Simon waited patiently as Chloe explained what happened. First about the attack in her hospital room, then the explanation about her escape, and then finally the harrowing tale of her abduction.
Chloe Stuart was like most teenagers. She felt like she was old enough to live her life and wise enough to do it on her own. Unfortunately, Chloe’s determination to be independent and free from her mother’s strict rules led her to seek shelter on the streets when she felt she had no choice but to run away.
Thelma Stuart was a single mother, widowed at twenty-one, and left to raise her young daughter alone. A tight-knit community and generous church congregation helped subsidize the wages Thelma earned working in the kitchen at a local restaurant and taking on odd catering jobs, helping her provide a safe and comfortable home for her daughter.
Chloe was a rambunctious, active child that excelled in both school and sports. In her final year of high school, the University of British Columbia offered Chloe a basketball scholarship, but she turned it down instead to satisfy her desire to travel. Years of building dreams and a safe home prompted the argument that Thelma started.
Selfish. Spoiled. Ungrateful. All words that Thelma could never take back and that also pushed Chloe out the door that one fateful day.
Stubbornness kept them apart.
“I was stupid to trust them,” Chloe spoke softly through her tears. “I just didn’t know what else to do, and I didn’t think I could go home.”
A lump clogged Simon’s throat, and he pushed down his shaking voice. It terrified him that his own daughter could possibly find herself in the same position that Chloe had, but he knew all too well that any child could be at risk.
“You did nothing wrong, Chloe,” Simon said, for the fourth time that day. “You are an innocent victim and you have nothing to feel sorry for. In fact, you’re incredibly brave to come forward after everything you’ve been through. We’re really proud of you, and I know your mother is too.”
“Is she coming?” the pleading look in Chloe’s eyes made Simon realize just how much she needed her mother, and at that moment, he ached to hold Dominique in his arms.
Simon nodded, “She’ll be here soon.”
“I just want to make sure she’s alright,” Chloe said, her voice slightly more relaxed. “When he threatened to hurt her, I became so frightened. That’s what made me ask the nurse to call you. That, and the fact I should have said something sooner.”
“The truck driver who found you gave us an idea where he picked you up and we’re searching the properties in that area for where you were held.”
The memory of the stale coffee and smoke flooded back to her memory at the mention of the man who saved her, “I want to thank him, too.”
“I’ll get his name and number to you later today,” Simon pushed back his chair. “Until then, just rest and heal. And if you think of anything else, give me a call. No matter how small or insignificant you think the information may be.”
Chloe nodded. Just as she was thanking Simon, the door burst open.
“Chloe!” the cry of her name and the hurried worry on the face of the woman who called out caused Chloe to bolt upright in her bed.
The two women, mother and daughter, embraced after spending such a long time apart. Ten months of Thelma not knowing if Chloe was alive or dead, and Chloe not knowing if she’d ever experience freedom again.
Simon left them alone and returned to the police department, even though he was eager to rush home and see his own daughter. It was Dominique that Simon was thinking about when he walked through the front doors of the police station, distracted and preoccupied.
A familiar voice called his name and Simon turned to see Wayne standing at the reception desk with Sally.
Simon wrapped his arms around his friend and former boss. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you.”
Wayne’s work with the National Human Trafficking Task Force had taken him away from Lake Pines. Between working on several cases across the country, and returning to Lake Pines intermittently to close off his files, Wayne was feeling more nomadic than he was comfortable with.
“Whoa! I’ve only been gone a few weeks.”
“A few weeks too many,” Sally added. “We miss you around here Wayne.”
“Don’t go swelling his head with lies, Sally,” Simon joked. “He’ll never get out the door.”
“Do you have any of that horrible coffee you’re famous for?” Wayne asked as he followed Simon into his office.
“Sure thing.”
Simon filled two mugs, leaving Wayne’s black, and returned to his office where Wayne was sitting.
“I didn’t think I was going to see you until tomorrow afternoon. Oliver is eager to have that woodstove installed.” Simon handed a mug to Wayne and then closed the door to his office.
“How has it been having him live with you?”
“Truthfully?” Simon asked. “It’s been great. Kerry is more relaxed leaving Dominique with her dad, and Oliver has been so amazing with her we have no complaints. He’s even joked that he’ll have her reading by the time she’s three.”
“Maybe he can help you?” Wayne laughed.
“Maybe.” Simon leaned back in his chair and recognized his friend’s serious gaze. “So, what’s the real reason you arrived an entire day early? I know you don’t have that much free time on your hands.”
“I’m here about Chloe Stuart. Her name landed on my desk.”
“That was fast. But just so you know, I have Officer Lukas Holland working with me on that case. I was on my way to meet him if you want to come along.”
“Actually,” Wayne said and let a long pause rest before he continued. “I’m going to be taking over the case entirely.”
Simon snapped his body back. “Why? We’re perfectly capable of investigating what happened to Chloe. Or don’t you think so?”
“It’s not that Simon. Over the last year, we’ve been so close to catching these guys, and every time they seem to elude us. They seem to always be one step ahead and the further ahead they get, the more shielded the entire human trafficking operation gets.”
“Chloe landed on our doorstep, Wayne,” Simon stabbed his finger on the top of his desk. “You know how incompetent this will make us look?”
“You know that’s not true.”
“Yes, it will,” Simon snapped. “And don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel the same way if someone came in from Toronto and snagged a case away from you.”
“I’m not just some guy from Toronto, I’m working on a national task force trying to break a human trafficking ring,” Wayne said, defending himself while trying to make Simon see that what he was doing wasn’t personal. “Plus, this is coming from the top.”
Wayne pulled out a folded sheet of paper and slid it across Simon’s desk. Simon unfolded it and, after reading it, laid it down. The superintendent’s signature across the bottom of the official order rendered Simon’s protests immaterial.
“I’ll have Sally transfer the file we’ve started to you,” Simon said, without raising his face to meet Wayne’s gaze.
“Thanks. I’m going over to the hospital tomorrow morning to speak with Chloe and to let her know that there’s an entire task force dedicated to bringing these creeps down.”
Simon stood, “If there’s nothing else, I need to get some paperwork finished before I head home.” His words and body language were dismissive. He didn’t know when or how it had happened, but at some point, Simon felt like his friend was on the other side of the fence.
Wayne reluctantly stood and walked toward the door. He stopped just as he rested his hand on the doorknob, “You’re my best friend, Simon. I’d hate to have this, or any other case come between us.”
Simon relaxed his shoulders and nodded his head, “I know Wayne. Me too.” But Simon couldn’t shake the feeling of embarrassment.
Wayne smiled as he pulled the door open, “See you tomorrow night for dinner.”
“You bet.”
“And make it good,” Wayne joked. “If I’m going to put that woodstove in Oliver’s loft, I want to be fed well.”
Simon waited long enough to let Wayne make his way through the office and then out the door before he asked Sally to forward copies of Chloe Stuart’s file to Wayne. He then informed Officer Holland that Wayne’s task force will take over the investigation. Lukas slumped his shoulders in disappointment but said he understood the importance of the task force and offered his help should Wayne or anyone on the task force need it.
Simon returned to his office and pushed Chloe’s investigation out of his mind, and spent the remaining part of his day working on the other open files on his desk. However, he still couldn’t shake the feeling that he was letting her down.