spotlight. (book two of missing melody) // katy perry

eight.

{Katy's POV}

"Please officer, you have to help us. My daughter is missing and we can't find her." I plead, my voice cracking as I try not to cry infront of the police officer I am currently talking to.

"I'm sorry, Miss but it is our policy to wait for 48 hours after the said person's disappearance before we can take the matter into our hands." The officer replies, speaking as if he had memorized that over and over. I sigh, irritated at how pathetic their policy is.

"But can't you just-"

"I already to told you, Miss Perry. We have to wait. Besides, your daughter might just be at a friend's house or out with them. She might not be missing after all." That's it. I've had it.

"Is this some kind of joke to you? I already called her friends and all of them aren't even with her. There's a psychopath out there on the loose and my daughter could be anywhere. That psychopath also happens to be her abusive father who beat the shit out of her 3 years ago. Now don't you dare tell me we have to wait for fucking 48 hours because my daughter is in real damn danger." I yell, making everyone's eyes land on me. Whispers and uneasy stares start to surround me. In times like these, I would usually feel embarrassment creep in but right now, I just don't give a damn about anyone. All I can think about is my Chloe. Shannon tries to calm me, desperately trying to make me sit back down. I shrug her hand off my shoulder, not wanting to be bothered.

"What is this mess all about?" A huge voice silences everyone, heading it's way towards me. I sigh as I take a seat, finally giving in to Shannon's request. The officer who talked to me tried to explain to what I assume is the chief of the department. He nods understandingly after he'd heard everything.

"Well, Miss Perry we are deeply sorry about that. He's new here so you have to excuse him. Now about your daughter, we would start a search and rescue operation as soon as we can; Probably tomorrow. The best thing to do right now is go home and get some rest, and we'll start searching for your daughter as soon as the sun rises." The chief tells me, his voice calm as he looks at me with sympathy. I sigh in disappointment, my outburst clearly didn't do any good.

"He's right, Kate. Come on, let's go." Shannon says, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nod, forcing out a smile as I stand up.

"Thank you." I thank him as we head out, gaining a small smile from the ranked officer. We walk towards my car, despair and worry washing over me. I unlock the car with a click on my car keys, rushing to hop inside as soon as the door opens.

"Wait." Shannon stops me. "I'll drive." I hand her the keys, sighing as I hop inside and take the passenger seat. She sits on the driver's side, closing the door after her. She slides the key into the ignition, turning my Audi and air conditioning of the car on.

"What am I going to do now?" I bury my head on my palms with a heavy sigh, finally allowing my tears to trickle down my face slowly. I sob loudly, letting it all out after keeping all these pain for so long now.

"Kate, we're going to find Chloe. I promise." Shannon rubs my back gently, her gesture slightly comforting me. Honestly, I don't know what to do anymore.

"What if we can't, though. What will happen then?"

"We will, okay? Stop thinking so negatively." She yells, her face slightly red with anger.

"I don't care how long we have to wait. I want Chloe back as much as you do but right now, all we can do is wait. A few hours won't hurt." Shannon continues, her voice lowering as her eyes soften. She grabs my hand, forcing me to lift my head up as she squeezes my delicate hand tightly while looking at me.

"Now, I want you to promise me something." She says. "Promise me you'd stay strong for me, for Chloe." She waits for my reply, staring into my eyes so intently I can feel her seriousness run through my mind with her gaze. I nod, not trusting my voice at all in fear of it breaking. She smiles to my relief, pulling me into a tight hug. I sniffle, hugging her back as tight as I could. I close my eyes as I rest my head on her shoulder, comfortable with our position.

"Let's get you back home." She says after awhile, breaking the silence. It was not an awkward one though, it was more of a comfortable and soothing kind of silence, the one that can put you at ease. I nod, smiling at her with gratitude. She returns the favor, flashing a grin right before she starts driving. The drive back home was silent, only the radio doing all the talking. I soon turn it off, finally finding the strength to do so. I am not in the mood for some noise right now. I rest my head back on the window, leaning on it as I set my gaze on the surroundings we drive past on our way home.

"We're here." Shannon says. I haven't realized the car stopped. I open the door and step off of the car with a heavy heart, suddenly feeling my heart ache as I look at the house's exterior. Somehow, I know that this house wouldn't be a home without Chloe. Her presence gives it the glow and energy it once possessed. Without Chloe, this huge house made with cement and other materials used for building houses would just be that-- a house.

"You coming in?" Shannon disrupt my thoughts, looking at me expectantly as she stands by the front door. I slowly walk along the patio, every step heavier than the last. Finally, for what felt like an excruciating eternity, I reach the front porch. I step inside the house after Shannon does, the lights instantly illuminate the ghostly interior as she flick the switches on.

"Is Angela coming?" I ask absentmindedly, sitting on the couch with a sigh. Shannon nods, sitting right next to me. She grabs the remote, turning the flatscreen television on and lower its volume.

"She said she's coming over tomorrow, is that okay?" Shannon asks, searching through thousands of movies on Netflix.

"Why don't we watch some movies so you'd feel better?" She suggests, making me shrug. I just don't feel like doing anything at all, to be honest. Shannon sighs, deciding on playing 'Love Actually', a movie we both love.

"I'll order some pizza, okay?"

"Sure." I mumble, not wanting to speak anymore. Shannon sighs for the hundredth time today, setting her phone back down on the coffee table infront of us.

"Katy, Chloe's going to be okay. We'll find her and get her back, I promise. I'm sure she doesn't want you to be like this. Please, just please don't do this." Shannon whispers, a single tears silently trickling down her cheek. She quickly wipes it away, sniffling as she grabs her phone back and order two boxes of pizza.

This is going to be a long night. . .