The Hurst's Secret

Emily sat in her cubicle, nursing a warm cup of coffee as she replayed a clip of her interviewing the witnesses from the latest crime committed in New Orleans, the place where she grew up.

A four-year-old child was abducted. In broad daylight.

She scribbled down the only thing she was able to get so far in her journal and that was the plate number of the van the abductor was driving.

Her mind whirled with possibilities as she jotted down his description, after which she set a reminder to visit the police station when she got off work.

"Miss Hurst?" a voice called from behind, forcing her to put her video on pause.

"How may I help you?" She responded, plastering a wide smile on her face at the new intern.

"The boss said I'm to join you in the project you're working on." The young lady replied as she fiddled with her fingers, a sure sign of nervousness.

"What boss?" Emily asked, maintaining her smile.

"Mr Gallagher."

Emily giggled, shutting down her laptop and getting up from her seat. "Mr Gallagher isn't the boss here, he just likes to see himself as one." She whispered, entwining her arms with the lady.

The lady let out a nervous smile.

"You can call me Emily since we will be spending the next two weeks or thereabouts together. Miss Hurst sounds too formal."

"I am Felicia Barnes, it's an honor to work with you." She replied, loosening up a bit. "I've heard a lot about you."

"All good things I hope?"

Felicia laughed lightly as they came to a stop in front of the office lounge. "Your prowess in the field and the passion you put into your work were mentioned by everyone I came across. I guess that's what made me nervous to work with you."

Emily's face flushed.

She'd been working at the company for only a bit over two years but she's gained quite the fame.

It was impossible to not be known when she didn't hide how passionate she was about uncovering the truth.

A passion she had because these crimes all seemed related to her family.

"I don't bite." She joked to escape her thoughts. "Anyway, I brought you to the lounge so I could brief you properly without any interruptions. There's really no privacy in that office and I also didn't want you standing since I talk a lot."

Felicia smiled. "I'm looking forward to learning from you, Emily."

Emily smiled and opened the door to the lounge. "Go have your seat while I get us coffee."

Felicia nodded, her lips stretched into an appreciative grin.

Emily stretched as she looked around the almost empty office, stifling a yawn.

There were only a few people left in the office, and if not, she had to visit the police station; she'd probably be the last to leave, as was the norm.

She picked up her phone to dial her best friend, Natalie's number. They worked for the same company Natalie had been the one to recommend her when the company was looking to hire.

"Hey, girl," Natalie droned, the fatigue in her voice very obvious. "I thought you were working outside today."

"How did you know I wasn't calling from outside?" She asked though she already knew the answer, guilt gnawing at her.

"You only call me when you are about to get off work so we can leave together or if you won't be able to make it to work," Natalie replied her tone without spite. "I love you like that though."

Emily snickered, her nose crinkling at how horribly she managed her close relationships.

"I got back early since there weren't a lot of eyewitnesses but I'm about to head to the police station to see if they are willing to shed more light." She replied, holding the phone between her neck and shoulder as she packed up her bag.

"Should I come with you? I was just about to get off work."

Emily smiled gratefully though Natalie couldn't see her. "I'll be waiting for you in the car park."

She hung up and got to her feet, grabbing her bag and heading out to the car park.

Her brother's black Honda CR-V sat in the car park, as shiny as it was when he first got it five years ago, right before he disappeared.

Putting all thoughts of Lucas in the corner of her mind, she got into the car and ignited the engine, beginning her long wait for Natalie who always took her time doing things, not caring about who she kept waiting.

The passenger's door opened, revealing Natalie in another one of her tight bodycon gowns with her auburn hair in a high ponytail.

Her grey eyes shone brightly as she climbed into the car, fastening her seatbelt.

"Howdy." She said, a grin on her face.

Emily returned the gesture as she pulled out of the parking lot. "Did you watch my interview this morning?"

"I did," Natalie said in reply. "You looked so beautiful. I'm glad that camera guy listened when I told him about your best angles and girl, that new haircut framed your face so perfectly." She gushed.

Emily warded off her compliments, steeling herself not to smile. "Thanks but I'm not asking about my appearance."

Natalie hummed, opening her bag to retouch her makeup. She always did that whenever they were visiting the police station, perhaps she had a crush on one of the young cops. "You looked too invested. Others may see it as passion but I know it for what it is."

Emily ignored her again.

"Are you still on this wild goose chase you call an investigation?"

Not wanting to ruin the mood, Emily held back the snarky comment just at the tip of her tongue. Besides, she needed as much help as she could get, and telling off the one person in her corner wasn't the way to go.

"Did you notice the witnesses' reactions?" She blurted instead.

"Do you mean the fact that they looked so skittish and how evasive they were being?" Natalie asked as she reapplied her lipstick.

A smile crept onto Emily's face. "I knew I could count on you."

Natalie grinned. "I'm sorry about the comment I made earlier. You know I believe you and will do all I can to help."

Emily's features eased as she launched into another one of her theories, glad she had a listening ear.

Finally, Emily pulled into the station's parking lot, a wave of familiarity washing over her as she was here every other day.

Natalie glanced at Emily opening the car door. "Let's go interrogate some cops, babe." She said with a smirk.

Stifling her laughter, Emily unbuckled her seatbelt. "I think it's the duty of the cops to interrogate but whatever, we are journalists. That rule doesn't apply to us."

Once they walked in, there was an obvious shift in the eyes of the officer at the front desk as they approached him.

After being here dozens of times, Emily knew exactly what to expect in the police station, not to say that she was a stickler for doing things according to protocol.

"I'm Emily Hurst from Channel 7 News and I'm here to gather information on a case." She said firmly.

"You don't have to introduce yourself every time, Miss Hurst. We know you and why you are here. I mean, just act like your friend, Miss Sean,"...'And stop being so uptight,' he completed in his head.

The officer, Officer Callaway nodded at Natalie in greeting.

Natalie winked as she drawled out. "Hello, Officer Callaway. It's so good to see you again."

Natalie was as sly as a fox, confident, and could even be a bit flirty. She knew how to lead the conversation the way she wanted, often letting officers accidentally reveal confidential matters to her.

"Hello, Miss Sean." He grinned in reply, his joy cut short when Emily rapped on the table, her face the very image of determination.

He resisted the urge to rub his forehead, he was honestly tired and even more so with these two walking in. He could only hope he wasn't in charge of the case they were looking into, as they both were too much to handle, and he didn't want to deal with either of them, not even the pretty Miss Sean.

"Which case are you prying into today?" He said, a bit of frustration seeping into his tone and making him sound a bit sarcastic.

"The Abduction case on the twenty-sixth of this month," Emily replied.

Officer Callaway almost let out a sigh of relief. "Officer Hansen is in charge of the case, you can meet him in the interview room two."

"You aren't going to check our IDs?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's just a formality; we know you're good, Miss Hurst; you can go in." Officer Callaway rolled his eyes.

"It's not just a formality, it is an essential part of security and order maintenance. If I don't mind a check every time I come here, then I don't think you should. They are your duties after all." Emily said in a strict tone ending with a little smile.

It was Natalie who had to step in, holding onto Emily's shoulders to stop her from lecturing the officer. "We're heading in now. Officer Hansen, right? The redhead?" Natalie confirmed, trying to smooth things over.

Officer Callaway nodded, looking completely devoid of energy.

"What was that about?" Natalie asked as they walked through the office spaces.

"I was just a little tense and I hate the fact that he was trying to skip such an important step." Emily frowned, running a hand through her short hair.

Natalie just shrugged, used to her best friend's antics by now.

Officer Hansen was waiting in the interview room, his arms crossed over his chest, his red hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights. "Miss Hurst. Miss Sean. What can I do for you?"

"We need to know what you've found on the abduction case," Emily said, not wasting any time. "The witnesses-especially Tyler. He seems off."

Hansen's face remained impassive. "We've investigated all leads, including Tyler. Nothing concrete so far."

"Nothing concrete?" Emily repeated, incredulous. "The man has a history of violence, and he's got a motive! You're telling me that's not worth pursuing?"

Hansen's jaw tightened. "We're doing everything by the book, Miss Hurst. I'm not going to chase ghosts."

"So you're just going to sit on your hands while a child is missing?" Emily's voice rose, but Natalie placed a hand on her arm, trying to calm her.

"Emily, breathe," Natalie whispered.

Hansen didn't budge. "We've checked the plate number. It's fake. Dead end."

Emily opened her mouth to argue again, but the door swung open, and a sergeant rushed in, looking frazzled. "Officer Hansen, we've got news."

Hansen frowned. "What is it?"

"The man who took the child-he's dead. Found in an alley, next to the van."

Emily's heart pounded. "What? Who found him?"

The sergeant hesitated, glancing at Hansen. "A bystander. It's... messy."

Hansen sighed, rubbing his temples. "Well, it looks like things just got more complicated."

Emily exchanged a glance with Natalie. Complicated was an understatement.