Chapter 3 Last hope

The fluorescent lights of the Greyhurst Central District Precinct buzzed faintly overhead as Maya stepped inside, the sound a monotonous drone that seemed to vibrate through her bones. The air smelled of coffee, ink, and old floor polish, familiar in a way she hadn't expected. She hadn't walked into a station like this in years, not since her days with Herndon & Associates when she shadowed detectives for court testimonies and pretrial strategies.

But tonight she wasn't here as a lawyer.

She was here as a mother.

Her heels clicked against the lobby floor, fatigue catching up with her. The sound echoed in the high-ceilinged space, each step a reminder of how exposed she felt. Her eyes scanned the counters, the desks, the worn blue plastic chairs where others waited with complaints and hopes. A young couple argued quietly in one corner, something about a stolen bike and insurance claims. A man in a tattered coat snored in another, his weathered hands clutched around a paper bag.

The place hummed with the quiet desperation of people seeking help from a system that moved too slowly for their emergencies.

She approached the reception desk, her palms damp despite the building's chill. "Excuse me... I'm looking for Detective Collins Patel. Is he still with this department?"

The officer behind the desk, a broad-shouldered man with thick glasses perched on his nose, glanced at his screen without much interest. His nameplate read "Sgt. Owen." He clicked his mouse a few times, squinting at the monitor. "Patel? Yeah, he's still here. But he stepped out about twenty minutes ago. Emergency call. Might be a while."

Maya's heart sank. The words hit her like a physical blow.

Of course.

She pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to ask when he'd be back, knowing it would be pointless. "I'll wait. If that's okay."

The officer gestured toward the rows of seats without looking up again, already turning his attention to the next person in line. "Suit yourself. Could be hours, though. You sure you don't want to come back tomorrow?"

"I'm sure." The words came out more forcefully than she intended.

She sank into the nearest chair, the plastic cold against her back even through her coat. She folded her arms tightly across her chest, trying to contain the anxiety that threatened to spill over. The chair squeaked as she shifted, searching for a comfortable position that didn't exist.

It had been over two years since she last saw Collins. Back then, they were often on the same side. He the relentless detective with his methodical approach and dry humor, she the sharp junior counsel who could translate legal jargon into human terms. They made a good team, complementing each other's strengths. She wondered now if he would even remember her, or if she'd become just another face in the parade of lawyers who'd crossed his path.

But it didn't matter. If anyone could help her at the moment, it was him.

She leaned back, trying to ease the tension in her neck, when the fluorescent light above her flickered. The inconsistent illumination made her head pound. That's when she saw her.

Across the room, standing near another officer's desk, was Sharon Ortiz.

Maya blinked, certain she was imagining things. The stress, the lack of sleep, the overwhelming fear, it had to be making her hallucinate. But no, it was Sharon. Vibrant as ever, her sleek curls pulled into a high ponytail, dressed in a tailored navy blazer that screamed high-class law firm and late-night power meetings. She was talking to an officer, gesturing with her hands in that animated way Maya remembered, probably requesting documents or signatures for a client.

Maya hadn't seen her in eight years.

Eight years since the fallout. A stupid argument over a man who never mattered, harsh words exchanged in the heat of anger. Or maybe it was just youth, two naive women who hadn't learned how to bend without breaking. They'd been inseparable once. Study partners who shared takeout containers and highlighters, courtroom interns who practiced opening statements in front of Maya's bathroom mirror, two black women pushing through law school with grit and grace and the understanding that they were stronger together than apart.

Because of the incident during their final year, Sharon had walked away from the friendship.

Now their eyes met.

Maya froze, her breath catching in her throat.

She half-expected Sharon to look away, to pretend she didn't recognize her, to offer a polite nod and continue on with whatever legal business had brought her here.

But she didn't.

Instead, Sharon's face transformed, surprise melting into something warmer. A broad, genuine smile spread across her features, reaching her eyes in a way that made Maya's chest tighten with remembered affection. And then, as if no time had passed, as if eight years of silence meant nothing, she walked straight toward her.

"Maya," Sharon said, her voice carrying the same musical quality Maya remembered from their late-night study sessions. "I thought that was you."

Maya rose to her feet slowly, her legs unsteady. "Sharon."

"Wow," Sharon said, still smiling, her eyes taking in Maya's appearance with what seemed like genuine pleasure. "It's been forever. I mean... look at you." She gestured vaguely. "You look exactly the same. Maybe a little tired, but..."

"You too," Maya managed, her voice rough. "You look... good."

Sharon chuckled, a sound that transported Maya back to their shared apartment, to Sunday mornings over coffee and case studies. "Thanks. I try. I'm still running my practice, working with a big firm now. Focusing on corporate litigation, but most times I take on family law on the side, divorces, custody battles, the whole messy business of people's lives falling apart. Crazy hours, but it keeps me busy. What about you? Are you still with.."

Before Maya could answer, a voice cut through the room:

"Ms. Daniels?"

Both women turned.

A different officer approached, this one younger, with a tired expression that suggested the end of a long shift. "Detective Patel won't be returning tonight. Emergency call out. You might want to check back in the morning."

Maya's breath caught. The last thread of hope she'd been clinging to snapped. "Oh. Right. Thank you. Please pass along to him that Maya came."

The officer nodded and left her standing there, the weight of another delay pressing down on her shoulders.

Sharon's smile faded into concern, her lawyer instincts kicking in. "What's going on? Why were you waiting for Patel?" She paused, studying Maya's face more carefully. "You look like you haven't slept in days."

Maya opened her mouth, but the words didn't come. Her throat tightened as if someone had wrapped their hands around it. Her lips trembled. She tried to speak, tried to form the words that would explain the nightmare that had become her reality, but all she could do was shake her head. Tears spilled freely now, hot against her cheeks. She turned away, pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle the sob building in her chest.

"Hey," Sharon stepped closer, her voice soft, stripped of its professional edge. "It's okay. You don't have to say anything right now." She glanced around the precinct, then back at Maya. "Come on. Let's get you out of here."

Outside, the cold air hit Maya like a slap, sharp and unforgiving. She stood under the flickering streetlight just beyond the station steps, clutching her coat tighter. Her breath came in visible puffs, and she realized she was shivering, not just from the cold, but from everything she'd been holding inside.

Sharon followed and paused at the curb, digging into her purse. The sound of her heels on the pavement was steady, purposeful. "Here." She held out a sleek business card, her fingers steady where Maya's would have trembled. "That's my direct line. If you need anything, anything, just call me."

Maya took the card slowly, her fingers brushing against Sharon's for just a moment. The card was warm from Sharon's touch, and Maya's fingers trembled as she slid it into her coat pocket.

"Seriously," Sharon added, stepping toward her car, a black corolla that looked like it had just rolled off the lot. "We can forget whatever happened back then. That was... that was stupid. We were kids, essentially." She paused, her hand on the car door. "Just don't go through whatever this is alone, okay?"

Maya wanted to speak, wanted to explain, wanted to fall into her old friend's arms and let someone else be strong for a moment. But she could only nod.

With one last look, a look that held years of regret and genuine concern, Sharon climbed into her car. The engine purred to life, and she rolled down the window. "Maya? Call me. Promise me you'll call."

"I promise," Maya whispered, though she wasn't sure Sharon could hear her over the engine.

The taillights disappeared into the night, leaving Maya alone under the streetlight.

She stood there for a moment, staring at the empty space where Sharon had been. A strange stillness settled around her, broken only by the distant hum of traffic and the occasional siren in the distance.

She hadn't realized how long it had been since someone offered her kindness without condition, without expecting something in return. Sharon hadn't asked for details, hadn't pushed for explanations. She'd simply offered help, the way she used to when they were twenty-five and the world felt both impossible and conquerable.

Maya wiped her tears with the back of her hand, sniffled, and turned toward her car. Her steps were slower now, heavier. The adrenaline that had carried her through the day was fading, leaving behind a bone-deep exhaustion that made even breathing feel like work.

Maybe Anna had come back.

Maybe she was home, curled up with her sketchpad, oblivious to the storm she'd caused. Maybe she was in her room, lost in one of her drawings of impossible worlds and winged creatures.

Please let her be home.

The thought was both a prayer and a plea, sent to whatever force in the universe listening to desperate mothers.

And so, without another word, Maya got in her car and drove toward Ashmere Drive, where a mother's hope still burned against the odds, fragile as a candle flame in the wind.