The Search

Chapter 3.

Nikolai

With Jade gone, everything has gone to absolute shit. We're three days in and Alex is chasing Ollie around the living room because Ollie stole his Chemistry book.

Sophie is burning down the house and Colten stubbed his toe and yelled startling Lexi making her cry. I want my fucking wife.

I pick up Lexi taking her away from all of the chaos and into the laundry room where I have four loads going. I never knew how messy Lexi is.

I grab her pacifier on the way and let her take it, so she finds some comfort. "Okay baby girl," I sigh lightly bouncing.

She whines as I rub her back, she squeezes and wrinkles the life outta my shirt.  "You Miss mommy too, hm?" I hum kissing her cheek.

"What would Jade do, What would Jade do?" I whisper lightly pacing the laundry room.  An idea comes to mind almost immediately after. 

I walk out of the laundry room, "Ollie give your brother his book back and go grab one out of my office, I know your mom sneaks them to you anyway," I enter the kitchen and bend down with Lexi grabbing an ice pack. 

I turn Sophie's burner down on the way by, "slower on a lower heat is sometimes better than fast on a high heat sweetheart." I kiss her forehead as she laughs and flips the eggs. 

Our cook ended up getting sick, so Sophie blamed it on herself and volunteered to make breakfast.  Either way it would be better than mine anyway. 

I go to Colten as he holds his foot with a scrunched up face and I place the ice pack on his toe.  "Better?" I ask adjusting it so I don't have to hold it for it to stay on. 

He sighs, "much, I'm sorry bug, did I scare you?" He asks Lexi, taking her out of my arms and hugs her to his chest.

I smile and go back into the living room where Ollie is reading one of my books on the couch and where Alex is packing his school bag. 

Alex smiles at me and helps Ollie into his backpack as well.  "Why don't you sit down Dad."

I laugh with a curious look and sit down on the couch, Colten walks in with his bag and Lexi, passing the happy baby onto me. 

I smile and cradle her to my chest.  Sophie walks in with a plate of food and places it in front of me smiling as she kisses Kit and waves goodbye to me.

When everyone is gone, I sit mouth agape looking at the door.  "Okay then," I sigh, "I guess it's just you and me sweetheart."

———

One thing I did ask was for our babysitter to take care of Lexi during the day.  I needed to go to work at sometime and that was now. 

I pass the bag over to Jamie and kiss Lexi goodbye before exiting the house and getting to my car.  I check my burner phone, checking if Jade has contacted me yet. 

When I see she hasn't I take off to the station,  chaos everywhere when I enter.  I immediately jog to my desk, questioning Derek when I get there.  "What's going on?"

His panic gaze looks up at me and then back down at the case paperwork, "jacks hit again, this time south centre mall."

"Out in the open?" I stress, "this isn't like his other tendencies."

Derek sighs scratching the back of his neck, "he knows that, he's trying to throw us off and he's doing well.  Our profile is fucked up, we're back to square one."

"Any witnesses?" I ask pulling up a chair beside him.

"One, Indira Hughes, she was buying a suit case and the next moment a body is falling out of one beside her."