. I had solved my first case and I had done it myself. And I had saved this young girl in the process.

I went to the hospital with her where she was looked over, letting her play with my dog who had assisted me as we waited for her parents to arrive. The smiles on their faces were some of the biggest I had ever seen when they were reunited with Chloe. I couldn't help the pride I felt when I watched the father scoop his daughter up in his arms.

"We can't thank you enough!" Miss Cherry Valentine had said, pulling me into the biggest hug I had ever received. "Thank you thank you thank you for bringing our baby back to us!"

"I swear you're like a guardian angel." Mister Joe Black said, holding their daughter as close as he could. "Thank you for taking this so seriously, if it weren't for you we might not have our Chloe back."

I just smiled and dipped my head to them. "I'm just glad she's alive and safe now. She's lucky she has such loving parents who wouldn't give up on finding her."

"We couldn't have done it without you." Cherry said tearfully. "You never gave up either unlike the others. You should run the whole department and maybe more good things would come out of it."

I did have to admit, that sounded nice. As I said my goodbyes to them and little Chloe, I made the decision that night. I was going to be a police detective. And I was never going to give up until the innocent were safe and protected and justice was served.

Now years later, I sat alone in my office, writing down an assortment of notes from an interrogation I had been present in for most of the morning. I had my suspicions, and I was definitely going to be looking into this certain case more.

There was a soft knock on my office door, and one of the young trainees stepped inside. "I brought you coffee. By what Miss Skye said, it sounds like you need it."

I smiled, motioning for her to sit it down on the coaster on my desk. "Thank you, Willow."

I wasn't sure how Willow managed to be here as long as she had been, which had only been a couple months now. She seemed to be too sweet to handle a job like this. But she didn't shy away from the tough subjects and situations, which I admired. I could see bits of myself in her. She set the coffee cup down, sitting in the chair across from my desk. "What are you working on?"

"Just making sure I write down everything I noticed about this suspect during his interrogation. Guy seems pretty off." I explained without letting her know too many details. I didn't need her sharing important information with the wrong person. I knew she probably wouldn't, but I could never be too careful.

Willow nodded and didn't question me any further. "Did you hear about the case Sergeant Velour wants to reopen?"

I raised a brow. I was usually the first to be told about things like that. I stopped writing, putting my pen down and looking up at her. "What case?"

"The one about that old theme park. The one even urban explorers are too afraid to go near." Willow said, making herself comfortable by putting her legs up on my desk and knocking down a cup of my pens. "Oops."

"It's fine." I said, placing them back in the cup. I hadn't heard about that case being reopened at all, and I was always the one asking to look into our list of cold cases more. That one however, always put me off. "No, I did not hear about that."

Before Willow could explain anymore, the door to my office opened again and Sergeant Velour stepped inside.

"Detective Angie, I need you in my office in five." She said, her uncharacteristically deep voice ringing in my ears. "There's someone I need you to meet."

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First chapter doneee, hope you're liking it this far~