Knock knock.
Maria's mom opened the door to her house and in came Detective Ken Finnest with his trainer Detective Matt Surly.
Detective Surly helped himself to the pot of coffee that was left out on the counter and gave Detective Finnest a look telling him to speak.
As Maria's mom invited the two detectives to sit, Detective Finnest worriedly wrung his hands together.
"I um I mean we um."
"What he means is that we sent a helicopter out to search for Maria and the suspect." Detective Surly cut in, knowing that it was useless letting the new timer speak.
"Do you have a lead on who the suspect might be?" Maria's mom said while grabbing one of the dozens of used tissues that were strewn all over the floor.
Detective Finnest gave a look of utter disgust mixed with a little dismay as Detective Surly went on.
"Unfortanetly Karen, that information is not available."
Maria's mom let her jaw fall. "Bu. Bu. But, you must know something. You need to tell me. My daughter's life is at stake here!"
Detective Finnest sighed. "We mi. Mi. Mi. Might be able to tell you something."
Detective Surly's eyes glazed over with anger. "Unfortunately, this knuckle head is unfit for the job, as he just proved. And you know I'm retiring soon Karen. So I can't work on the case. And I'll be more surprised than the next guy if this idiot here is given the case!"
Detective Surly raised his voice at the last sentence.
Suddenly his eyes turned from anger to dismay as he ran his fingers through his messy white speckled brown hair.
"I guess I can tell you who we think the suspect is. But you might not like the sound of it."
Maria's mom became hopeful. "Please. Tell me."
Detective Surly stood up from the comfortable lounge chair.
"The suspect that we're looking for is very dangerous. She could possibly be armed and has been working with even more dangerous criminals for three years now. Last year, we put her in the highest of security prison in the U.S. But three months ago she escaped and we haven't seen her since. With the help of the helicopters, we think she's hiding in a log cabin somewhere in the middle of the evergreen forest up north a little ways. Now, it's not my job to scare people. It's been my job to help. And I know that you know that very well Karen. But your daughter might be in grave danger."
Maria's mom's eyes widened with shock. "Who is this she?"
Detective Surly opened his mouth to answer, but a knock at the door intruded the conversation.
Maria's mom cautiously walked towards her front door while her eyes started to water and she began to sniffle.
Maria's mom was in for a big surprise once she opened the door.
There, with a tear stained face, was Kirsten.
"Oh, Kirsten. I'm sorry, but now's not a good time."
Kirsten ignored what Maria's mom said and barged through the door. Making the sobbing parent fall down in the process.
Detective Surly shifted nervously on his feet as he got up and cleared his throat.
"If it's OK with you Karen, the detective and I have to leave now and attend to some important.... business."
"Please stay." Kirsten said as she jumped up on the couch and took I over by stretching her body. "Wait, aren't you a detective Detective Surly?"
Detective Surly sighed in exasperation. "That business is confidential."
As Detective Surly led Detective Finnest out the door, he gave Maria's mom a quick glance signaling her to follow him.
As Maria's mom sat down on her new porch swing, she started to rub her arms. "Oh please don't tell me..."
Detective Surly biutted in. "Look Karen. I'm not going to tell you anything more. You've had enough shock for one day. All I'm saying is that I suggest you get that girl out of your house. Now."
He started to whisper as he saw Kirsten raise up the curtain and waved to him while smiling sweetly. Too sweetly.
"The detective and I will get back up if you distract her for five minutes. I have feeling she knows more than what we want her to."
And that was that as the two detectives walked off the porch steps and towards the police car as the soon to be retired detective pulled out his walkie talkie and requested back up.