His Hidden Treasure (Completed)

Sixteen

The sound of children's laughter filled the kitchen as they happily enjoyed their breakfast. I couldn't help but smile at the joy and innocence radiating from them. After Zephyr had stormed out, I too left the apartment, not wanting to be alone with my thoughts. Despite the comfort of my own space, it was too quiet and empty without him there. I quickly called my friend Kylie, pretending that my apartment was being fumigated to stay with her at the group home for a few days. It was a lie, but easier than explaining the truth. Then, with a deep breath, I also called my boss and let her know I would be returning to work today, resuming my normal schedule even though Dante was still in rehab.

Feeling a small sense of relief at not having heard from Zephyr since our argument a few days ago, I headed into the shower. The warm water helped to ease the tension in my body and for a moment, I felt a sense of peace. But as soon as I stepped out and caught sight of myself in the mirror, all of my worries came flooding back. Quickly applying some makeup to hide the stress etched on my face, I dressed in jeans and a blouse before grabbing my bag and heading out.

The sounds of laughter echoed through the staff bedroom as I made my way towards the door. It acted as a soothing balm for my jumbled nerves and for a brief moment, I felt almost normal again. Even though deep down I knew things were far from normal in my life right now, I needed to keep up appearances. I waved goodbye to Kylie who noticed me leaving from her window as I hurried to my car.

The drive to work was filled with anticipation. My coworkers greeted me with excitement which only added to the weight on my shoulders. As I settled in at my desk, I focused on the mundane tasks at hand, allowing their routine nature to offer some semblance of peace. But with every buzz of my phone, I couldn't help but expect to see Zephyr's name appear on the screen. Despite everything, I couldn't seem to stop thinking about him.

"What is wrong with me? I get away from him and yet I can't stop thinking about the asshole" I whispered to myself as I signed off another report and tossed it into the "done" pile.

Elsa gently knocked on the door to my office, waiting for my permission to enter. I smiled and waved her in, indicating that she was welcome. "Hey, do you remember Charlotte?" Elsa asked, catching my attention. Curious, I set down my pen and gave Elsa my full attention.

"Yeah? Isn't she supposed to be under WITSEC protection?" I asked, wondering if something had gone wrong with her case.

"Yes, and we were able to secure her son as well. However, the boy has disappeared. The Captain wants us to investigate." A frown creased my brow.

"What do you mean disappeared?" I took the paper from Elsa that held a photo of the missing seven-year-old boy. He had a bright smile and innocent eyes.

"Our team went to pick him up from school, but he never came out of the bathroom after going in to use it. According to security footage, he never left the bathroom at all." A sense of dread washed over me.

"Do we have any leads?" Elsa shook her head sadly.

"Not yet, but we're starting our investigation from scratch. The Captain specifically requested your involvement." Glancing at the photo of the missing child again, I forced myself to remain composed hoping for the best.

"Alright, count me in." Finishing up my work quickly, I joined the rest of the team in our vehicle outside. Dante was still doing rehab, but hopefully, he would be back soon. As we arrived at the school, Stella and Andrea began their search while I retraced Ivan's last known steps. Upon entering the bathroom where he was last seen, my eyes immediately landed on a cracked window above the sink. It was likely the only escape route from this room, but it seemed too high for a seven-year-old to reach on his own.