CHAPTER 86

      Carly came running to her when she led the girls outside to the waiting ambulance. Lizzie was now secure in the hands of the medics. She would go see her later after tying the loose ends of the whole investigation.

                 "Thank God you are okay!" she hugged her. "I see that you know how to obey."

She smiled,"I told you this is not the day I die." She then went to the trunk and took out the best she always put there.

              "You had that all along and you didn't even think of getting it first?"

               "I wasn't thinking straight,"she lied then added quickly. "I promise from now on I won't go running into danger without my vest."

  Carly shook her head,"What am I going to do with you? You are so stubborn." 

      "You are not going to believe what I just found," Kenny said coming from behind them before she could say anything to Carly. They both looked at him. He had been talking to Charlotte just before the ambulance sped away towards the hospital.

              "What is it?"

                 "That guy Bernard,is not Charlotte's father as we thought. He is just an accomplice who was left to burn alone while the main guy escaped."

                "Who is he,did she say?"

                "Even better,"he took out a phone and showed her a photograph. "This is Charlotte's father and the guy we should be arresting right now."

                "My God! I knew there was something about him that just didn't feel right. But how is Lizzie involved with him? Why does she call him father while his is not."

              "I guess we will have to get him first to know all that." He started to leave,"He is most likely on the move right now so we need to act fast."

  She turned to Carly apologetically but didn't know what to say.

              "Go ahead,we will be waiting for you at home." She indicated to her vest. "Just wear it this time."

    She gave her a quick kiss on her cheek then left hurriedly following Kenny towards the waiting police car and within no time they were driving fast towards the school. They appeared just in time before he drove away and blocked him. She proceeded out of the car then towards the principal's car with her gun pointed at him. He got out slowly with his hands held up in the air.

             "What is going on? he asked innocently and she decided to take another approach.

               "Where is your daughter?"

                 "What? My daughter is with her mother down in Texas. That's where I was headed to see her before you ambushed me. What's going on?" The guy was tensed,too much tensed to be speaking the truth.

              "That's exactly what we want you to tell us. We have your daughter in our custody and we have reason to believe that she has been nowhere near Texas or the real world for that matter." She paused for effect and noticed his lips tremble and decided to drop the other bomb right in that moment. "We also found all the other girls you have been using for your little project." Now that made him look like he was about to bolt. She signaled to the other officers to move forward. The guy was dumbstruck. "Principal Whitefield, you are under arrest for murder, abduction and abuse of children rights. You have the right to remain silent-" she went on stating his right as he was cuffed and led to one of the cars in waiting. She later rejoined Kenny.

             "Good job," she commended him. 

               "We did it together."

             "There's still something left to do,we will pay Lizzie a visit later as soon as she wakes up. We need to know how she ended up living with that guy as his daughter."

                          ★★★

     She walked along the corridor leading to the spare rooms they sometimes used to crash on the nights they worked late. 

             "Where are you taking me again?" Mirabelle asked.

              "There's someone waiting for you here," she replied as she stopped at a door. She knocked once then got in. Melissa stood up the moment she noticed her and approached her.

               "What now? Have you found them yet? Because I am tired of just sitting around being fed while-" 

                "Hey,calm down. Someone is here to see you," she said gently then stepped aside and let Mirabelle get in. Melissa's face suddenly lit up when she stood before her. She stayed a moment longer to observe them then exited when they were happily in each other's arms. Her job was done and she had no doubt that Melissa would take full charge and Mirabelle would be okay and safe with someone who clearly cared about her. She turned at the last minute and met Melissa's eyes who mouthed a thank you. She smiled and left.

   Kenny was still at their desks compiling everything he could find on the principal and by the look in his face,he had definitely found something.

            "What have you got?"

              "Come take a look."

  She walked around and looked at the display on the computer. 

               "That's the guys wife?"

                  "Ex-wife. They got divorced five years ago and she remarried. I don't know how Charlotte was left in his custody."

                "Clearly he was hiding her. What about the Lizzie theory?"

                 "Yeah that. They had another daughter who died some years back. She could have been Lizzie's age now."

                 "So,he replaced her with Lizzie, another person's kid?"

                 "And... take a closer look at this woman. Doesn't her looks tell you something?"

    She frowned not getting what Kenny was getting at but the moment she observed her more closely,it hit her.

              "What a pig!" she exclaimed. "This guy is crazy. So,he took those girls because they look like his wife?"

              "Yeah, that's what I think. The names were just a coincidence."

               "And the outfit Maisie had been wearing the day her body was found?"

               "Maybe his wife used to dress up for him. So,he forced the girls to do the same just so he could see as if it was his wife. Just in different versions of all those girls."

               "Jesus! The rate at which parents are oppressing and misusing kids is alarming. Where is the world headed to?"

     They were still standing there looking at his files when their captain interrupted. They thought he would call them to his office but he addressed the whole department.

              "Listen up everyone!" Every body stopped what they were doing and focused on what he had to say. "For the first time since I started working here, we have managed to crack and close two cases at a go. All because of our newest members, detectives Lewis and Watson." He looked at them,"Congratulations on a job well done." Everyone clapped and cheered for a while. "I'm now going to address the press as the girls reunite with their families and I would love it if you two joined me. You deserve the recognition and I am proud of having you in my department."

       Later after everything had gone back to normal and the press had been addressed, Dylan sat on her desk holding the complete report on the full investigation. It was around six in the evening and some of the officers were already heading home. She had been so engrossed in reading it that she didn't see detective Garcia approaching her until he was seated on Kenny's chair. She looked up.

               "Hey,what's up?"

                "Nothing much, just wondering when you are gonna put that file away so that I can make a really nice suggestion."

                "Oh, really? And what might that be?"

                "Come on Lewis,you deserve to celebrate your very first big win. Two cases at once,man, you are a legend. And what's the best way to do that if not with the guys? You are one of us now and I've got a feeling you will be a great addition to the group."

                "I don't know-" she sighed. "I can't,I had the evening much lined up and also I think I should rest after the long day." Rest? No, that was most definitely not what she would be doing when she went back home to Carly.

             "Someone you need to get back home to?" he asked.

               "Yes, actually. I promised her that I would spend the night with her."

             "Invite her to come along then. It's not bad if we got to know her too."

             "Oh,I don't think she will want to."

            "You haven't asked her yet. You can't be so sure."

   Even though she knew Carly wouldn't refuse to join her, she didn't want to ask her. She wanted that night to be just about them. Teddy and Ravenna would be at their grandparents and so they would have the house all to themselves. She didn't want to let that opportunity pass her by.

             "Come on, just a few drinks and we will let you go. Please say yes."

  She exhaled.  Maybe a little time with these guys wouldn't be so bad. It had been a while since she got together with a group of friends. 

              "Fine, I'll ask her but if she doesn't want to,we will have to do a raincheck."

  Garcia grinned,"Watson, is she in?"

 She turned and looked at Kenny approaching. What were they talking about?

               "Yes,very in." He looked at Dylan,"Sorry I hijacked your woman and today you have no choice but to join us."

              "You son of a bitch!" she said jokingly. "That is so not fair."

               "Say that after tonight."

                        ★★★

    Carly parked her car outside the club. She still wasn't sure who she was going to meet. She just knew that they were Dylan's co workers and friends? That part wasn't so clear. Kenny hadn't told her much, she just knew that Dylan wanted her there but Dylan herself hadn't even told her as much. She walked inside and located them immediately. She braced herself.

              "Hey," she greeted Dylan with a light kiss first then stood with her. "Nice work out there. We saw you on TV."

             "Yeah,it was a tough one but we managed." She turned to the others who were eagerly waiting for an introduction. "Garcia, Williams and Watson," she said that just for her benefit but when she addressed the guys,it was the pride in her voice that had them all smiling. "This is Carly, the love of my life."

                 "It's an honor to meet you,"the one who had been introduced as Garcia said. 

                "This one doesn't stop talking about you. I now see why," Williams said with a smile. She looked at Dylan and smiled. They all looked cool and she had no doubt a lot of meet ups like this would happen again and again. She was just happy that she was a part of Dylan's life apart from their relationship. 

   Conversation picked up pace immediately and within a few minutes,they were all like old friends, laughing, sharing and just having fun as the evening sped by. 

                "I think the last time I got drunk really bad was my last day of highschool,"she commented and looked at Dylan. That was something she hadn't said to anyone and no one except her brother knew. 

                "You went to celebrate?" Kenny asked.

               "Actually no, I was drowning my sorrows after breaking up with Dylan for the second time."

                "Man your love story is quite interesting. It must be love if you are now here even after everything you have told us."

  They looked at each other then said at the same time,"Yes it is." She reached for Dylan's hand underneath the table but instead of it,her hand landed on her thigh. She felt along it then stopped just above the zipper of her pants. She met her eyes and Dylan shot her a warning look. Warning because they weren't alone but she could tell she wanted her as much. They were both counting down the minutes until they could excuse themselves and head home. A night of love making and cuddling in bed together was calling to them. There was also something else she needed to tell her. She had been called for an interview in their former school. First thing she had to do when Monday came.