Tough

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Jamie was awakened by his cell phone blaring early Monday morning. Eddie was already awake getting their breakfast started. He glanced at the number and answered, "Yeah, Reagan here."

Jamie listened as his Sergeant informed him of a case they needed his help with. Fortunately, one of Jamie's specialties didn't get much traffic. He worked in both sex crimes and property crimes, 85% of his cases were related to break-ins, robberies and the like. The other 15% were sexual crimes. Given his soft mannerisms and way with kids, he drew the cases involving children. That contributed to the low number but still made his blood boil each and every time.

He got up and quickly put on his color of the day. He greeted Eddie with a smile and kiss, "I don't have time to eat this morning, honey. There's a mom at the house with her daughter, claims she was sexually assaulted by a teacher from her day camp. "

Eddie sighed, "Here...eat this on the run." She handed him a breakfast bar and put his coffee in a travel mug. "Be careful."

Jamie rushed off to work leaving Eddie to wake the kids and get them ready for their day. Today was supposed to be a dancing school day for Lila, she would have to tell her that she wasn't going to go. She would keep Lila with her while Joey was at camp. Her stomach turned, the child Jamie was going to interview was assaulted at camp. That was supposed to be safe place to leave your children.

Joey appeared first and sat in his seat for breakfast. Eddie got Lila up and sent her to do her morning toilette as she served a meal of oatmeal, strawberries and apples. She added a little bit of brown sugar to the oatmeal as a treat. "Mommy, what dance do I do today?" Lila asked. She had been taking ballet and tap.

"Oh, honey," Eddie sighed. "You aren't going to be able to go back there. Daddy and Mommy want to find you a nicer school."

"You mean a school that didn't kick her out for taking her shirt off," Joey piped up and earned himself a stern glare from his mother. "You mind your tongue Joseph Patrick!"

Lila sniffled, "Do I really not go back?" Eddie picked her up and held her tight in spite of her sore arm. "Mommy and Daddy didn't like how they talked to you at the school. We are going this weekend to find you another school. For today, you will be at home with Mommy. You can be my special helper."

Eddie wished Jamie was home. When Lila cried, as she was doing now, he had a unique way with her. She was her Daddy's baby for sure. Eddie whispered in her ear, "We can go get your nails painted pink."

"Mom, can we have nuggets after I get out of camp? I get out by two today."

Eddie agreed to a trip to McDonald's with the stipulation that Joey be nice to his little sister and help her play in the Play Place. He agreed knowing his mother would surely scold him with more than a stern look if he disobeyed.

When Jamie arrived at the precinct, he was introduced to Michelle Anderson and her daughter Harper. Harper was not much bigger than a minute, he thought to himself. Jamie first spoke to Michelle. She described finding stains on her daughter's panties after the male swimming teacher had driven the child home against the protocol of the camp. Jamie then went to talk to little Harper. He took a prop doll and some paper and crayons with him. "Hi Harper I'm Detective Reagan, but you can call me Detective Jamie if you want. This is my shield. Why don't you hold onto that that for me while we have a little talk, is that okay?"

She nodded and took his shield from him, holding it and fingering the numbers on it. "Do you know why you are here, Harper?"

She nodded, "Cause he did bad things."

"What kind of bad things? Can you show me here on this baby doll?"

Jamie felt sick as she showed him the places and ways she's been touched. He had her draw a picture of what she remembered in the car. He felt his Reagan temper flare and the instinct to scoop this little girl up into his arms and keep her safe from the horrors of the world, just like he would do for his precious baby girl. The interview took a little over two hours.