The False Truth

The Search

Chapter # 3

The Search

Frank brought Steve to his house and tried to calm him down till the cops arrived. After half an hour, two cops arrived at the scene. As soon as Steve heard the cops' vehicle, he rushed out of Frank's home towards them. Two officers stepped out of the car, and before they could determine which house had called, they noticed Steve approaching them at breakneck speed.

"Officer... officer..." Both of the officers got defensive... One hand on the holster, one in the air towards the approaching stranger. "Calm down, Sir... calm down." One of the officers slowly got close to Steve. "Officer... my wi...my wife...my kids... they are gone..." Steve was having difficulty speaking, not only because he was out of breath from running, but also because he was trying to hold back tears and crying.

"Breathe...just breathe...Calm down...first calm down and then tell us what happened..." One of the officers...held Steve from his arms and tried to calm him down...

Steve nodded while breathing heavily... He took a heavy breath and tried to stabilize his breathing... and then started talking again. "Officer...Please hurry...my wife and kids are missing...help me find them...I searched them everywhere...everywhere...they are gone...they are gone..." Steve again got out of breath. He paused for a moment and then again spoke rapidly.

"Officers please do something...my kids...they are small... before someone hurts them...please find them..."

"Ok ...Ok ...easy...easy...where were you? ... Umm Mr.?" One of the officers engaged himself in questioning Steve... while the other headed towards the house. As Steve was busy telling the officer about the situation, the other officer took out his pistol and started to move in stealth towards the front gate of the home. As he reached the front gate, he crouched and turned towards the other officer and Steve, and waved his hand.

"I am Steve...Steve...Steve Kenneth...I was at work...I just got late a bit...and they were gone... Someone must have taken them...you...you have to help me...officer..." Steve was trembling with fear and anxiety. Right now, he was exhibiting all sorts of emotions. He was facing the other officer with his back towards the home. So, he didn't notice the other officer approaching his home, nor did he notice his wave... Heck, Steve was so much caught in this shit that doubt he even noticed the face of cop standing in front of him. Despite the officers' continuous efforts, Steve was unable to calm down and get a hold of himself. This was making the situation even worse. Can't even blame the guy either, as his whole family went missing out of the blue.

"Mind if I go in the house, Sir..." The other officer pointed towards the house...

"She is not in there...I just checked...are you guys even listening to me..." he said, slightly loudly and frustratedly.

"Sir...please...I need you to cooperate with us..."

"I just said ...she is not there...instead of...instead of looking for her...you are wasting time..." Steve started to get aggressive...

"Sir...please calm down...we are jus-"

"I am Calm...this is me Calm...not wasting my time...like you" He pushed the cop away from himself, who was getting close to patting his shoulder or back and calming him down. Steve was getting angry. The officer stepped back, holding his hands in the air, showing that he would not approach him nor hurt him... Then he said, in a more calming tone,

"Sir...please...let us do our job...we are just trying to help you..."

"NO... you are not helping...somebody kidnapped my kids...my sweet little kids...and here ...you...you are wasting time...searching my house...are you freaking kidding me right now...you call yourself cops..." Steve just lost it. Meanwhile, his neighbor, Mr. Frank, who was also outside, standing at a watchful distance, letting Steve handle the situation with the cops, saw that Steve clearly wasn't handling the situation very well and was instead making it worse. He came running and got hold of Steve and took him to the side.

"Steve...Calm down...get a hold of yourself..."

"I am Calm...I am FUCKING CALM...dammit..." Steve said that in a very loud, angry, and totally not calm tone.

"Officer please continue..." Frank gave a nod to the officer, who nodded back and headed towards the house as well, to join his partner in the search.

"No, you listen to me..." Steve again turned towards the same officer, but this time Frank pulled him to the side and kept pushing him further and further away from the cops.

"Steve...listen...they are trying to help you..."

"No...they are fucking not helping...my kids could be in danger..." Although Steve was very angry, breathing heavily and looked like he would beat anyone right now, his eyes were telling a completely different story. Red and teary, showing love and the determination of a scared father who is ready to do anything to save his family. He was a husband too, but foremost he was a father going through the pain of losing his kids.

"Steve...Steve ..." Frank held Steve's face in his hands and brought him close to his own face... Looking at him... Eye to eye...

"How... else... will... they... look... for... clues... for...finding... your... kids...." Frank said this slowly, chewing hard on every word because he knew right now it was useless to calm him down. Right now, this man needs hope to believe that his kids and wife are alive. Hope to continue and hope to let others help him...

Steve closed his eyes tightly and clenched his jaw, and tears slowly fell from the side of his eyes... His whole tense body started to relax and his tightly closed fists started to relax and open. He nodded his head and looked down as he wiped the tears off of his face. Frank tapped his shoulders. He knew Steve for a long time and considered him a good friend.