The Truth (Mommy's House 2)

Part Eight

"The blonde girl is named Eleanor McCullen, she's thirteen," Liv told me as we looked in the window at the terrified girls who sat in the office. "The brown haired girl is Crystal Allen, and she's twelve."

I watched as the girls leaned up against each other, both of them wrapped in wool blankets.

"Those names sound familiar," I said, furrowing my eyebrows.

"That's because they are. Their kidnapping was broadcasted all over the news, too, around two years ago," Liv informed me.

I inhaled sharply. "I don't want to go in there, I'm almost... afraid of what those girls are going to tell me. I can't take anymore of this."

Liv grabbed onto my shoulders and stared into my eyes. "James, you have no clue how incredible it is that you were able to find them. They've been been looking for two years with no luck, who even knows where they've been," she told me.

"We found them, not just me," I corrected her. "Without your strength we would be no where."

Her cheeks flushed and she laughed. "You're too kind, James. Now go in there and get some answers, okay? You can do this."

I cleared my throat and nodded before walking into the room. The girls both flinched at the sound of the door opening. They stared up at me, their eyes wide and their fingers trembling.

"Hi," I said softly. "I'm James, it's nice to meet you both."

They didn't say anything, they remained pressed against each other in fear.

I took my notepad out and sat in front of them carefully, making sure that I didn't make any quick movements. Their dark eyes followed my every move.

"Eleanor, Crystal," I said with a warm smile. "I hope you don't mind, I just want to ask you some questions if that's okay."

"Maybe... can- can we please have a girl talk to us?" the girl, Eleanor, asked with a rocky voice.

"Instead of me?" I asked, and the girls both nodded.

"I-I'm sorry, don't be mad, I- I just... We... I don't know, I'm sorry," Eleanor continued to stammer, and I stood up.

"You don't have to apologize," I told them softly. "I'll go and get my coworker, Liv. It was nice meeting you both," I gave another gentle smile before standing and walking out of the room.

I moved down the hallway to Liv's office, where she sat, talking to Jared.

"What happened?" Liv asked, looking up at me from her desk. "That was fast."

"They want you to talk to them instead," I told her. "I think... I think they might be scared of me, which I understand."

"What'd you do to scare them off, Jamesy?" Jared asked with a laugh, and I looked at him.

"Nothing, they're scared of men because of the horror they've been through by God knows how many of them," I spat, and Liv stood up.

"I got it. Jared, why do you have to be so unpleasant?" Liv asked with a roll of her eyes.

"Wow, she's acting feisty today," Jared said while brushing his fingers through the stubble that lined his jaw.

Liv ignored him and walked out of the room, while I was about to turn around, Jared stopped me.

"Hey, wait a minute, James," Jared called.

I bit down on my lip in frustration before turning to him. "Yes, Jared?"

"Congrats on finding those girls, man," Jared said, standing and patting my shoulder.

"Okay?"

"Did you ask for a raise?" he asked.