You Stole My Heart

Johnny hated Lacey, and the paparazzi, and at the moment he really hated fans. That was to sum up exactly how he felt for the last two days. An anonymous source, no doubt Lacey, had blabbed to the news about Marco. He knew that fan Megan must have jumped at the chance to expose what she knew, a picture to go along with it. Even just going from his front door to the mail box he would get flocked by photographers and reporters. The guys had to postpone recording just because the bassist couldn’t leave his home.

It was even more difficult with Marco. The young girl had been anxious this news could be brought back to her parents. Johnny had saved himself the heartbreak of reassuring her they wouldn’t. Johnny was beginning to worry about it himself a little bit. But deep in his heart he knew it would come to this one day. He was just hoping it wouldn’t of had to of been so soon. A knock on the door pulled Johnny back to reality.

Marco and himself sat at the island with Mac & Cheese for lunch, neither really eating. Figuring it was one of the guys he climbed off the stool and waved to Marco to continue. He walked over to the front door and peeked through the peephole, a new habit he picked up after opening to a reporter once. He frowned when seeing two men in black suits. He went against his head and opened the door enough to expose Johnny’s face to the two.

“Can I help you?” The two men nodded, one reaching into his inner coat pocket. He produced a shiny, gold badge with the words ‘Huntington Beach Police Department’ carved in.

“I am Detective Carson and this is my partner Detective Hughes. I’m sure you have a pretty good guess of what this pertains to Mr. Seward,” the man began. He was in about his mid forties, his partner only maybe half his age. A rookie, Johnny guessed.

“I have a pretty good idea,” Johnny muttered. He pulled the door open further, stepping to the side. “Please come in.”

“Thank-you.” The elder man stepped in first with the anxious, younger man second. Johnny shut the front door before leading the way to the living room. The men sat on one couch while Johnny hovered behind the other.

“Can I offer you two something to drink? Coffee, water?” The young man, Detective Hughes, opened his mouth to probably accept, but Detective Carson shot him a look that closed his mouth instantly.

“No thank-you sir,” the other man squeaked. Johnny had taken the time to realize that he, actually, had at least two inches on the man who was also scrawny like a twig. How he made it onto the force Johnny would never know. Reluctantly Johnny sat down on the empty couch.

“So Mr. Seward - ” Detective Hughes flipped out a small notebook as his partner began to speak, like a dog getting a silent command. “How did you come to find this girl?”

“Marco,” Johnny instantly added. Hughes scribbled something down as Carson nodded.

“Right, Marco. How did she come to you?”

“I was walking home and ran into her. Being two in the morning I let her come and stay in my guestroom,” Johnny replied, trying to look relaxed. Hell, he was in his own home. Not some damn interrogation room. He could relax easily…if two detective weren’t where his best friends usually sat.

“How long ago was this?”

“About a week ago I guess.” Carson nodded as Hughes studied his notebook as he wrote. The sound of pen scratching across the paper suddenly reminded him of the sounds he heard while taking a huge test in school. Is that was this was? A test? Test to see whether he counted as a kidnapper or not, no doubt.

“So you didn’t know this girl before this incident?” Johnny shook his head.

“I didn’t even know her name until I ran into her on the way home.”

“I see.” Detective Hughes took a paused from writing as his partner let it fall into a silence. Johnny watched as his eyes trailed over the living room. When he caught Johnny’s eyes his own blue ones went back to stare at his writing. “Is there any reason why you didn’t bring this to the police’s attention Mr. Seward?”

Johnny rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He couldn’t just say ‘I didn’t want her to leave’. That would get him locked up before he could blink. “I guess it just didn’t sent off that little bell. My band is trying to get our album recorded since we began about the same time as I found Marco. Since she wasn’t much trouble it kind of didn’t seem like something that was urgent.”

“Well it kind of is, is the problem.” Johnny sighed, nodding. “Did she tell you anything about her parents?”

“Not really. When I mentioned them, about bring her back to them I mean, she seemed anxious about it. Almost fearful really.” Detective Hughes’s pen stopped, poised above the paper, looking at his partner. The older gentlemen nodded, Hughes’s eyes going back to his paper.

“Would it be possible for us to talk to Marco?” Johnny swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat. That look Hughes and Carson had shared, it was nerve wracking to say the least. He nodded, standing to his feet.

“I’ll go get her.” He forced himself to walk at a casual pace to the kitchen. Marco sat in the same position as he had left her earlier. Her head snapped up, dropping her fork as her eyes came to meet Johnny’s worried ones.

“What’s up Johnny?” Marco asked.

“We have some visitors that want to talk to you Marco,” Johnny replied. He knew that anything said could be heard by Detective Carson. He may look old, but Johnny just knew all his senses were as good as a hawk’s. Marco just nodded, hopping off the stool. She followed Johnny into the living room where the detectives still sat. Johnny sat down with Marco next to him. She instantly brought her lower lip into her mouth as the two men smiled at her.

“Hello Marco, my name is Detective Carson. This is my friend Detective Hughes. How old are you?” The man gave off an aura that caused Marco to relax and smile shyly at him. He reminded her of the grandfather she had only met once before he had a stroke and passed away. He was really nice though.

“I’m eleven years old,” Marco said proudly.

“Wow. You’re parents must be pretty proud of you.” Marco instantly frowned, her eyebrows narrowing at the thought of them.

“Not really,” Marco muttered. She looked at her lap, twiddling her fingers. Detective Carson looked at Johnny who shot the man an ‘I told you so’ look. He looked back at the girl who refused to look up.

“Why would you think that Marco?”

“My mom and dad don’t like me. My mom is always mean to me and my dad hurts me. His friends do too,” Marco replied numbly. Hughes looked up wide eyed and frantically wrote as Carson nodded.

“Marco, can you tell me your last name? I swear I will make it so they can never hurt you again.” Marco looked up with her wide, hazel eyes.

“What happens after though? Will I have to see them again?”

“Well, you’d have to go to this place called court to find out. Do you have any other family?” When Marco shook her head ‘no’ Carson sighed. He rubbed his chin that was covered in graying hairs. “Well then I’d guess you would have to go into foster care and live with some nice couple.”

“I don’t want to go there,” Marco objected. Her eyes trailed from Detective Carson to Johnny. “Could I just stay with Johnny?”

Detective Carson looked at Johnny again and faintly smiled. “Marco, how about you go play upstairs while we talk to Johnny?”

Marco looked back at Johnny with a concerned face. He smiled, patting her head. “It’s okay kiddo, go ahead.”

Marco nodded before standing to her feet and bounding upstairs. Once the men heard a door shut, Detective Carson began to talk. “She will have to go to court Mr. Seward.”

“Well with something like this I figured so.”

“You will need to go too.” Panic rose in Johnny’s heart. He was going to get arrested, he just knew it.

“How come?” he squeaked. He cursed himself. It was like he was going through puberty all over again.

“Well I figured it was obvious.” Oh, just slap the cuffs on me now, Johnny inwardly groaned. I’ll be rotting in a cell, just bones. Even the - “I’m assuming you’ll be going to fight for custody.”

“What?” Johnny looked up to see Detective Carson smiling. “Custody?”

“Sir, if Marco is telling the truth, which I don’t doubt she is, I will take everything in me to not make her see those people again. I doubt she will need to. Then from there she will be put into foster care, unless you want to adopt her. I have no doubt in my mind that you will check through and can take care of her properly.”

“Thank-you,” Johnny breathed, a weight off his shoulders now. Carson nodded, standing to his feet with his partner close on his heels.

“We will be checking in soon Mr. Seward to let you know where the case stands. We're allowing her to stay with you for now.” They walked to the door, Detective Carson pausing when he saw the young girl at the top of the stairs. “Marco, I need your last name.”

“Lovelace,” Marco called softly. Detective Carson nodded, ushering his partner outside first. He nodded his head before leaving the room. Johnny looked up at Marco and smiled. It was almost over, he could feel it.