(Sam's POV)

I hadn't been able to sleep once Lucy had tiptoed out of the room, taking all her warmth with her and leaving me to wish that I had hit the pavement with them.

Rather than battling sleep, I gave up trying and shuffled to the kitchen. I was hitting the brew button when the shine of headlights pulling into the driveway drew my eye. I opened up the front door to see Lee getting out of Lucy's jeep.

"Morning Sam. Please tell me you have coffee." I gave him a slap on the back as he came inside and walked towards the kitchen with him on my heels, asking, "Lucy still asleep?"

I pulled down four mugs and set them in front of the machine before stealing the first droppings for Lee's mug. "Her and Tash met up early for a run. I'd imagine they'll be back soon."

Lee took a sip, squeezing his eyes closed and smiling into his mug. "Thanks."

I nodded, understanding what that first sip could do for a coffee lover and anxiously waiting for my own drippings. "You may as well wait till Lucy and Tash get here to update us on how it went with Travis but how's it going otherwise?"

He hid behind his cup and I could see the indecision written all over his face. I laughed and reassured him. "It's okay man. I know where I come from."

The grin he flashed was relieved. "I've been to a lot of precincts, in a lot of districts and I can honestly say that Lake Ridge is one of the worst."

I buried the twinge of shame that tweaked. "I wouldn't expect anything else." It was true, I had started my career in Fenelon, never going round the block, the way that the task force did, but everything that we had been experiencing here gave the impression of a force that was ass backwards.

It was as if my acknowledgement allowed him to unleash all his frustrations. "Right? It's like they are proud of their ineptitude. The townspeople did more with the search than the police officers." He took a big sip and then shook his head. "No, that's not fair, compared to those at the top. There are a couple of uniforms that are working hard, but it's obvious that they haven't moved up the ladder because good police and good fucking police work isn't valued here."

I could tell how frustrated he was by how fast the words flowed out of his mouth. Our conversation was interrupted by the sound of Tash and Lucy on the front porch. I felt the familiar ping of excitement that came with being in Lucy's vicinity. It vanished as soon as I saw her though, replaced with an anger the likes of which I hadn't ever experienced. "What the fuck happened to you two?"

She looked like she had been through the ringer. It was Tash that spoke and my eyes, always magnets for Lucy, made their way to my friend. "Our run was extra exciting today."

My jaw dropped as I realised that if Lucy looked a little battered, Tash was sliced up. She quickly walked towards the sink, rinsing her hand under water and Lucy grabbed a tea towel. "Will anyone mind if I use this?" I shook my head, unable to find words.

I'd let them go by themselves.

Once Tash was putting pressure on the wound. Lucy walked over to the two empty mugs that I had left out and poured. I ignored the second little ping to my heart, at how comfortable she was here in my space and again asked, "What the fuck happened to you two?"

Tash's smirk served to fire me up even more. It took alot to make me mad but these two had been out for a run, why were they so battered.

And why the fuck was no one answering me?

Lucy gave me a worried look and spoke in a soft tone, obviously worried that I was showing shades of psychosis. "We were attacked by two men this morning."

Lee looked unruffled as he asked, "Targeted?"

"I'm not sure what kind of life you three lead that you're casually sipping your coffee and discussing an early morning attack." I wasn't proud of the shrill note that my voice was hitting but the way that all three of them continued to calmly, caffeinate was alarming.

I caught Tasha's full on smile, which she wiped clear as soon as she saw my angry scowl. She walked over, lifting the towel and showing me her cut. "Look Sam, calm down. We're both okay. This little scrape here is the worst that we got."

That is not fucking little.

Lucy spoke up, "They were just trying to play with us. Let us know that we weren't welcome here."

"So you were the targets, but they just wanted to scare you." Lee seemed more intrigued than alarmed and I sighed.

Lucy came over and wrapped an arm around my waist, standing next to me and squeezing hard, as if she knew I needed to feel that she was all right. The curve of her body was comforting and I let her warmth take down my stress a notch, knowing I was being a little intense. She spoke quietly, somehow knowing I needed to hear it from her. "We really are okay." Then she answered Lee. "I guess. Stupid mistake."

Tash laughed, "Because we don't scare that easily?"

Lucy shook her head. "No. Although true." Her smile was bright, her touch soft and just like that, I forgot that I was angry. "Because, if this was just a case of a missing girl, nobody would be sending hired muscle to try to scare us off."

Lee nodded and added, "Someone doesn't want you guys here and now we're going to make it our mission to find Tanya but also to figure out why."

Lucy gave my side another squeeze, before stepping away. She walked over to the carafe, "Anyone else want a top up? Then I want to hear how it went with Travis, but can we sit. The adrenaline crash is hitting."

We all held our mugs out and then I led them outside to the patio. I noticed that Lucy waited till everyone was seated before finding the seat next to me, as if she knew that I was still rattled by the way the morning had turned on her.

Lee leaned forward. "I don't want you to get me wrong, I did not like Travis Whitman but, I don't think he's our guy." He scrunched up his face as if his name was attached to a wretched smell. "From the moment he opened that door, he oozed entitlement."

He turned to look at Lucy, "You know the type, you immediately can tell that no one has ever actually told him no and expected him to listen."

Lucy answered. "Ahhh almost like he's never met anyone that made him register that he should colour inside the lines of the law." She shook her head but then asked. "Did you correct this lapse for him?"

Lee's smile was all teeth. "You know it. I was very clear about the fact that we had him distributing child porn and very effectively described the prison sentence and what his future, or lack of, was going to look like. Then I made it seem like I might be able to do something for him, if he came clean and helped us find Tanya."

He scratched his head. "That's the thing though. I didn't get a read on him being involved in Tanya's disappearance. Will we be charging him for the revenge porn. Absolutely. But, I don't think he has anything to do with her disappearnce."

"Why?" It was Tasha that spoke up and I could hear the raw emotion in her voice.

I could see the same recognition on Lee's face. Tasha hid her emotions well. So well, that sometimes it was too easy to forget that she was devastated or struggling. Like right now. Lee ran a hand through his blonde, wavy hair. "I have multiple family witnesses claiming he was out of town visiting his Great Grandma in a home in Toronto two days ago. It was an all day family affair because they rented a hall for her 100th birthday. Decorated it all day and partied into the night."

Lee sighed, "Unless he had help, which I'm not discounting as a possibility. He's not our guy."

Lucy spoke up. "Did he have any idea of where Tanya could possibly be or any extra information?"

Lee shook his head. "He did say he thought it was ridiculous and when I asked him what he meant by that he said that obviously she had run because he had never met more controlling parents."

Lee looked directly at Tash, "He said he could almost understand trying to keep her safe, but that their control didn't stem from love or a need to keep her safe, but more from wanting to present a certain image."

Tash, ran a hand down her face and Lee faltered. "I mean I feel like you have to take it with a grain of salt considering we're talking about somebody who released nude pictures of his ex-girlfriend. But, there was an underlying seriousness while he talked about it that rang with truth."

He let that sit for a moment, giving Tasha a chance to respond. "No. He's right, my parents have always been controlling and image is everything to them." Her tone was laced with bitterness.

It was Lucy who spoke up, her eyes full of sympathy. "Do you know if your parents have been questioned?"

Tash gave a humourless laugh. "My parents have been talked to. But, no I wouldn't say they've questioned."

Lucy's eyes met mine, dark and stormy. "That changes today."