Chapter 3: Strange Questions and Stranger answers

"You mean to tell me ma'am, that your daughter got flushed down the toilet?" the police officer looked at her incredulously.

The teenage boy standing just across the door from him started laughing. He stopped when his father snapped an angry look at him, but he still smiled.

Sergeant Charles Michleson couldn't blame him. He wanted to laugh too. It was all he and his partner could do to keep their faces straight.

Mrs. Andrews said angrily "She was kidnapped!"

"From a locked bathroom that you had to force open?"

"Yes!"

"Uh huh" Officer Michleson said, doodling in his note book.

"Look I know it sounds crazy but she was in here and now she's not!" Mrs. Andrews cried.

"Well I don't think anyone came in and out the window ma'am?" Officer Loraine Mclain said. She was standing on the edge of the tub trying to imagine a teenager smaller than her exiting out the small window so high up that she, at 5'10", could barely see over the window sill.

"But she's gone!"

Mrs. Andrews wailed and broke down in tears. Her husband took her into his arms and she sobbed against his chest.

They were joined by two more officers, one from outside and the other from Cinnamon's bedroom.

Officer Michelle Chochrin who'd looked in Cinnamon's bedroom spoke first. "Her diary mentions how she doesn't like how things are here Sir, but no mention of running away. Also her money was with her diary and there's no clothing missing. If she ran away, it was a spur of the moment decision."

"Why would she run away? She had everything she needed!" Mrs Andrews cried.

"Where did you find it?" the teenage boy said sitting up interested. His question while ignored did not go un-noted.

Officer Chochrin just said "Ma'am" without saying that many teens ran away for less, while thinking if she were the girl, she'd have run long ago.

Then Officer Andrew Myers who'd been looking around outside reported quietly. "Neither the window screen nor the ground under the bathroom window look disturbed, sir. The ladder doesn't look like it's been used lately and her bike is still locked up in the shed. I don't think anyone could have gotten in or out that way sir."

"But she's gone!" wailed Mrs Andrews. Mr Andrews hugged her tighter and said "Officer I understand this sounds crazy but I heard Cinnamon in here myself. I heard her scream." At that Mrs Andrews began sobbing even harder. Mr. Andrews paused to comfort his wife and then said "Please find her Officers."

Officer Michleson said "We'll put out a missing persons report and an APB sir."

Officer Mclain added "We'll also distribute her picture to all the cars in the area and have them keep an eye out for her."

Mr Andrews nodded and said "Thank you officers."

The four officers made their way to the door but stopped when the teenage boy laughed and said. "Dad, why don't you call the plumber?"

They watched the father's face go from anguished to furious in a second. "Brad! School! Now!" He ordered.