I'm Blind Not Fragile

Chapter 21

"Wait sir let me get this straight. You want me to investigate the disappearance of your little sister. After your father, her legal guardian, already called you to tell you she's with him and they are spending some time together for a couple of days?" The male officer said with a bored voice. Eric had been trying to explain why he was worried for 40 minutes now. Even when he first came in and said his name and told them he wanted to speak to an officer they made him wait.

"Officer you don't understand-" he pleaded. His voice strained from the constant back and forth, this was maybe the 3rd time he's tried to explain it to the older man.

"Son, I think I understand quite well. You know it's against the law to waste an officer's time. While you sit here playing your jokes, I could have been investigating the disappearance of an actual missing person." The condescending tone was not lost on Eric. Unlike his sister Eric had been places, he used to sit in on meetings with his father, he went to summer camp out in Vermont for a couple of summers, he has met people and knows the world isn't all sunshine and rainbows like Raine does. She insists on going out alone and walking alone to school because she doesn't realize there are bad people out there who would take advantage of someone like her, why would she? She has lived a very sheltered life.

"But officer please I know something isn't right."

"Boy, I think it's time for you to leave." The slightly overweight balding middle-aged man spat. He stood up so as to intimidate Eric, although his 5'9 wasn't much of a threat against Eric's 6'2. All it served to do was make his pants fall off his beer belly a little more than they already were. But this man was a police officer, and he had officially refused to help Eric find his sister.

Eric left the department with slumped shoulders. He hadn't even fathomed that they wouldn't believe him. That they would think he was just some 18 year old punk pulling pranks. Now what would he do? Should he go to the Lewis mansion to see what's going on? Wait no, dad said they were going out of town for a bit. Why would they be going out of town? Dad's call was so cryptic and vague Eric wasn't able to ask any real questions before it ended.

Why didn't the police believe him? Kids can be kidnapped by their parents, can't they? Should the officer at least have called the mansion and tried to get ahold of someone? A standard well being check? Isn't that a thing cops do?

As Eric made his way back home he couldn't come up with how to move forward.

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"Yes sir, we dismissed it right away...no I don't think the young Mister Lewis will be asking any more questions around here."

"Good. You did well, officer Polinsky. Keep up the good work, I'll make sure to relay to your captain how helpful you've been to me."

"Thank you, sir, I would appreciate that. You have a nice day now Mr. Lewis. Also thank you for your generous donation to the police officer pension fund you recently made. We all appreciate it, let us know if we can assist you in any way in the future."

"It is no problem Polinsky, we have to keep our good men and women in blue fed don't we? And I might just take you up on that offer of a favor, officer. Have a nice day." Howard Lewis hung up the call and looked at the papers on his desk. So Eric is asking questions? He traded one obedient child for another. How tiresome. Oh well. This dinner will go well tonight and his deal will be solidified and Eric can have his sister back.

What's left of her that is.

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Gertrude's POV:

I sat quietly as the hairstylist once again tugged and burned my hair. I've lost track of how long it has been, more than an hour, but not long enough that I've had to pee since sitting here. I long ago figured out that flinching away from the sudden heat near my head only served to agitate the hairstylist. I think sometimes she does it on purpose to surprise and frighten me.