Beyoncé July 5, 2016
I held Jay's hand as we walked back to the interrogation room. I narrowed my eyes when I realized the officer was gone. Jay noticed my expression.
"What's wrong?"
I shook my head, not quite sure. Something was off; I could feel it. I stepped forward and opened the door or tried. It opened slightly before stopping. Something was blocking it.
"What the hell," I mumbled, frowning.
I peeked through the opening and saw a body lying on the floor, facedown.
"Isobel," I gasped, squeezing through the door to help.
I pulled her gently away from the door so Jay could come in. He helped me flip her over, resting her head in my lap. I brushed the hair out of her face, unsure of what to do next.
"Shit. I'm gonna go get help. Check to see if she's breathing," Jay instructed before running out.
I was pretty sure she was, but I hovered over her to double check. I sighed in relief when I was sure she was breathing. I looked around the room. August was nowhere to be found, and there was an overturned chair by Isobel's body. It didn't take a detective to figure out what happened. A few seconds later, Jay reappeared with another officer. When she saw the scene she immediately got on her radio.
I quickly looked down when I heard Isobel groan. She tried to get up, wincing in pain from her injury.
"Here," I said, helping her into a chair.
She smiled at me gratefully. The female officer, Officer Garron, walked in and crouched in front of Isobel.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
Isobel looked at me apologetically. She opened her mouth to speak but was immediately cut off by Officer Jones walking into the room carrying a plate of grilled cheese and a soda. He looked around, confused. Everyone stared at him.
"What happened?" He asked.
"What happened? What happened?" I mocked him, incredulous. "I should be the one asking you that. You were supposed to be here, making sure my child stayed safe. Now she's God knows where."
"It wasn't his fault."
I turned to look back at Isobel. She shook her head, looking down.
"She tricked us...well, she tricked me. She told me she was hungry, knowing I would send Officer Jones to get her food. She also told me she needed time to process everything, knowing I would leave the room to give her space. Then she called out to me and waited behind the door. When I came in to check on her, she hit me with a chair and made her escape."
She looked down at herself as if noticing what she was wearing for the first time.
She scowled. "Apparently stealing my coat in the process."
I collapsed into the closest chair, emotionally and physically exhausted. Jay clenched his fist, shaking his head.
He took a deep breath before glancing over at Isobel. "Look, I'm really sorry for what August pulled. We'll obviously cover any medical bills you have. Please just don–"
Isobel shook her head, waving him off. "You don't need to do that. I'll be fine. Maybe a bit concussed, but I'll recover." She paused. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna press charges. I've spent 11 years trying to find Sarayah. I just want her safe."
Jay nodded. "Thank you, Isobel. You have no idea how much you've done for us. And I'll make sure Aug–Sarayah, apologizes after we find her." He looked at the officer. "So, where does she live? She obviously went back to her house. Let's pull up the address and go. If we leave now, we might be able to beat her there."
Officer Garron shook her head. "All of her documents were forged. The address listed showed no record of Sarayah or Alison ever living there. We tried to get her real address from her but every time we asked her questions she would just shut down."
Jay threw up his hands. "So that's it? There's no plan? She escapes, and we lose her forever?"
Officer Garron held up her hand. "No, we'll send out an Amber Alert. She won't get far."
Jay scoffed. "That's what you guys did when she was kidnapped, and that didn't do shit."
"Of course she's also a criminal mastermind. Juvenile delinquency wasn't enough." I mumbled, more to myself than anyone else, but Isobel answered nonetheless.
"Let's not panic. Your daughter is smart and resourceful, but criminal mastermind she is not." She shook her head. "I just spent four hours with her. She doesn't strike me as a bad kid."
"Well she certainly struck you as something," Officer Jones muttered, eying her injury skeptically. He touched the bruise beneath his eye. "Sure struck me as something." Isobel shot him a look.
"All circumstantial!" She snapped before turning back to us. "The point is, I'm guessing she doesn't normally get into trouble."
Officer Garron nodded. "Yeah, I've seen a lot of people in jail. I can tell when people are frequent offenders whether they get booked or not. This was definitely her first time getting in any type of serious trouble. She seemed like a really good kid."
"Yes, okay. What's your point? That I shouldn't be upset because my daughter's only been to jail once?" I asked, annoyed.
Isobel smiled at me. "She's smart, but some things you can only learn through experience, and she doesn't have any. She's more likely to make mistakes. I had her phone in my pocket. She probably still has it on her, and I'm betting she turned it on to make a call or send a text."
I nodded, finally understanding. "You can track it?"
She motioned around vaguely. "Are you kidding? With all the equipment in this place? Cake."
30 minutes later we pulled up to a rundown apartment. The police decided to send two unmarked police cars with us, so we wouldn't draw too much attention. They let me and Jay tag along with the agreement that we wouldn't overstep. As if.
Jay put his hand on my arm, drawing me out of my thoughts. I looked over at him. He was wearing his stern expression. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
"Remember, stay in the car. Let them handle this."
I lost the battle and rolled my eyes. I stepped out of the car. Jay sighed and followed me out. I looked around the parking lot. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but I would know it when I saw it.
"So, you're just gonna knock on every door until you find her?" Jay asked one of the officers.
I spotted a guy sitting in a car across the parking lot. He was drumming his fingers on his steering wheel as if waiting on someone. I strut towards him.
"Hey, Bey. Stop." Jay yelled after me. I ignored him.
The guy looked up and saw me. I smiled and gave him a little wave. His jaw dropped. He blinked rapidly then looked around as if he was sure it was a prank.
"Hey, do you happen to know a girl who goes by the name 'Sarayah'?" I asked, smiling. Mama always said you catch more flies with honey, Bey.
He blinked rapidly. "Sarayah? Yeah, I know her. We're real close. Best friends. Unless you don't like her. In that case, I don't know her like that."
I chuckled. "I just need to know how to find her. Does she live here?" I pointed at the building.
He nodded. "Yup. She lives on the fifth floor, room 507."
"Thank you," I said, turning to walk away.
"Wait!"
I turned around to see him getting out of his car.
"You should take the fire escape around the side if you're trying to see Sarayah. Her and her mama never answer the door. It'll be the first window."
I smiled again. "Thank you."
I sprinted to the side of the building, ignoring shouts for me to stay put. I wasn't about to let my baby go missing for another 11 years. Sorry Jay, but I think I'll handle this one.
I ran up the four flights in record time. Good thing I decided to wear my chucks instead of heels. When I got to the fifth floor, I stepped through the first open window. I glanced around the filthy room, unsure if I was in the right place.
I heard loud, choking sobs coming from the bedroom. I burst into the room. August was sitting in the middle of the room. Broken picture frames all around her.
"Mama. Mama. Don't leave me. Come back. Please come back. Please. I need you. I'm sorry." She cried, rocking back and forth.
My heart clenched in my chest, and I immediately rushed over, scooping her into my arms.
"It's okay, baby. Mama's right here. I'm right here," I whispered fiercely, stroking her hair.
She turned towards me. Streaks of old tears and streams of new ones covered her cheeks. Her eyes, red and puffy, stared at me with so much rage that I fell back in shock. She stood up, towering over me.
"YOU ARE NOT, HAVE NEVER BEEN AND WILL NEVER BE MY MOTHER. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"
I crawled backwards, trying to get away from those eyes. Those weren't my daughter's eyes. My daughter had never been angry a day in her life. Even when she didn't get her way as a kid she would just pout sadly.
She followed me into the main room, shouting the whole time.
"NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY OR WHAT YOU DO, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE WOMAN WHO RIPPED ME AWAY FROM MY MAMA. THIS IS YOUR FAULT. I HATE YOU."
If my heart hadn't been shattered yet, that did it.
"GET OUT. GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE." She screamed, throwing a picture frame at me. "GET OUT!"
I jumped up and practically dove out the window, slamming right into Jay. I shook my head at his questions and ran down the steps, two at a time.