The Deadly Assignment

“Excuse me?” Deputy Williams said as he tapped her on the shoulder from behind.  It was obvious he had startled her.

“Have you seen my daughter?  She was playing on the beach and then all this happened.  She doesn’t even like going into the ocean.  I can’t believe it was her out there.  I don’t know what to do, I can’t find her.” She screamed in hysterics to the deputy.  It was clear she was very upset.

“I’m sure we will find your daughter.  It’s possible she’s somewhere down on the beach.  When all this happened, it seemed some of the children strayed further down the beach.  We’re taking all the lost children to the police station.  Why don’t you come with me?  We can look for her there!” He said to her offering her his hand.  The only thing she could do was stare into his eyes.  In her mind, she knew she wasn’t going anywhere, not without her daughter.

“I’m not going anywhere without my daughter!” She said pulling away from him.  She started to walk down the beach, calling out her daughter’s name.  It was clear she was upset and there was a good possibility her daughter was the one who was attacked by the shark.  Right now, he needed to calm her down and then talk with her reasonably.  Sheriff Arlington walked up and stood next to Williams.  He looked at him and then pointed to Martha, who was starting make her way further up the beach.

“So far, we got three children who can’t find their parents!” Sheriff Arlington said as he looked around the beach in search for any other parents who may be looking for their children.

“She can’t find her daughter anywhere on the beach!  I told her we would take her to the station where the other children were but she won’t go.” He said watching her closely. 

“We got a hell of mess out here.  It‘s the fourth shark attack this season and the season has just begun.  Nothing like this has ever happened in these waters.” He said realizing it could have been one of his own children out in there.

“This is something you only see in the movies.  I’ve got to go talk to her and convince her to come to the station.” Deputy Williams said as he turned and walked towards the women who was still yelling out her daughter’s name.

As he started to walk, he thought about how he was going to convince her to come with him.  He knew this must have been hard on her.  Then he realized if he was in her shoes and couldn’t find his little girl, he would be panic-stricken.

“Excuse me?” Williams said walking up to her.

“What do you want?” Martha yelled in a tone that sent chills up and down his back.  She wished he would just leave her alone.  After all her daughter was missing, the least he could do was to have a little compassion.  Right now, she needed to find her daughter.

“Look, I know this must be hard on you.  Like I said, some children have been taken down to the station.  These children claimed they could not find their parents.  Please, come with me.  If she’s at the station, then you’re only wasting your time here.”  Williams said as he extended his hand to her.  In the back of her mind, she knew he was right.  If her daughter was at the station, then her being her wasn’t doing any good.  She stood there for a moment and just looked out over the water.  She tried to picture in her mind what her daughter would have gone through, if it had been her out there.  Nausea rose through her body as she stood there and thought about her daughter.

“I know it was her out there.” She said without moving an inch.  Most of the beach had become desolate by now.  Parents had found their children and some had been taken to the hospital.  He knew he had to convince her to come to the station.  This would be the only way he could confirm her daughters death.

“You can’t be certain it was her out there.  Why don’t you come with me?  We’ll go down to the station and sort things out there” Williams said as she turned and looked at him.  She stared into his eyes for what seemed to be an eternity.  At this moment, she realized she couldn’t stay here all night.  The beach had become desolate and it was clear she wasn’t anywhere to be seen.