Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 14)

Ch.57 Case closed

Outside the building with their flashing lights, police cars surrounded the place with an ambulance as everyone watched as Linda was placed in the ambulance with a blanket over her shoulders.

"I can't believe we actually found her," Skyler remarked astonished "After 10 years of being missing, she's finally found."

"And not to mention that Ms. Calvert is getting arrested" Aidan put in, "Which is a bonus."

"I knew she was part of this" Kayla stated, "I just didn't know how until now."

"Though we're still gonna have to talk to her about why she did this" Terrence mentioned.

"Right."

As he watched the scene from leaning against a cop car, Brenden stayed put when he spotted his lady friends walking up to him.

"Hey, Brenden" Christina greeted calmly.

"Hey girls" he greeted in a sigh.

"So, you guys finally found her, huh?" Lauren said with a small smile.

"Yeah," he nodded "And to think that Paula was behind it."

"I always knew that bitch was hiding something" Ilene commented with a frown "Though I never expected it to be this. I mean I knew she was cruel but, I never thought she would be this cruel."

"People can surprise you."

He then turned to Amanda who was looking down with a guilty look.

"Amanda," he spoke softly "Is there something you want to say?"

"I'm-" she mumbled nervously "I'm sorry about the page. Mr. Goldson convinced me that it was for the best."

"Yeah well, I gotta be honest, if it wasn't for that, we would've never found Linda. When he gave you that fake page, it practically led us towards him and Paula. So, thanks, I guess."

She didn't say anything as she rubbed her arms.

"Hey," he said to her, "It's okay, it's over now. A 10-year-old case is finally closed."

Pretty soon, everyone noticed Paula being led out of the building with her hands cuffed and being escorted by two officers who led her to a cop car.

"Oh my God, Mother!" Paula suddenly heard Ross's voice calling out to her as she turned to see him heading towards her.

He had on a scared look, but she knew he was faking it as he stopped in front of her.

"I just heard," he breathed as he turned to the officers "Officers, may I have a minute? Just to say goodbye."

The officers left them alone as Paula gave her son a death glare.

"Stop pretending" she ordered, "I know you're awake."

"You always did underestimate me," he suddenly grinned "I knew those officer siblings were working on the case, so I poisoned the only person he knew was connected to it. And your assistant did the rest of the work himself."

"Why did you do this, Shawn?" she gasped.

"So I could finally be free of you," he breathed with a satisfied smile as he pulled her into a hug "And now she's free of you, too. And you're the prisoner."

He pulled away as Paula stood there with a look of horror on her face.

"You stupid child" she breathed in shock just as the officer came and began to put her in the backseat of the cop car as he kept on talking to her son "You have no idea what you just let crawl out into this world. But you will find out. Yes, you will. You will find out!"

As the car drove off with his mother, Ross turned to Linda who was still sitting in the back of the ambulance as they gave each other sneaky smiles. Now that Paula was out of the way, they could go back to what they started.

_________

At Gabi's bar, Aaron was working the late shift when Brooke suddenly stormed in with a surprised look on her face.

"Brooke?" Aaron remarked, "What are you doing here?"

"Officer Skyler called me," she explained, "They found her. Linda Samson."

"What?" he gasped, "Really?"

"Not only that" she added with a smile "Paula's been arrested."

"What?" his eyes widen "Wait, if she's going to jail, then that means-"

He gasped when he realized it "Shannon."

"Yeah," she continued to smile "I have a feeling she doesn't get to keep custody of Shannon if she's locked up."

Aaron couldn't believe it as he felt a smile spread across his face as he pulled Brooke into a hug. At this moment, he didn't care about what Ross had warned him about, he enjoyed the hug as they pulled away with smiles on their faces.

"I have to go to her now" his face lit up.

"Yeah!" she nodded, "Go! Go! Go!"

He hurried out of the bar and made his way to Calvert Towers where he stepped out of the elevator to the top lobby and spotted his daughter waiting for him.

"Shannon!" he beamed.

"Dad!" Shannon called as they went into a hug, "What's going on? No one's telling me what's going on!"

"It's okay, honey" he assured, "We're gonna get to go home."

"Well..." a stranger's voice suddenly spoke as they turned to see two business people standing by Ross's side.

"What?" Aaron demanded with a scared look.

"Aaron," Ross sighed, "Meet Miss Scarlet with social services. I've been trying to explain to her that Shannon should go with you. I mean, this is outrageous."

"It's just procedure," the lady stated as she turned to Aaron who was holding Shannon's hand "Custody was given to Ms. Calvert for a reason. Until we can review the case, Shannon needs to come with us."

"Into the system?" he gasped.

She gave a nod as he stood there in shock, even Ross couldn't believe what was happening when Miss Scarlet suddenly spoke.

"Come along, Shannon" she ordered.

"Dad!" Shannon began to cry as she wrapped her arms around her father "Don't let them take me! I don't want to go!"

"Hey, it's okay, honey" he assured as the people began to pull her away from him.

"Dad!" she cried as they pulled her into the elevator.

"I'm gonna get you back!" Aaron promised, already feeling his eyes watering "I promise!"

The last thing he saw was the teary eyes of his daughter as the elevator closed between them. Once again, Aaron was separated from his daughter, and he was beginning to believe that he would never see her again.