"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." -- Sir Winston Churchill.

- - - - -

Chief Cross was sitting in his office, pondering over his thoughts.

Plan after plan popped into his head, yet none of them seemed right. There was more to this case than what was let on, he knew, because first there was a murder, and there was obviously a reason to it. Then there were threats; he didn't know what to think of it.

As far as he was concerned, Sam was a perfectly good person with a normal life, except her mother, but that didn't matter; she was long out of her life now.

Unless, he thought, she isn't as good as she seems.

He immediately shook off the thought the minute it arrived.
Samantha is a wonderful person, she wouldn't involve herself in these horrible things.

He sighed.

He was just making excuses for everything. He knew that there was nothing Sam could have done and that she was completely innocent, but he was just trying to make excuses for all that's happend.

Just then, the door to his office was pushed open and his son's head appeared. He immediately knew that he was up to something -- again.

Somehow, Lucas had wiggled himself into the case, and he couldn't do anything about it now.

He had agreed to it unknowingly, and he knew that Lucas was determined to get into it as far as he possibly could.

He couldn't blame him, though, he was exactly like this when he was younger.

He knew how it felt and how he thought about it all.

Lucas closed the door behind him, his father scanning his every move, and plopped down in the seat opposite him. Before he could speak, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Damario," Flynn greeted him.

Flynn was just below him and was his most trusted man from amongst all the crew members, and also his closest friend.

They knew each other from childhood, when their parents worked in the station. They had both developed the need to find out more about investigations and a passion to help.

They were partners in crime, up until today, and helped each other out back then, sneaking in investigations and sharing information together.

Like father like son.

Flynn had visited his grandmother in the farm. He returned as fast as he could once he had called and informed him.

Damario sighed, weighed down with the current situation.

"Flynn, always good to see you," he responded and got up.

"Lukey boy, you doing well?" Flynn only noticed Lucas now.

Lucas simply nodded and got up.

"Can we please talk later?" he asked, directing his question to his father.

"Of course."

Lucas walked out of the office, knowing that even of he had remained seated, he would have been chased out.

He wanted to hear what they were going to say, positive they were discussing the case, but could not hear a single word through the office door.

He knew they would be long, and not wanting to wait, decided to kill time by sleeping.

He hadn't been able to sleep a lot in the past few days. There hasn't been a death in Transville since four years ago -- when his mother died.

It triggered his memory and forced him to remember it all. That made sleep impossible, and even if he did sleep, it would only wake him up, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.

He fell off to sleep in the uncomfortable chair besides the office, but barely five minutes later, he shot up in his seat and rubbed his eyes. It didn't matter where he was; the nightmares would just come back.

He sighed in defeat and stayed in the chair, bored out of his mind.

- - -

"Lucas, you know my reasons and I know yours. Either way, none of us win, you know that and so do I, so why do we keep fighting over this?" his fathers voice was slightly raised.

"Dad, please. If you know how I feel then just let me do it," Lucas pleaded, then he added, "You allowed Sam to go with you to the warehouse and she just had to ask -- not argue -- once."

Damario sighed, defeated.

He knew that if Lucas found out that he agreed to let Sam help, there was no way out of it this time.

He looked at his son. He resembled his mother, but had the qualities of his father.
Studying him, he chose his words carefully and then spoke, "You know the rules, Lucas, and I don't want you to bend it at all. You and Sam will be together at all times, and if I tell you something, you obey. And please, I'm saying this for the last time, do not go anywhere near the scene. Got it? Only the places I tell you to go or that's not directly connected. Please, Lucas, that's all I'm asking."

Lucas' lips split into a wide, happy smile and his features changed into one of victory and triumph.

He jumped up, hugged his father, and thanked him repeatedly, "I promise. I'll stick to your rules."

Damario sighed and hugged his son back.

It was never easy when he argued with Lucas, they were both determined to win, but Lucas was more persuasive than he was and majority of the time, Lucas always won after a while.

"Okay, okay. I'm going to Sam now, it must be lonely in the house all alone. You can come with," he said.

Lucas' heartbeat sped up at the mention of that.

"Sure, I'll come."

Damario and Lucas arrived at Sam's house and rang the doorbell.

They heard her shout, "I'm coming! One second" and then something heavy fall.

Lucas stifled a laugh and when his father looked at him, he struggled to put on a neutral face.

Damario shook his head, smiling a little himself.

Sam then opened the door.

Her hair was tied up and it could clearly be seen that she had on old clothes, splattered with paint. Her feet were bare and a hands were messed with paint.

She smiled, embarrassed, and greeted them, "Chief, Lucas, good to see you again."

"Hey, Sam," Lucas replied to her greeting.

She acknowledged him with a nod.

Damario chuckled. "You too, m'girl. I see you've been busy."

Sam laughed. "Please, come on in."

Lucas and Damario passed her and she shut the door behind them.

Today was hotter than usual and the rain showers that were expected had not come.

Sam blew out a breath and wiped beads of sweat from her upper lip and her neck.

She poured water in three glasses and left the two on the table, already drinking from her own.

The fan in the lounge was on yet the room was still hot.

"You wanna get out of the house or stay in?" Damario asked her.

"I'm fine with anything. Where're we going if we go out?" she asked.

"The station."

Sam shrugged. "Then let's go, I don't mind. Lemme just change into something cleaner."

"What are you doing, anyway?" Lucas asked.

"Painting some old stuff. Y'know, to keep myself myself busy," she replied.

"We can stay here if you want to finish it," Damario said.

"No, no, it's okay, really. I don't mind. I'm in no rush to finish it."

"Okay, then. We'll let you get done first."

"What are we gonna do at the station?" she asked.

"First, I need to talk to both you and Lucas, then, we need to plan out a strategy."

Sam nodded. "Okay."

Damario and Lucas remained seated in the lounge. A few minutes later, Sam reappeared.

"Let us go," Damario said, standing up.

Lucas and Sam followed and they piled into the car.

The parking at the station was full of cars. Damario pulled into his spot and switched the engine off. He got off and walked up to Flynn, Toby and Jewel.

"What's going on here?" he asked them.

"No idea. Everyone from the investigation just pitched up and brought a crying lady with them," Jewel replied. "I was here when they came."

"What? Why did they leave their posts? Who's the woman?" Damario asked, confused.

"They didn't say much. The woman refused to talk to them, said she'll only talk to you. Jackson said something about an emergency and rushed off with her. I'm assuming it's something about the case, that woman was in hysterics; wailing loudly and screaming at us," Toby said.

"Do you know who the woman is?" he asked.

"Nope."

"Damario, I'll take you to the lady. She's demanding to talk to you," Flynn said.

Damario nodded. "Gimme a sec."

He walked back to Lucas and Sam, who were standing besides the car.

"Come with me. If this is about the case, I'll tell you about it, but I need to see this woman first."

He turned around and followed Flynn; Lucas and Sam behind him.

Flynn stopped at the meeting room.

Sam and Lucas dropped into two chairs outside and Damario went through into the room. Flynn closed the door behind him.

In one of the chairs sat a woman.

Her face had tear streaks from her eyes and down to her chin. She looked disheveled and a mess. Her eyes held a wild look as she glanced at Damario.

He sat down opposite her and waited for her to talk first. She seemed to understand.

"Are you Chief Cross?" her voice was hoarse and scratchy from all the crying.

"Yes, I am. And you are?" he asked.

"Evelyn Barker."

"How can I help you, Evelyn?"

"You are leading the investigation from the murder a few days ago, yes?"

"Indeed, I am."

"Then you should be aware of my situation, but I take it you're not," she said coldly.

Damario was surprised. "And what is your situation?"

"My child was threatened and hurt, unconscious. They were asking him where this girl, Samantha, is. He didn't reply, but he knows her, apparently."

"And you don't?"

"No, I do not know any of my son's friends."

"And why is that?"

"That is not the point! My son was hurt because he wouldn't give info about this girl! Who is she? You should know!" her voice had raised and Damario cringed, not used to the loud voice.

He remained patient, thinking through before asking her again, "Who is your son?"

"Does that matter," she snapped.

"Yes, yes it does."

"Drake Barker."

"Sally Anderson's boyfriend, it is. He attended her funeral, you should know her."

She looked utterly shocked, he noticed. That meant she didn't know that her son was seeing someone.

"Sally Anderson, did you say?"

"Yes, Sally Anderson was murdered while camping with her friends. Your son, Drake, was there as well, if I remember correctly. You did know that, did you not?"

"I wasn't home," she said in a strangled voice.

"But, surely, you would have left someone to take care of Drake or you should have taken him with you," Damario said.

He remembered her now.

A while ago, he had went to see her to inform her about Drake. He was vandalizing properties, causing disturbances, having parties while she was away.

He later found out, Drake had told him, that he was being neglected at home and just wanted attention. His mother, Evelyn, was constantly away and left Drake alone at home.

He saw tears drop out of her eyes. "No, I didn't. I left him alone. He's big enough to take care of himself."

"And now you see that he isn't, do you?"

She nodded slowly.

"Where is he now?"

"At home."

"You have someone there, I take it?"

"His friends came when they heard me calling for help. They're with him now."

"I'm going to see your son now and check if he's okay. You are going to stay here --"

"No, I'm coming with!"

"-- and answer every question that is asked. I will come back here with Drake and we will talk," the authority and finality in his voice made her keep quiet.

Damario opened the door and called Flynn in.

"Get whoever was there first also, Jackson, was it? Ask her whatever you think is important and whatever she knows. I'll be back now."

Flynn nodded.

"Sam, Lucas, let's go."

They walked back to the car and he pulled out, honking at people who were in the way.

"We'll discuss our plans later. Sam, your friend, Drake, was hurt after some people tried getting answers out of him. That was his mother back there. She didn't tell me everything, but we going to see him now, check if he's okay. Some of his friends -- I'm guessing you know them, too -- is there with him now."

Samantha gulped. "But he's okay?"

"He's okay, just a lil hurt," he assured her.

Lucas saw the worry on her face and squeezed her shoulder for comfort. She leaned on his shoulder and looked out of the window.

The rest of the drive was quiet. Drake's house was more on the outskirts of town, so the drive was a bit long, but not too long.

When they arrived, Damario pulled onto the grass besides the house and they all got out.

He knocked on the door and it was opened almost immediately.

"Um . . . Hello?"

"Chief Cross from the police station. I'm here to see Drake."

"Oh . . . uh, I'm Carter. Please come in," Carter moved and they passed him.

Sam stopped. "Hey, Carter. How's he doing?"

"He's pulling through."

"But, he'll be fine, right?" her voice quivered and tears pricked her eyes.

Carter gripped her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.

"Sam, this isn't your fault. Drake's fine."

Sam shook her head and just as she was about to protest, he enveloped her in a hug and squeezed her.

"Stop blaming yourself, Sam. For us?"

She hugged him back just as tight. "Okay."

Damario watched their exchange and only then did he realise how she actually felt about all of this.

She hides her feelings really well, he thought.

Lucas stood besides him, also watching them, and then said. "She can't be blaming herself for this. Can you talk to her, dad?"

"That's exactly what I'll do. But first, we need to check on Drake," he touched Sam gently on the shoulder. "Let's go and find Drake."

"I'll take you there," Carter said and walked in front of them.

As they passed the lounge, Sam saw some of her friends there: Den, Gabs, Cam, Chris, Jay-Jay and Brand, and Carter who was standing in front of her.

She gave them a wave and a small smile, but didn't stop to talk; she followed them into Drake's room.

Carter stopped outside and let them pass through, leaving the three of them in the room.

Drake was laying in his bed.

He had bruises on his face -- the only part of his body Damario could see --, a split lip and a black eye.

Damario couldn't stand it; how could they hurt an innocent boy like this?

Damario stepped forwards and held out his hand. "Drake, it's been a while. How're you feeling?"

Drake looked at all three of them before replying, "I guess I'm fine. What're you doing here, Chief?"

"Checking on you, of course."

Drake nodded and looked at Sam.

"They asked me where you were. That's all they asked. I didn't know -- I haven't seen you for the last few days --, so I told them I didn't know. They said I was lying . . . and, well, this happened. Where have you been, Sam?"

Before she could answer, Damario asked him, "Do you remember the faces?"

He had a notebook and pen out and had his full attention on Drake.

"They had masks on. Um, the only thing I can tell you about them is that there were three guys -- all big built and bulky -- and one women. She seems like the leader, giving them orders and all. They had a black car with them, I couldn't get a proper look to tell what kind and had no number plate. They kept on saying things about pictures and something else. Then," he paused, frowning, "uh . . .  then they mentioned S-Sally and left."

He looked up at Damario.

Damario looked at him.

Then Lucas cut in. "They've got to be the same people, dad."

"Yes, yes. They most probably are."

"Chief . . . ," their attention switched to Samantha who was suddenly pale.

She looked at him. "Could this be the lady from the picture? You know . . . ," she trailed off, but Damario understood what she meant.

"It most possibly could be. It could be."

"But the main question is: Who is she?"

"That, m'girl, is the one question I don't have an answer to."

Although, Damario knew something Sam didn't.

He knew exactly what happend in her past. He knew exactly who it was that caused her past. Why? Because he's the one who dealt with it and ended it for good.

But Damario had a strong suspicion that her past has returned. And that is never a good thing.

- - - - -

Don't forget to vote comment and share the story! It'll make me unexplainably happy :)

Follow me on social media:
Instagram: crocodiletears__
Twitter: crocodileears__
                 (I typed it
                  incorrectly and
                  can't fix now :/) 

Peace,

Croc