Cracks

Chapter 11 Reasonable doubt

Allison gritted her teeth. "I'm sorry I'm such a nuisance to you."

"That is not what I said. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

"I though you said I could call you anytime," Alison said dryly, "even in the middle of the night."

Trevor groaned. "If I had known you'd take that literally, I would have rephrased."

"Come on," Allison insisted, "I never asked you for anything. You told me to learn to ask."

Trevor sighed again. It wasn't that he didn't want to help, but Allison was a mess. She was still getting to terms with everything that had happened before. He had searched long and hard for the right place. He had consulted many experts, did tons of research, inquired with counselors, lawyers, schools. He really did believe this place would be good for her. She had already made progress even if she did not see it herself. The school kept him updated. So did Valerie. "We'll talk when I pick you up from school," he stated in a final tone, "I'm too tired to discuss anything right now."

Allison gritted her teeth. "Thanks for nothin'," she hissed and hung up the phone.

She didn't even bother locking the office behind her as she left. Let Valerie know someone'd been in there. Perhaps the woman would get angry enough to kick her out. Trevor would have no choice but to find her another place. Preferably far away from here.

Still fuming with anger, she failed to notice the movement beside her, so when he spoke, his voice startled her.

"You're not supposed to go in Val's office. She'll be mad."

Allison turned her head and squinted to distinguish Jamie on his window seat bed. He was sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. She had forgotten he slept there.

"I had to use the phone," she said.

"We're not allowed to use the phone," Jamie stated, "she'll get angry."

Allison wheeled closer to Jamie and shook her head. "Val doesn't get angry."

"She was angry with Tim today," the boy pointed out. His lip trembled. "When people get angry, they hurt each other."

Allison sighed and ran hand across her face. "Tim didn't get hurt, did he? Valerie too." She sighed again. "B'sides, people don' have to be mad to hurt each other."

"I don't like it when they yell," Jamie said in a trembling voice.

Allison shook her head. "Sometimes people feel better when they yell."

"It makes me scared," Jamie whispered.

"I know," Allison said. She wasn't sure what to tell the boy. She had been surrounded by screaming and yelling her entire life. There had been hitting and drinking and cursing, but it still wasn't the same as it had been for Jamie. She had been able to stand up for herself. But even before when she couldn't, she'd had someone to do it for her. "Hey," she said, "next time someone yells, you just have to yell harder. Stand up and scream. I bet it'll make 'em stop arguing."

Jamie stared at her wide-eyed and vividly shook his head.

Allison sighed. "Listen kid, people are gonna yell sometimes. It ain't always a bad thing. You just have to figure it out as you go like the rest of us."

Jamie ducked his head and pulled up his legs, hugging himself tightly.

Allison withheld a sigh. If Valerie wasn't going to be angry at her for breaking into her office, she surely would be if she found out Allison had upset Jamie. "Just go to sleep, alright? No one is gonna yell." She watched Jamie settle under the blankets and then headed back to her room. She had enough to worry about.

...

It was to his advantage that the building was old school, with crappy security that was easily disabled. The facility still used paper files instead of digitalizing everything. He had done his research. He knew where they were stored.

He had forced himself to wait a few days, just to be sure the cops were not looking for him, but now he couldn't wait any longer. He needed to know she was okay.

Slowly but surely he made his way towards the filing cabinet. From what he had overheard, they didn't know Alyssa's last name, so first he searched under A. There were two Alyssa's, but none that matched his sister's description.

Next, he searched for Jane Doe, but apparently no one was registered like that.

Frustrated, he closed the drawer again and moved to the next. Just to be sure, he searched under 'Scott' too, but there was nothing.

Ray narrowed his eyes. Why? Why couldn't he find his sister's file?

He looked around the office. Perhaps there was another filing cabinet somewhere.

His eyes fell on the desk nearest to him. A large stack of files was positioned on the edge of the desk.

Quietly he moved over and searched the pile. They were all recent cases. Perhaps whoever had worked on them, hadn't come around to filing them yet.

Alyssa's file was one of the last ones. He opened it and squinted to be able to read it. He didn't want to make any light in fear someone would notice from the outside.

Frowning, Ray tried to make sense of the scribbling. He wasn't very good at reading and the handwriting was small.

The file read that the a girl approximately five was extracted from the home of one Miranda Simmons. After some research, the child was identified as one Alyssa Scott. Alyssa was taken back to her parents' home, only for Social Services to discover the environment unsuitable for a child. Upon being asked why the child was not reported missing, the father had answered that his good for nothing son had come to take his sister on a trip.

Whoever had written the report had not felt comfortable leaving he child there. A foster home would be arranged and actions would be taken against the parents. Said son was unaccounted for, but now assumed to be the 'Ray' the girl kept crying for. The case remained under investigation.

Ray sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Under investigation. Unaccounted for. Did that mean the cops were looking for him?

He shook off the thought. He'd deal with that later. Frantically he searched for Alyssa's foster family and found the address.

Next stop, Fairbanks family.