Detective Michael McHenry sat at his desk in the police department of Oxnard. He looked over his notes.

* Keung Chen: Victim of hate crime in alley. Witnesses said that white nationalists had beat him and threw and scattered his property around the alley.

* Officer Jenkins: Keung had Robert’s backpack along with some of his property. Keung stole from Robert and Robert in turn became obsessed with Keung.

* Kun Chen: Keung’s father. He claims to have been in contact with Robert over the last month. Keung has been missing since 2008. No reports of Keung being seen until Robert made his report. The boy was obviously here for some if not all of that time.

* Why didn’t he reach out to his father if he was free?

* Why did Keung harass Robert as Robert claims he did?

* Robert was seen collecting Keung from the hospital and driving off with him in his Jeep.

* Keung was wheeled out in a wheelchair but seemed aware of what was going on.

* Camera footage showed Robert’s Jeep leaving with Keung.

* Robert’s Jeep was not seen at his apartment since.

* Where did they go?

* All-points bulletin?

* Gas station cameras.

* Has Robert cracked?

“Shit, Robert. What in the hell have you done, man?” Michael asked of the air with an exasperated sigh.

He has sat on this information for the last two days, and now he is starting to believe himself an accomplice to kidnapping at the least. He doesn’t even want to think about what else he could be wrapped up in by this point.

He picked up his phone and scrolled to Robert’s number in the texting app. He sent, “Urgent. Call ASAP. I need to follow-up on Keung. Paperwork thing.”

He had acted like nothing was wrong for too long. If his friend has hurt that kid. His phone chimed with a new message.

“Sorry man. I talked with Keung and he has me on a lead for something. I will keep you posted. Fudge the paperwork.” The reply read.

“Talked with Keung? Do you have him?” Mike replied.

“I am running with this lead Mike. This is huge. Have my back.” Was the only reply.

Michael cursed under his breath.

He called Robert’s phone and it rang once before going to voicemail. Michael hung up, then he went into the locker room. He knew that Robert kept a spare key in his locker at the office. He hated the thought of breaking into his friend’s house. Though, as much as it made him uncomfortable, going into his condo will give him a better idea about what is going on.

He made a few excuses to people nosey enough to ask about where he was going at two in the afternoon and drove over to Robert’s place. As he pulled up he searched the block for Robert’s Jeep in vain. With it missing, he was in the wind.

When he got to Robert’s door, he saw the new biometric security pad for entry and spit a stream of curses. Once his initial reaction passed, he decided to say “Screw it,” and just go in anyway. Opening the door, he expected an alarm to go off, but nothing happened.

“Odd.” Michael whispered as he pushed open the door. “Robert?” he continued as he walked into the apartment.

He checked the apartment for signs of Michael leaving in a hurry. As a detective you know the signs of a person on the run. They were all there. A lot of food missing, guns missing, clothes, a suitcase, and his computer. All of them are gone.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

There were a few rather strange notes from Keung on Robert’s dresser top. It seems like Robert was telling the truth about how much the kid was bugging him.

He also checked to see if a large number of towels, blankets, or a tarp were missing. They weren’t. That was at least a good sign. His cleaning supplies were still there and at reasonable levels.

“Rubber gloves are here too.” Michael said, picking them up from under the sink and tossing them back into the cabinet.

Michael pulled out his notepad and started scratching out a new note.

* Motives to kidnap Keung

* Mental illness

* Endangering the child

* Keung blackmailing Robert and forced him to

What information about/or that, Keung could know or break a case?

* The kid was homeless.

* The kid was beaten up.

* The kid was beaten up by white nationalists.

* Could this be an Aryan Brotherhood thing?

* Is he protecting Keung?

Far too much unanswered. Robert needs to get in contact with him. This disconnection wasn’t really working out, he thought. He had to learn something new if he was going to help either or both his friend and this boy. Michael went about combing the apartment for anything that would give him a hint to their location, their mindsets, or if there was anything more he could do alone.

In the bathroom trash he found thrift store tags and a receipt. The receipt showed they were purchased and they all seem to be children’s or young adult clothes.

“Doesn’t seem like the kid is being forced to do anything.” Michael said aloud.

“But with the guns being in the mix. He could just be cooperating.” He mumbled to himself.

He was a mixed bag of emotions and concerns. He just. He knows Robert. Robert isn’t the type of guy that would hurt a kid. Was he?

Michael walked out of the apartment and back onto the street. The Santa Ana winds were picking up. Fire season was coming. A fire in Malibu was likely, if not certain. Two trees have been reduced to one, and then none. The world seems like it’s falling apart at the seams, and now his friend and a fellow police officer has kidnapped a suspected hate crime victim and taken him out of town at minimum and God knows where in the worst case scenario.

He needed to find out where Robert is now, without bringing any attention to him looking, to himself or to Robert. The hospital was already breathing down his neck. He had gathered the videos of Robert leaving with Keung. They are on a thumb drive in his pocket and on his computer at home.

The blue line was being stretched at this moment, he trusted Robert. He had known the guy for years and this was just something odd that he doesn’t fully understand, yet. He locked up the apartment and was walking back to his Jeep when he saw a tall asian man walking up to Robert’s building. Mike stopped at his vehicle and watched as the man made his way up the stairs to Robert’s building and then to Robert’s door.

Mike closed the door of his Jeep and jogged across the street back to Robert’s apartment. The man was now writing a note that he was obviously going to leave when Mike walked up to him.

The detective put on a friendly smile as he strolled up and pulled free Robert’s keys from his pocket.

“Hi. Are you looking for Robert?” Mike asked in a light and friendly tone.

Kun Chen stopped what he was writing to look up from the paper, turning toward the voice. The speaker was a man in a black Oxnard Police Department t-shirt that was stretched tight across his muscular chest. The tattoos up the other man’s arms and neck, with the inappropriately long hair that looked a little shabby, went well with the five day beard growth on his face and dark sunglasses. Kun saw a gun on the man’s hip, likely his service weapon. He also noted the handcuffs on the other side.

“Officer?” Kun asked as he stood up straight from the stoop he was in while writing the note.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Mike continued in the same friendly tone. He put the key to the door. “I’m Mike, Robert’s friend. I’m here to pick up the mail and water the plants, are you looking for him?” He asked as he opened the door and invited Mr. Chen in with a polite wave.

“No, thank you. I was hoping to catch him in person. He called me a few weeks ago about my son. I have been trying to get in touch with him for the last week but his voicemail seems to be full and my emails have gone unanswered. I have grown concerned.” Kun said.

Mike stopped in the doorway and turned to talk to Kun.

“Your son? What is his name?” Michael asked.

“Keung Chen, sir.” He said handing Michael the note.