After seeing the officers on patrol, Ethan simply drove a few laps around the area, sending Fiona the agents' locations.
Only after receiving her confirmation message did he stop in front of the Jackson house.
He rolled down the window and lit a cigarette.
Now everything was ready.
They only had to wait for Debbie to cross the alley and bring Casey back. Ethan had barely smoked half the cigarette when Fiona appeared in his field of vision.
While pushing the stroller, she gave Ethan a thumbs-up, looking curiously at the house next door.
When she reached the Jacksons' front yard, she picked up Liam and climbed the steps.
A moment later, Ethan tossed the cigarette butt away, and the curtains in the house next door moved slightly.
Through the opening, the person inside could be seen.
Fiona was nervously looking outside, waiting for Debbie's arrival. A moment later, Lip, Ian, and Carl also appeared stealthily at the corner of the street.
The exchange point was not far from there.
If the distance was too great, accidents could easily happen.
Ethan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting patiently.
Now everything depended on Debbie.
He hoped she would not mess it up, because this was the most crucial part.
Casey, guided by Debbie, came out of the nearby alley holding her hand.
Seeing them appear, the people in the house, in the car, and on the street corner all sighed in relief at the same time.
—Casey!
In front of the Casden family's yard, a little girl turned by accident, saw the scene, and cried out.
She turned her head back toward the crowd and shouted:
—It's Casey! He's back!
That shout struck the crowd like lightning, silencing it instantly.
The next second, a man and a woman forced their way through the people and ran forward.
—Oh, my God, Casey!
Mrs. Casden immediately hugged Casey, who was dressed in a Superman costume, against her chest, her fingers trembling as she stroked his hair.
—Where did you go? Are you okay?
Ethan opened his car door and strode forward.
Not only him. Everyone around them also crowded closer.
Seeing that, Ethan showed a trace of apology, relieved that not too much time had been lost.
Otherwise, the guilt would have been immense.
Mr. Casden looked at Debbie, his voice emotional.
—Where did you find him?
The decisive moment had arrived.
Fiona quickly approached Debbie and firmly took her hand.
—Hi, Fiona.
Debbie looked at her and asked in surprise:
—What are you doing here?
—I'm sorry, she's my sister.
Fiona apologized deeply to the Casden couple before looking at Debbie.
—Weren't you playing outside?
—What's going on? Where did you find this child?
—Just a few streets up.
Debbie pointed in the direction she had come from, indicating an isolated place.
—I saw him crouching alone behind some bushes just now. I didn't know where he lived, so I was planning to take him home and give him something to eat.
Fiona quickly said to the Casden couple:
—I live a couple of streets up. I think we're neighbors.
The two stood there, prepared, waiting for their questions.
However, the reaction they received was not what they expected.
—Thank you, thank you!
The boy's father was ecstatic.
He did not ask anything else. He only reached into his pocket and said:
—I don't know how to thank you. Take this.
He pulled out his wallet and took out all the money inside.
—All this money is for you.
Seeing that the two people in front of him did not reach out, he threw the money directly at them.
—Take it. Thank you so much.
He crouched down and embraced his wife and son.
At that sight, smiles also appeared on the faces of the people around them.
Those people reached into their pockets, and bills of different denominations fell over Debbie, creating a rain of money.
Fiona was stunned and could only smile.
—Oh, my God!
Debbie had never seen so much money. She raised her hands happily and bounced in place.
Well, that reaction was excellent acting.
However, Ethan could not be sure whether Debbie's reaction was fake or whether she was simply a little naïve and had forgotten she was technically the kidnapper.
In any case, the first phase had been completed successfully.
—Sergeant Platt… this is Detective Morgan.
Ethan pressed the button on the walkie-talkie and contacted the station directly.
—The Amber Alert can be canceled. The child has been found. Repeat, the child has been found.
On the other end, there was a second of silence, followed by Platt's dry voice.
—Found where?
—Near the scene. Looks like he wandered away from the party and another girl found him. She brought him back before the situation got worse.
—Is he hurt?
—No. Scared, but fine.
—Thank God —Platt murmured, and for once, she did not sound sarcastic.
Then she recovered her usual tone.
—I'll inform patrol and cancel the alert.
The communication ended.
Ethan lowered the walkie-talkie and let out the breath he had not realized he was holding.
Just as everyone at the scene was immersed in joy, Frank quickly ran out of the Jackson house next door.
—I knew it.
He spread his hands with a smile, mocking the patrol officer beside him.
—This is a Gallagher —Frank declared, appearing out of nowhere with his chest puffed out and one hand on Debbie's shoulder, as if he had just introduced an Olympic champion— A hero, just so we're clear.
Debbie glanced sideways at him, confused by the sudden paternal pride.
Frank pointed at the officers gathered around, moving his finger back and forth with theatrical indignation.
—While all of you were running around like chickens with your heads cut off, my daughter solved the case. Alone. No budget, no helicopter, no fancy radios, and none of those little coffees you people probably pay for with taxpayer money.
Ethan closed his eyes for a second.
Of course.
Frank had to appear right now.
—Frank… —Fiona murmured in warning.
But Frank was already in motion.
—And I am Frank Gallagher, her father —he added, thumping his chest proudly— So, technically, this victory belongs to me too. Good parenting. Family instinct. Gallagher blood.
Then he spread his arms toward the officers.
—You're a bunch of incompetents! You can't do anything right. A child gets lost two streets away, and you need half the department to find him. My daughter did it with pure heart, street smarts, and a domestic education far above average.
Ethan stared at him.
—Frank, shut up.
Frank lowered his arms a little.
—I'm just telling the truth.
Frank looked at the money on the ground, his eyes shining.
He stuck out his ass, dropped directly to the ground, and began quickly gathering the bills.
Footsteps sounded, and two people stepped in his way.
One of them said in a low voice:
—Frank, that's Debbie's money.
Hearing Lip's voice, Frank said indifferently:
—I know. You don't need to remind me.
—I'm just helping her pick it up. Otherwise, the wind will take it.
—Ow!
His hand, which had been reaching for the money, was stomped hard by a boot.
Frank quickly looked up.
—Ian, what are you doing?
—Ow!
He let out another strange cry, and Lip stepped on his other hand as well.
Frank was hunched over, kneeling on the ground, grimacing in pain as he said:
—What are you doing? That hurts.
—Really? I don't think so.
Secretly, Lip applied more pressure, stepping down with a satisfying feeling.
—My God, you two bastards!
Frank spoke in agitation.
—For God's sake, I'm your father!
Seeing their expressionless faces, he quickly looked to one side.
—Carl, come help me.
—No.
Seeing him like that, Carl walked away with his head lowered.
Frank had not come home for several days, and Carl was angry with him, not wanting to help him at all.
Seeing the small incident unfolding nearby, Ethan's lips curved upward.
Frank had caused the problem, but afterward, he wanted to interfere and profit from it.
No matter how much he suffered, he deserved it.
—Hi, Debbie.
Tony approached from the side. He took off his police cap and smiled.
—You did a good job —Tony said, softening his voice slightly as he addressed Debbie— Now I need you to come with me to the station. Fiona can go with you so you can give a statement.
Hearing that, Fiona quickly looked at Ethan, who was standing beside her.
Fortunately, he had already explained what could happen and how they should handle it. So, although tension squeezed her chest, her expression did not break.
Ethan stepped forward before Tony could insist.
—Tony.
The officer looked at him.
—Thank you —Ethan said, his tone calm but firm— We'll handle that.
Tony looked first at Ethan, then at Fiona, and finally at Debbie. For a second, he seemed to evaluate the situation, but he found no reason to argue with an Intelligence detective who was already taking control of the case.
—Of course —he finally replied, nodding— No problem.
He gave Debbie a brief smile, then looked back at Ethan.
—Let me know if you need anything.
—I will.
Tony stepped aside and returned to the other officers, allowing Fiona to slowly let out the breath she had been holding without even realizing it.
At the end of the day, such a simple matter did not require bothering a detective. But since Ethan was there and knew Fiona, it was natural that he would want to handle it personally.
Soon afterward, the people gathered at the scene began to disperse little by little. The neighbors returned to their houses, the curious lost interest, and the patrol cars also began to leave.
With the Amber Alert canceled, the police had other calls to attend to.
The Intelligence Unit had also been notified. Upon learning that Ethan was still at the scene and that the child had been found safe and sound, none of them bothered to come over. For the kind of cases they usually handled, this was not worth bringing everyone back.
After exchanging a few words with Lip, Ian, and the others, Ethan opened the door of the Ford Interceptor.
Debbie climbed into the back seat in silence, small and hunched over, her hands clasped tightly on her lap.
Seeing her get into the car, Fiona could not help showing a worried expression. Although Ethan had already explained that they only needed a simple statement, the sight of Debbie entering a police vehicle was enough to tie her stomach in knots.
—Come on —Ethan said, softening his voice slightly when he noticed Fiona's concern— It'll only be a few simple questions. Debbie just needs to calmly explain what happened.
Fiona looked at the badge Ethan wore clipped to his waist. It did not erase her anxiety completely, but at least it reminded her that she was not dealing with just any officer.
It was Ethan.
And for now, that was the only thing that let her breathe.
Without saying anything, she opened the passenger door and climbed into the Interceptor.
Ethan was about to do the same when he noticed Carl still standing beside the car, staring at him fixedly.
His eyes were not on Debbie or Fiona, but on Ethan's waist.
—What? —Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Carl swallowed, trying to look serious.
—Nothing.
Ethan looked down at his gun, then looked back at the boy and smiled.
—Ah, I see.
He pulled his jacket aside slightly to make it more visible.
—All right. You did well today too. You can see it up close.
—Really?
Carl's eyes lit up immediately. He moved closer carefully, as if he were standing before a sacred object, and brushed the badge with the tips of his fingers.
—Awesome…
Ethan watched him, amused.
—It's not a toy, understood?
—I know —Carl replied, though his smile said something else— But it's still awesome.
—Little rascal.
Ethan ruffled his hair with one hand.
—Hurry up and grow, and maybe one day you can become a cop.
Carl clenched his fist, grinning from ear to ear.
—Of course!
Ethan let out a low laugh and opened the driver's door. He got into the car, waved at the three boys standing at the side of the road, and the vehicle quickly pulled away.
Fiona was a little nervous at first, but when she saw Ethan so calm, she relaxed.
Fiona turned around, ready to comfort Debbie.
However, her little sister was sitting in the back seat, completely unaware of the weight of the situation, happily counting the money in her hands.
Lip and the others had collected the bills Frank had thrown during his ridiculous "proud father" scene and handed all of them to Debbie, as if it were an official reward for saving the day.
Ethan glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
With how excited Debbie was at that moment, she had probably even forgotten her own last name.
That could not happen.
He gave Fiona a quick look.
Fiona understood immediately. She turned in the passenger seat and reached out toward her sister.
—Debbie.
The girl looked up, clutching the money to her chest.
—What?
—Give it to me.
—But it's mine.
—After the statement —Fiona said, using that older-sister tone that left no room for discussion— First, you do what Ethan told you. Then we'll talk about the money.
Debbie looked at the bills, then at Fiona, and finally at Ethan through the rearview mirror.
Ethan said nothing. He only raised an eyebrow.
Pressed by both of them, Debbie let out a small sigh and handed all the money to Fiona, though not before counting it once more with her eyes.
—You're going to give it back to me, right?
—If you don't say anything stupid —Fiona replied.
Back at the station, Ethan parked the Ford Interceptor and took Fiona and Debbie upstairs.
Everyone knew what had happened and smiled at Debbie, which helped the Gallagher sisters relax a great deal.
—All right, time to practice.
When they entered the bullpen, Ethan greeted Ruzek with a wave.
He was a rookie, not that alert.
A lot of things could easily slip past him.
If not for the need to maintain a certain level of impartiality, Ethan could have conducted the questioning himself without any problem.
Fiona cautiously observed everything in front of her.
Inside the large room were seven or eight desks, arranged somewhat messily, but with a hint of order.
Several people were sitting at their desks, busy with their work.
The aura those people gave off made her feel a little uncomfortable.
After all, she usually walked along the edge of the law, so whenever she came into contact with law enforcement, she could not help feeling a little nervous.
Curiously, she did not feel that way around Ethan.
Although she was curious about Ethan's office environment, she did not linger for long and followed him to the side.
—You can stay here.
Ethan pointed to the observation room, indicating that Fiona should go inside.
The matter was already resolved. Now it was only about helping with the statement; there was no need to take it too seriously.
Ruzek also seemed relaxed.
Since she had already been informed beforehand, Fiona nodded and went in alone.
—Your friend?
Even Ruzek was not naïve enough to miss the fact that the two knew each other, and he asked with curiosity.
—That's right.
Ethan had no problem admitting it and entered the interrogation room with his arm around Debbie's shoulders.
Seeing how familiar they seemed, Ruzek immediately understood what he had to do next.
Debbie was very clever.
She acted like an innocent little girl, even flattering Ruzek from time to time, making his eyes crinkle with laughter.
The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.
Chatting like that, the statement was completed quickly.
Bang, bang, bang.
He closed the file, and just as he was about to leave, someone knocked on the door.
—That's enough.
Antonio pushed the door open and said quickly:
—There's an urgent case. We have to move immediately.
—All right.
Ethan gave an approving gesture.
—We're done here. I'll take them downstairs.
He tucked the file under his arm.
He would handle the later matters himself, which would simply consist of throwing it into a corner of the records room, waiting for its mass destruction.
But it was still a routine procedure, and it could not be skipped.
—I'll go first.
Ruzek knew this was an urgent case and could not wait any longer.
He smiled and extended his hand.
—It was nice meeting you, little Debbie.
—It was nice meeting you too, Officer Ruzek.
Debbie bumped fists with him using her chubby little hand.
—Officer Ruzek.
Ruzek nodded to Ethan and left quickly.
—All right, let's go too.
Ethan stood and raised a hand.
Debbie looked at him for a second before understanding the gesture. Then she smiled and slapped her palm against his with an enthusiasm that almost made it easy to forget how nervous she had been half an hour earlier.
—Good job —Ethan said.
—So I'm done?
—Yes.
Debbie let out a breath of relief and walked out of the interrogation room with him.
Fiona was already waiting for them in the hallway, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. As soon as she saw Debbie come out calm, the tension in her face loosened a little.
Even so, she looked around to make sure no one was too close before approaching Ethan.
—Thank you —she whispered.
Ethan closed the interrogation room door behind them.
—It was nothing.
—Yes, it was —Fiona insisted, lowering her voice even more— Without you, things wouldn't have gone this well.
Debbie stood between them, hugging the money that had been returned to her as if it were treasure.
Ethan gently rubbed her shoulder.
—You can always count on me.
Fiona looked at him for a second, with that mixture of exhaustion, gratitude, and fear that still had not completely left her.
—Come on. I'll walk you to the exit.
They went down the station stairs together. Debbie walked closer to Fiona, observing everything with curiosity, while Fiona kept a hand on her shoulder.
When they reached the entrance, Ethan opened the door and let both of them go out first.
Debbie looked up.
—What about my present?
Fiona closed her eyes.
—Debbie…
Ethan smiled and gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
—Keep behaving, and you'll get it. But no adopting other people's kids again.
Debbie lowered her head, embarrassed.
—I know.
—Good.
Ethan looked at Fiona one last time.
—Let me know when you get home.
She nodded, calmer than before.
—I will.
From the car, Olinsky waved at him while slamming the horn.
Ethan said to Fiona:
—Do you want me to get an officer to take you?
—No need —Fiona answered quickly— We'll take a taxi. To be honest, we don't really like riding in police cars.
—All right, then I'll see you soon —Ethan said.
Fiona nodded, still holding Debbie against her side. For a moment, it seemed as though she would let him leave without saying anything else, but then she lifted her gaze, and a small, tired smile appeared on her lips.
—Call me tonight.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
—Sure… anything in particular?
—Yes, but I still don't have hot water —she replied, lowering her voice slightly— So I'd like to try that shower at your place.
Ethan held her gaze, a playful smile on his face.
—Then I'll call you.
Fiona did not answer, but the way she looked at him was enough.
Ethan turned around and walked toward the Ford Interceptor. This time, he did not look back. He got into the car, closed the door, and started the engine, while Fiona and Debbie remained on the sidewalk, holding each other under the cold Chicago air.