I'VE SEEN HER! (COMPLETE)

Chapter 11

I hardly slept a wink, my mind was so restless with all the images I was drawing, trying to recall... and of course James. By the time it was 5:00a.m I was ready to book a flight home and give up. I called my sister at 6:00 knowing she would be getting her husbands breakfast ready whilst he dressed for work. She was a very loving wife.

She knew why I was here and how I was obsessed with finding Emily. She was terrified I would get hurt by whoever took her so was happy that James insisted on coming along. She listened as I told her what had happened.

“Right so let’s forget you and lover boy for a moment,” she said. “Someone has a photo of you and Emily together from last year. Surely that should spur the police into action?” she replied after I poured my heart out.

“Yeah. They aren’t perfect shots but it is better than nothing.”

“That is amazing!” she said. “They will have technology to check it is her. Like facial recognition or something.”

“James cried his eyes out when he saw them.”

“That is understandable, now they know she’s alive now. And I know you will find her if she is there. You are eagle eyed and probably drawing everything. Don’t forget the background, try to draw out details like cars and stuff. It might be important.”

“Ok I will.”

“There is no way you are coming back. You need to put your ex baggage behind you and that includes James. He was a fumble. Leave it at that. Focus on the kid, she needs you more that you need an orgasm. Focus! The same goes for him. Be professional. I know it is hard when you are sharing a bed with a hot guy but...”

“Have you seen him!” I asked.

“Well no but you said he was hot...”

“Hold on,” I said and sent a photo to her phone as we had taken some since getting here ‘as tourists’.

“Oh my god,” she said. “You lucky cow! Come babysit, I’ll go find the kid and share a bed with him. If he puts his head between my legs I’m locking them, there is no escape.”

I full on belly laughed as the image jumped into my mind.

“Right, reality check. The child comes first, your libido second. End of! I want a report at the end of every day. If you feel under pressure or have sucked up too much information into that massive brain of yours, call me.”

I felt better as I ended the call. She always helped me feel grounded. She didn’t even object to me booking into another hotel. She said it was wise and was looking for a new hotel room for us to move to whilst she was at work later. Her friend worked at an agency so we might be lucky as they could have rooms on hold. Sharing a bed was just too much.

Two hours later she called me back, “Well I talked you out of coming home and James sister is trying to do the same with him.”

“What!” my heart stung at hearing the words.

“I’ve just taken Molly to nursery and his mother was dropping off Sammy, you know the little one who was only a few months old when...”

“Yes, yes I know. What did she say and how come Sammy is in nursery with Molly?”

“Because Molly has gone up a group, she is not with the babies anymore. She graduated remember?”

“Oh right yeah,” I said remembering the cute image of her in a gown on my fridge and the fact that she was now toilet trained meant she was able to go play in the other group ‘for big girls’.

“Any way I was dropping her off and some how his mother knew I was your sister and asked if she could have a word. I couldn’t exactly tell her ‘No’. She asked if I had spoken to you and I said yes.”

“God!” I said annoyed.

“What! It’s not my fault, she has one of those faces that would make anyone fess up. Before I knew what is happening she is rattling on ten to the dozen about how James hasn’t slept all night and is on his way home. His sister is booking him a flight.”

Guilt shot through me, along with the image of Emily smiling in that photo. We were potentially getting closer to bringing her home and I was too busy trying to save my blushes to focus on the task in hand. In the meantime, James ‘her uncle’, was going home because of me. I burst into tears.

“Oh don’t cry,” my sister said panicking at the other end.

“I am such a terrible person,” I sobbed.

“No you’re not.”

“I am. I am ruining this families chance to find their missing baby because I am embarrassed to face him.”

“Look, calm down,” she all but yelled. “I’ve got them to hold fire and said I would call you back. They know you have been intimate after finding that photo but not to what extent.”

I was slowly dying of embarrassment.

“Apparently James is shy and his last girlfriend cheated on him...”

“He is not shy and she is a stupid cow.”

“... so he is reluctant to date any one. Not only that he sold his apartment to fund the search for his niece as the money ran out chasing dead ends.  He works all the hours he can. He is a joiner and carpenter but also a qualified plumber, as it is a family business, so he can fix your boiler.”

I rolled my eyes at her even mentioning that piece of shit.

“This sounds like a really nice guy. A hot guy who is not up his own arse and has feelings. He lives with his sister for crying out loud and his wages go to fund trips like the one he is taking with you.”

My heart sank further.

“The only problem is the pot has run dry. They are on the last of it and if they use this money to book a flight home, it’s gone.”

“See I am terrible!”

“In a few weeks his invoices will be paid so he will have more funds again but with the flights, hotel...”

“He insisted on paying toward that.”

“I know I’m just saying that with that initial lay out and the phone calls and texts to appease his sister... she may call but it charges him to receive it. He is skint.”

“Oh god what a mess,” I sighed.

“Go and see him. Stop wasting money on other hotels and...”

“I didn’t. I used my research grant as it’s only for three days and I have actually done some of that too whilst here.”

“Whatever, get over there and make up. Swallow your pride and find that little girl. You’re embarrassed, he’s embarrassed and that little girl is kidnapped, so suck it up and focus on her.”

“Ok,” I said climbing off the bed. “I’ll text you after.”

“Look, I need to stall his sister so make it quick. They have enough to worry about without you two having a lovers tiff. Make up, find the kid and come home. Don’t make me come over there, if I turn up you are in deep shit!”

“Ok, ok...I’m going now.”

I hung up and rushed around like a lunatic shoving things into my bag and racing down the hall. As I ran through the streets hauling my bags, all I could think of was Emily. This was the most out of breath I had ever been! At least he won’t see my blushes through my red ‘can’t run for shit’ face.