Melissa Barker-Simpson

Missing is part of an ongoing story, which I aim to turn into a novella – a prequel to Brothers in Arms (Book 3 of the Morgan and Fairchild Series). I’m taking part in the StoryADay September 2015 challenge, though, as I’m working on a continued tale, it’s not strictly a story a day. It’s more a story within a story.

Today is the final instalment of Missing. It will evolve in the editing stage, and the final ending will be written in a way that complements Brothers in Arms – Andrew’s story. I hope you enjoyed the tale, and are satisfied (at least for now), where I ended it. For the remaining days of the challenge the stories will be standalone. Thanks for taking the journey with me.

Recap: Justin Chambers, part of the team at Morgan & Fairchild, is approached by a friend who needs a favour. Justin accepts the missing person case, and agrees to look into it in his own time. Elsewhere in the story, Holly wakes in an unfamiliar room with no memory of how she got there. She soon discovers she is being held in an abandoned airfield, and her life is in danger. But Justin isn’t the only one with a mission. Andrew Butcher has been assigned to find Holly and, though he has strong ties to Morgan and Fairchild, he has his own team.

Justin stared at the sleeping girl through the door, and felt a barrage of emotion flood his system. Relief that he finally had answers, helpless anger, fear, and disappointment he hadn’t been the one to find them. The last surprised him – the arrogance of it. Justin was under no illusions he could save the world, and yet he’d wanted this win.

It embarrassed him, made him question where the compulsion came from. Since joining Morgan and Fairchild he had watched his team succeed time and time again. He’d been happy to play his part, to watch from the side lines; be the joker, the geek, and the one they trusted behind the wheel.

So why did he want more? Why had this case gotten under his skin and made him want to step up his game.

Justin turned in surprise when he felt the presence beside him. JJ didn’t say a word, and Justin knew his friend, his brother, could keep up the strong and silent act until he cracked under the pressure.

“Why don’t I feel better?” he asked, and felt JJ’s gaze swing his way.

“Because it’s not over.” JJ waited until Justin met his gaze. “There’s always something in this job that will haunt us, one case we can’t let go – or one cause we’re drawn to. This is yours.”

Justin felt something settle inside him. “What do I do now?”

“All you can do. You go with it. You see this thing through, and don’t forget we have your back.” JJ turned to look through the glass; his posture both relaxed and alert at the same time.

Justin had always admired the stillness in his friend; the quiet confidence few could replicate. “Thanks, man.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes, until JJ turned and disappeared the way he had come. He’d said his piece, and Justin knew he would be somewhere close by. In a lot of ways JJ was the voice in his head, a thought which brought a smile to his lips. Justin remembered the first time they worked together. He had babbled incessantly through his mic, knowing JJ could hear him and not expecting a response.

But over the years they had found a connection through the one-sided conversation and it became a habit neither one wanted to break.

On a sigh, Justin pushed into Holly Carpenter’s hospital room. Thanks to Susannah he knew that six teenagers had been rescued by an independent security team, and delivered to the local hospital for medical treatment.

While he’d been chasing his own tail, trying to find a lead to the missing kids, the team had their finger on the pulse. They were out there right now, chasing down those responsible.

As he dropped into a chair beside Holly’s bed, Justin swore to himself he would learn the identity of the team and help them in any way he could.

But first, first he would ensure Holly and the others got the help they deserved. He didn’t question the need to protect them, because JJ was right. This was his case, his mission, and he was going to see it through.

Thanks for stopping by.

Mel