See No Evil

violet | ✘

"It's a media circus outside," Lizzy whispered as she peeped through the blinds, "And it's just getting worse as the hours go by."

"I think it's best if you step away from the window Mam."

Lizzy looked over her shoulder at the police officers that gathered in the living room of the Collins' home. Ever since the bust it's been mayhem around there. She couldn't recall what happened between finding out her best friend was kidnapped and taken to an underground ring and their phones ringing off the hook from every media outlet there was. 

"Lizzy, Lizzy baby, you gotta wake up for me," did Barron's voice echo in her ears as she came to. Apparently she'd collapsed when watching the initial news report and her knight in shining armor was there to help her yet again. Mishka stood by the sidelines watching the dynamic occur; still seething at the unfinished conversation. She kept her composure the entire time the police interviews were conducted as Barron's hand just kept 'accidentally' slipping to and  grabbing her inner thighs. 

She could seriously break every one of his fingers right about then. 

They all sat side by side on the couch as they were questioned about their latest activities: what happened the last time they were with Natalie, if they saw anything suspicious, and what were all their relationships with Zach Owens. Barron in particular was scrutinized because he was the connection between Natalie and the entire mess. 

"Wait, why are you guys riding my ass so hard?" he asked. His knees were bouncing up and down and his nostrils flared. The officer could feel the tension building in the air and put up a stance as hostile as Barron did, "Sir we're just doing our job."

"If you were doing your job, you'd know that technically you committed a crime. You can't question him or take in anything he's said within the last fifteen minutes into evidence. You never read him his rights and he doesn't have a lawyer present so he could prosecute you for harassment. They're plenty of witnesses here to testify on his behalf, as well as security cameras set up all about the compound. So please, Officer Maloney, have a go."

Mishka looked at Lizzy with a shocked expression, so did the rest of the officers as well as Greg who came in after he'd been summoned for a few questions as well. 

Maloney cleared his throat, "Well, um, we'll just leave you guys to it. A dispatch is gonna be on the outside of the gates for crowd control. We'll keep in touch." They all tipped off their hats and left one behind the next with Greg leading the way to let them out, leaving Mishka, Lizzy and Barron among themselves. 

None of them had the time to digest anything that happened since watching the news report. It hadn't sunk in yet that Natalie was gone, furthermore that she was mistreated, and none of them had the opportunity to even see how she was doing. Lizzy decided she was done with the games and was going to see her best friend at Sinai Hospital; or at least that's what she thought she saw on the ambulance vans loading up the victims on the ongoing new report.

"Where are you going?" Mishka asked. She still sat beside Barron, rubbing his arm up and down. 

"Upstairs to go change and see my friend while you two sit here and play handsy-pansy. I'm not gonna let her be alone more than she's already been."

"But the door's that way," Mishka pointed. Lizzy stopped midway on the staircase and looked back at Barron with an incredulous stare across her face, "After me, you really did do yourself dirty."

Mishka gasped, and then slapped Barron for not defending her honour. Lizzy didn't care and continued upstairs to get herself changed into something more appropriate. From Lizzy's closet, she also grabbed a duffel bag and packed it with fluffy jammies, undergarments and blankets to keep Natalie warm - she probably felt disgusting in her clothes. She also grabbed a cosmetic case from her bathroom cupboards and filled it with her toothbrush, toothpaste, facial wash, soap, shampoo and conditioner.