F.I.S.H. – 3.12 Amber Alert

Author’s Note: A little language ahead.

Stefan and Olivia lived on their phones. It’s a wonder how their parents dealt with it. Nothing–not even physical proximity–could keep those kids from each other. Phones at the dinner table. Phones at family functions. They text each other first thing when they arose in the morning even though they would see each other soon. They text in the classes they didn’t share. They text on the bus going home. They called when they got home. They text again before going to bed. Constant communication all the time. It was maddening. When Olivia left San Myshuno on Sunday night, Stefan expected a text to say she arrived home safely, but he never got it. He was alarmed at first, but it was no sweat. She was probably just tired and conked out. He called. “Did you even make it to the bed? [chuckle] Text me in the morning then. Love you. Bye,” is what his voice mail said. The Monday morning text never came. She wasn’t even in homeroom. He figured she was sick. “Are you ok? I bet a massage will make you feel better 😛 ” is what the text read. That one did not get a response either. He was worried, but not too much. When he arrived at home, he told his mother he was going to go see her. Everything was fine until he rounded the corner and walked down the driveway. His heart felt like it stopped and panic set in.

Oh no…oh no.  He tried to keep a steady gait, but everything within him said to run. There was an officer standing outside in front of a police car. Stefan stopped and questioned him. “What’s going on here? Is Olivia ok?”

“I can’t discuss that with you.”

“So what can you discuss? Why are you here? What’s happened?” He was beginning to lose his cool.

The officer took a good look at Sfefan and figured he was young enough to be one of Olivia’s classmates. “What’s your name?”

“Stefan Pitts.”

The name didn’t ring any bells–not that he knew every delinquent in the system. “What’s your relation to this family?”

“Olivia’s my girlfriend. Look, dude, I don’t know what’s going on here, but I get the feeling you don’t want me here. All I wanna know is if she’s ok! Just tell me and I’ll get outta your hair.”

“Come with me.”

The officer led him to the house where another guardian of the law–a detective–was standing in front of the house. “This kid says he’s the boyfriend.”

“Is that so,” the detective said. “We have things to discuss, young man.”

Stefan was growing tired of everyone evading his questions. “Will somebody please just tell me what’s going on?!”

The two officers glanced at each other as if they were trying to decide what to think. Stefan peered around the detective’s shoulder to peek into the house. He saw Eric yelling at another officer who looked like he was questioning him. Alice was off to the side crying. Loud sirens were going off in Stefan’s brain. Something was terribly wrong, and he was gonna find out for himself. He dashed past the detective and burst into the house. “Olivia!” He glanced around the common area of the house. He didn’t see her. “Where’s Olivia? What happened?”

Eric’s chest began to rise and fall rapidly. His eyes narrowed and nostrils flared at the sight of Stefan. “Come here, you little pipsqueak!” He lunged at him, his hands clamoring for his throat. “What did you do with my baby?!”

The officer who was questioning him leaped to the scene and attempted to separate the two.

It happened too fast. Stefan wasn’t expecting to be attacked. “I didn’t do anything!”

“What did you do to my baby!” He swung his elbows around attempting to break free of the officer’s grasp. That gave Stefan the opportunity to create distance between them.

“A little help here,” the officer yelled. “Please calm down, Mr. Lewis. I don’t want to have to arrest you.”

The other two ran inside to help.

“What did you do to my baby!” Eric’s hands were still longing for Stefan’s throat.

The detective restrained his hands while the blond officer pulled him away. Eric was a big guy. They all took a moment to catch their breaths. “I’m going to talk to this young man and see what he knows, but I need you to remain calm, Mr. Lewis.”

“You goin down for this, boy!” He pointed his finger at Stefan. “You goin down!”

“Eric,” Alice said. Her voice was weak and weary. “Leave him alone.” She knew Stefan would never hurt their daughter.

She was thinking of Melody and how broken she would be if Stefan were arrested and went to jail. What she felt, the emptiness, the confusion, the anger, the fear…no mother should go through this… Olivia!

“Pfft. I’ll him alone when he’s–

She collapsed to the floor. Deep sobs erupted from her gut. “Leave him alone!”

He tried to comfort her. “Baby, I’m sorry! I’m sorry. It’s gonna be all right. They’ll find her. It’ll be fine.”

The detective crossed over to the couch and sat.

“I’m taking my wife upstairs,” Eric yelled. “She don’t need to be around this.”

“That’s fine,” the officer in black said. “I think we got everything we needed from you. Do you mind if we ask the boy some questions while we’re all here?”

“Ask him all the damn questions you want!”

“Eric… Please…” Alice pleaded as best she could.

“Take his ass to jail for all I care! Come on, Alice.” He helped her up, and they disappeared upstairs.

Stefan sat next to the detective on the couch. This was definitely not the afternoon he was expecting. “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?!” He picked on up enough context clues, but he didn’t want to believe it.

The detective said, “Olivia Lewis has been missing since Sunday evening–

“And you might be the last person to see her!” the officer interrupted. “Mr. Lewis said you were together in the afternoon?”

“Y-yeah. I brought her to the flea market with my family. She didn’t come home?”

“Now you’re catching on, son. What time did you leave San Myshuno?”

“Uhhh…I dunno! Like…7?”

“Can anyone verify that?”

“Yeah! My whole family was there! You can ask any of them.”

“Good,” the detective said. “We’ll want to speak with them. Here’s my card. We’ll be in touch… And don’t leave town.”