"They took her. Where is my baby?" She doesn't seem to be saying it to anyone in particular. She just seems frantic and upset.
Iyana and I look at one another and without speaking a word began to walk over to Ms. Harper, my neighbor, to see what is going on. I have no idea what we think we can do about anything, but who just turns away from a person in need? Obviously, something has happened to her daughter, Laney. We never knew Laney well. She went to a different school, but once in a while we would see her outside and chat for a bit. She seemed nice enough, but we didn't really get to know her well. Hopefully, she just stayed out too long with some friends. Hopefully, this is all just a mother reacting over what is nothing more than a rebellious teenager.
Ms. Harper looked directly in my eyes and screams. "What happened to her? Why weren't you protecting her?" I pause for a second. Whatever happened couldn't possibly be my fault. Why isn't she looking at Iyana? She's the crazy one.
Iyana and I make it halfway into the street when the cop car comes flying mere inches in front of us and pulls into Ms. Harper's yard. I think I would stand here frozen if it weren't for Iyana. She grabs my arm to turn us back around. "I'm sure that whatever the problem is they can take it from here." She says to me.
"I know. I just can't help but want to rally round someone in this state." I say helplessly. I try to skip over how she was just seconds ago asking me why I hadn't done something to prevent whatever happened. I guess it is simply the emotions and everything that comes with it.
An officer walks over calling out to us. Really, someone else who thinks we have something to do with this? "Hey, can I talk to you girls for a second?" Really, someone else who thinks I have something to do with this.
"Yes officer," Iyana says to her with an all too natural confident and worry-free air about her. I have not even done anything and I am scared at the thought of an officer even noticing us at a moment like this.
"Which one of you lives here?" He asks
"Uh, I- I do." I clumsily stammer out. I am already guilty as charged with how nervous I must seem right now. I'm going to be their number one suspect.
"And are you 18 or over - miss?" The officer asks. I look around frantically between the officer and Iyana.
"Kayla. I'm 17."
"Iyana." She puts a hand up as if to give a reluctant hello.
"Alright, girls my name is Officer Saks. Ms. Kayla you speak with your parents let them know I need them present so that I may ask you a few questions. You are not in any trouble. I just want to see if you would know anything at all that could help us. Can you do that." He adjusts his pants which makes me fearful of where his hand is going.
"I'll make them aware, but sir I don't know anything." I feel like a target. Why does he insist on speaking to my family so much?
He reaches in his pocket and hands me his business card. I let in a sharp inhale. He looks at me and slowly moves. There is a look of understanding in his eyes.
"Well if I'm not still over here when they arrive, then have them give me a call." He walks back toward a tornado of a distraught mother, officers, detectives, and an ambulance. I look at his business card. For some reason holding the card of an officer in my hand makes debilitating fear explode in my chest. My knees get a bit shaky and my legs feel weak. Iyana puts an arm around me and helps me inside.
"Nothing happened Kayla. Just come on inside."
"Alright, I will call my mom and tell her what's up." I tell her after I regain my strength. "Are you sure you don't want to wait until it calms down out there?"
She smiles with one eyebrow raised. "Don't you worry babe. I am always up for action."
After spending a couple of hours in my room trying to do homework and being distracted by the constant flashing lights outside my family finally gets home. I run downstairs bursting with emotion.
" I have to tell you guys what's going on over there."
"Hey, munchkin," I say to my little brother, Harrison.
He's a good kid, and I hope that he doesn't end up like the jocks at my school when he gets older. He is definitely into sports and that's the only thing I fear for when it comes to him. My parents dote on him so much so that they forget they have me. Then again, they are the same way with my older sister Maria. I guess it is just that they don't care for me too much.
My parents continue taking off their jackets and shoes as they get settled in from a long day of work.
"I'm glad you had a good day at school honey. Did you check the mail on your way in?" My mom says.
"The police want you guys to contact them so they can question me about Ms. Harrison's daughter."
That is apparently a definite way to get them to stop and focus a few of those brain waves on me.
My dad looks to my younger brother. "Good game tonight. Why don't you go upstairs and get your homework done champ."
Once we hear him get to the top of the steps their eyes bore into me and intensify.
"What did you do Kayla?" My mom says to me.
My dad clenches his fists as his arms slightly shake while he walks towards me and shouts. "Tell us everything now, before we walk over there. What have you done now? Why do you insist on being such a headache for your mother and me?"
I tried to sound unbothered, but my voice came out so small. "I didn't do anything. The officer said he wants to ask me a few questions and he specifically added that I'm not in any trouble. Chill."
"Chill?" I just poked papa bear. "This is how you talk to your parents now. First, you are being called down to the police station and now you are talking to use like some type of street hoodlum."
My mom calms my dad down just by her touch on his shoulder. "Alright. What I'm trying to say, Kayla is that I will ask one of the officers to come by and speak with us. Do you have anything to tell us before I do so?"
"No, sir." I put my head down and say it like a meek peasant would. "And you have to ask for Officer Saks."
My dad grabs his coat and walks outside to get officer Saks, but not before giving me a disgusted look.
My mom puts a tea kettle on the stove like the 70s housewife she tries to be.
"Mom. I'm a good kid. I have always been an honor roll student. Why can't you support me for once? I'm your daughter."
"And he is my husband." She looks like she wants to say more, but goes back to preparing tea.
My dad and Officer Saks walk inside together, seeming pleasantly chatty. They promptly sit down on the couch and get straight to it.
"Hello, ma'am. Your neighbor's daughter, Layney Harrison, is missing. We believe she may be with your daughter whose whereabouts are also unknown."
"Well, Kayla tell the kind officer everything he needs to know." My dad can barely keep from gritting his teeth together as he speaks to me.
"No, sir." Officer Saks says. "Your daughter Maria was seen with her last. We wanted to speak with Ms. Kayla to see if she remembers anything from a party thrown by Jessie and Matel last weekend." He turns to me. "Again, you're not in trouble. But I need you to tell me everything you saw even if it doesn't seem important."
"I wasn't there long. I know that Matel knew I was Maria's sister. I'm not sure how. I didn't see my sister."
"It all started at the after-party." I begrudgingly tell them everything that happened. I leave out my fears of my secret admirer. My parents are more concerned about where Maria is and assure the officer that they will deal with me accordingly for being at that party. They ask me to go into the other room while they speak privately and then I'm invited back into the lion's den.
"Thank you for your honesty. Usually, the younger ones are harder to get through to because they're afraid of being in trouble." He gets up to leave and turns back towards us. "Your daughter, Maria, is not someone in danger. She is someone that is dangerous. Kayla, she may be after you next. Trust no one and keep my number on speed dial."
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Author's Note: Thanks for reading. Please vote comment, follow and add this to your library for updates. So, tell me what do ya'll think is going on with Maria? How do you feel about Kayla's parents? I'll