"You got proof of that?"
"Call it in. Check missing children databases. She was taken from somewhere recently."
The deputies exchange looks.
One speaks into his radio, giving a description.
Long minutes pass.
The girl hasn't stopped shaking.
I hold her tighter, whispering reassurances she probably can't even hear.
Finally, the deputy's radio crackles.
He listens, nods, then looks at us.
"There's an AMBER Alert out of Mobile. Girl matching this description was taken from her bedroom three days ago. Parents are frantic."
Relief crashes through me.
"Then you know we're telling the truth," Fenrir says.
"We still need to take her. Process her, get her medical attention, reunite her with her family."
"Of course." I crouch down, speak gently to the girl. "Honey, these police officers are gonna take you somewhere safe, okay? They're gonna call your mommy and daddy. You're going home."
She looks at me with huge, terrified eyes.
She doesn't want to let go.
"It's okay," I tell her. "You're safe now. Nobody's gonna hurt you."
One of the deputies approaches slowly, holding out his hand. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you to your parents."
Slowly, so slowly, she releases her grip on my neck and lets the deputy take her.
He carries her to his patrol car, wraps her in a blanket, speaks softly to her.
The other deputy gets our information—names, contact info, statement about what happened.
"You're lucky," he tells us. "Could've gone bad in there."
"Had to be done," Fenrir says.
"Maybe. But you boys be careful. Trafficking rings don't forget. They'll come looking for whoever cost them merchandise."
"Let them come," I say.
The deputies leave with the girl.
We stand in the parking lot, watching the taillights disappear.
"Well," Hakon says finally. "That went completely off the rails."
"Understatement," Ulf mutters.
Fenrir turns to me.
