AUTHOR'S POV   

Laurent is handcuffed and in the back of the police car after he and Larry's home was raided for what detective Lane calls evidence. While Laurent's tears as of lately have been because of missing Kaylee so much the tears falling down now are that of anger. The detective hasn't any grounds to be suspicious of them so to barge into their home and arrest him is beyond upsetting. To add insult to injury he was arrested in front of his family. He can hear the tears in Larry's voice as he desperately pleaded with the detective to let him go. As he was being led to car he looked back and that's when he saw Emma in his loves arms. He knew she was crying which pierces his heart all over again...but it also infuriates him so the angry tears rapidly fall as he locks eyes on the detective who's calling in who he's bringing in and the charge. The words seem to roll off of his tongue as if he's asking what the weather is like and of course this only intensifies the anger that's steadily rising in Laurent. When he releases the call he tosses the phone in the passenger seat as he keeps his eyes on the road ahead. He feels Laurent looking at him and it isn't until he hears him saying, "I'm innocent" that he looks into the rear view mirror at him. He then raises his eyebrows in a rude and condescending way prompting Laurent to huff in a frustrated manner, roll his eyes then crashes against the seat while the detective puts his eyes back on the road. Minutes later they arrive at the precinct and once the detective is out he flings Laurent's door open then roughly grabs him by the arm. Laurent's tries to get out of his grasp and his voice raises as he reacts to the way he's being handled...

Laurent: "Get your hands off of me"!  

Lane: "Mr. Bourgeois, you're already under arrest for murder. Are you sure you want to display this behavior? Because it really won't help you". 

Laurent pauses for a moment and while he knows that he would never do such a horrible thing to his child regardless of the detective's insistence that he did he decides to control his temper though he has every reason to be so upset...

Laurent: "Look I did not kill my little girl, oki? Why would I kill my own daughter"? 

Lane: "Why don't you tell me"? 

Laurent: "I didn't. I love her very much. You just don't like us but you won't get away with this. You know I'm innocent but you arrested me in front of my family and my princess saw it. She saw her papa in handcuffs because of you". 

Lane: "Mr. Bourgeois, you might want to just stop talking. You're going in this cell and I will see to it that you don't get out". 

Laurent: "That won't happen. My husband will get me out of here. He's calling a lawyer". 

Lane: "He can call whoever he wants. You're not getting out".

Now that they're at the entrance the detective pushes the door open and pulls Laurent in who's hoping that someone will see how out of line he is by the way he's pulling him here and there...but all that are in sight are his fellow officers and as far as they're concerned Laurent is  a criminal so they aren't at all concerned with such treatment. Laurent goes through booking and this doesn't really hit him until he's fingerprinted. Needless to say he's gone from being upset to livid. He's then taken for his mugshot and besides his family being affected by this he shudders to think what his university will do once this is out to the public. He can't imagine losing everything he's worked so hard for over something he didn't do...but he's confident in the fact that those who really know him know that he would never, ever hurt his children so he should receive more support than he would ever receive doubt and hate. After he's changed into jail attire he's escorted to a single cell and when he hears the loud clanking of the heavy door slide shut after walking inside he jumps. The detective begins walking away when Laurent reminds him of something...

Laurent: "I get a phone call". 

The detective stops but takes a moment before turning around to look Laurent dead in his eyes...

Lane: "Yes you do get a phone call". *pause* "When I say you get it". 

Laurent: *sigh* "Will I get it tonight"?

Lane: "Maybe", he replies flatly. 

Laurent: "I need to make my phone call before it gets too late". 

Lane: "You will get your call when you get it". 

Laurent: "Detective please. I need to say goodnight to my little girl. I always read her a bedtime story and tuck her in and since I can't then I need to talk to her". 

Lane: "Nice way to play the good dad Mr. Bourgeois". 

Laurent: "I'm not playing"!

The detective doesn't flinch or react at all to Laurent's angered response. He just stands there with a completely blank face since he couldn't care less about Laurent's plea. The detective is like a one person jury and in his mind Laurent is guilty so he isn't swayed whatsoever. Laurent is internally cringing at begging him...but he will do whatever is necessary to hear Emma's voice. To hear Larry's too so in an even calmer tone he tells him, "I just want my call. Please". The detective looks at Laurent still unfazed and a second later he walks away leaving Laurent alone in this musty cell. He turns around to observe the tiny space he's in and will be in until his love comes through with an attorney that will get him out of here. There's something disturbing about this concrete box. It's as if this space has been engineered with absolute precision. The corners are sharp and straight, there's a small cot with an extremely thin mattress and in one of the corners is a stainless steel toilet...out in the open for passersby to witness and he's not left with a choice other than to use it when he needs to. The person who designed this space sat in a clean office under the glow of the sun rays and used their talent to create something so soulless as to constitute punishment for a crime that he didn't commit. He doesn't belong here but to detective Lane taking his liberty isn't enough, keeping him from those he loves isn't enough and that he won't rest until he proves without a shadow of a doubt that Laurent did the unthinkable. At first Laurent was unsure why the detective has had such doubt and seeming hatred towards him and his love. He's realizing now that he didn't start showing this disdain towards them until he learned of their marriage. Now it seems to be some personal vendetta he has towards them and he doesn't care at all that the evidence points to neither of them having nothing to do with Kaylee's death...but if given the opportunity he would somehow make sure the evidence does point towards them. That makes Laurent extremely afraid of who they're really dealing with but he has faith in his love and knows that Larry will do anything to get him out of here. Because of the detectives strong dislike for him Laurent wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't get his phone call until tomorrow simply because of Laurent's plea to have it tonight. He wants to torture him and he has to know that nothing would torture him more than be unable to speak to his family. Especially Emma. Laurent feels a stinging pain in his eyes meaning he's on the brink of tears which may last him well into the night. He belts out a deep, emotional sigh then turns around to that small cot he's left to sleep on. He then looks down at the jail attire clung to his body and the frustration that comes over him is strong...but nothing upsets him more than knowing his family is in a state of distress due to this completely unwarranted arrest and if he's unable to talk to Emma tonight his heart will be crushed. He just walks over to the small cot and as he sits on the edge he rests his elbows on his thighs...his hands together in prayer position and resting against his face while internally praying that he's able to talk to his family as his heart can't deal with the affliction caused by being away from his family... 

~meanwhile~

Detective Brunet was en route to the precinct and angered because of Laurent's arrest. Deep down he knows that the Bourgeois men are innocent and while he was against the search of their home to begin with he was sure that it wouldn't produce anything because of that innocence...and he's also sure the search didn't produce anything which confirms that this arrest is a personal one for his partner. He's suspected that he has an issue with their marriage just in the things he's said and somehow their union makes them guilty in his eyes. He doesn't want to think about nor can he stomach what he presumes Larry and Laurent could be into that has him to believe that they would have killed their own daughter. He just wants to get Laurent cleared of this charge. He decided to go back to the Bourgeois home and talk to Larry so at the next opportunity he turned his car around and headed in that direction. Now that he's arrived he's eagerly waiting for Larry to appear. He saw Larry's look at him when they met eyes after detective Brunet first showed up which tells him that Larry thinks he's behind this...but he's here to assure him that he's not. Larry had been on the phone with different law firms trying to secure an attorney when he heard the door bell ring. He thought that perhaps it's a neighbor coming to inquire about Laurent being arrested. He isn't prepared for the detective being here who's now watching as the door knob turns. When the door swings open and Larry sees who's in front of him he's about to slam the door in his face when he's quickly stopped...

Brunet: "Mr. Bourgeois, please". 

Larry: "Please what?! Your partner arrested my husband"!  

Brunet: "I understand how you feel but I can assure you that I wasn't behind this. I know your husband is innocent. That's why I'm here. I want to help in any way I can". *pause* "Please let me come in and talk to you". 

Naturally there's a bit of hesitancy in Larry as he doesn't know if this is simply a ploy to try and get something else that may help in the case against Laurent, though there is none, but when he looks at the seriousness in the detective's eyes along with the urgency in his voice he steps to the side and allows him to come in. He turns to look at mama who heard everything and when she doesn't show a sign of hesitancy that confirms to Larry that he's doing the right thing. She excuses herself to go and check on the kids but Larry is sure to tell her that she can join them afterwards. They have a seat at the kitchen table and the detective doesn't waste a moment...

Brunet: "I owe you an apology, Mr. Bourgeois. If I was here I would have stopped your husband from being arrested. I knew from the time I met both of you that you're innocent". 

Larry can't believe what he just heard. He may have doubted this detective initially but there's been true sincerity in his voice from the time he showed up so now that his guard is down...

Larry: "We love her very much. We would have never hurt her. Losing a child is the worst pain and we wish we could have her back".

Brunet: "I understand and I'm so sorry for your loss". 

Larry: "Thank you". *sigh* "We can't bring her back but you can make sure that the monster who killed her is punished". 

Brunet: "I won't rest until that happens". 

Now mama is back from checking on the kids so she takes a seat at the table and listens intently to their conversation... 

Larry: "What do you plan to do"?

Brunet: "It will take going to the starting point again but this time I'll put pressure on the residents near your daughter's school. I find it very unlikely that out of all the homes along that street no one saw anything. It's just not possible". 

Larry: "Yeah we agree with that". 

Brunet: "But there's something else you can answer for me". 

Larry: "What's that"?

Brunet: "Your husband told us about an ex-student he had a problem with and unfortunately we haven't been able to contact her. It's as if she's disappeared without a trace. We've tried connections to her and still, nothing. We will continue to look for her but is there anyone you've had an issue with, be it past or present, that could have done this"?

*brief pause*

Larry: *shakes head* "No. I don't have a problem with anyone".

Brunet: "You're a partner at Sopexa correct"?

Larry: "Yes I am". 

Brunet: "Have you recently had to fire someone who had aggression or anger issues"?

Larry: "No I haven't. Everyone does a great job and all of us get along with one another. Outside of work it's just my family".

Brunet: "I see so we can rule that out. We can also rule out the birth parent from the adoption and...."  

Larry: "I don't understand. Why would the birth parent have something to do with this"? 

Brunet: "I'm just thinking of different scenarios such as a setup kidnapping but I say that can be ruled out because more often than not a setup kidnapping occurs within the first two years of the child's life. Not at someone your daughter's age and if it was a setup to return the child back to the birth mom then the probability of it resulting in Kaylee's untimely death is slim to none. It would definitely be worth looking more into if it was still just a kidnapping case". 

Larry: "I understand now but no, we didn't have any problems with adopting. Kaylee's adoption was the easiest. The birth mom really wanted us to have her". 

Brunet: "Ok so it's either a random kidnapping which given the statistics it's highly likely or we're looking at a calculated plan by someone who's associated with one of you in someway. That's in the ballpark of a setup kidnapping and that's also where your husband's ex-student comes in. Because it's been difficult to reach her I believe that's where the focus needs to be".

Larry: *sigh* "I just want my husband out of jail". 

Brunet: "I'll talk to my captain about that. In the meantime, secure an attorney and tell them that there's one detective who believes he's innocent. Hopefully that will help get him out. I will follow up on the ex-student, go back to the neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods. I will also speak with the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy to see if there's anything in the report that was missed and will prove his innocence".   

Larry: "Can you make sure my Laurent gets his phone call? He will really want to talk to Emma before her bedtime and it will hurt him a lot if he can't". 

Brunet: "I'll be heading for the precinct when I leave here and I'll be sure that he does". 

Larry: "Oki. Thank you so much for all of your help". 

Brunet: "My pleasure. I'll be in touch". 

They shake hands and the detective also says goodbye to mama then leaves promptly to get en route to the precinct as Larry goes back to calling around for the best attorney he can get for his love...

******

Detective Brunet is fuming as he walks into the precinct. Fellow detectives and police officers try to talk to him on the way but he's so upset he doesn't hear them thus leaving his colleagues to look at him in utter confusion. When he arrives at detective Lane's office he doesn't even knock. He just flings the door open and walks in. Detective Lane doesn't even flinch. He just looks at him and it's in somewhat of a cocky manner which only infuriates Brunet even more...

Brunet: "What the hell was that? You said it was just a search then you arrested him"?

Lane: *shrugs* "There was evidence". 

Brunet is now boiling on the inside and in a sarcastic tone...

Brunet: "Somehow I doubt that but please share with me what you found". 

Lane: "His shoe size is a 15 and the victim's sweater was in the trunk of his car". 

Brunet: "She's his daughter. How does her sweater being in her father's car constitute evidence"?

Lane: "Look, we already know his fingerprints are on the headband and...."

Brunet: "He styled her hair that morning. He told us that". 

Lane: "It doesn't matter. Everything points to him and we don't have evidence to the contrary". 

Detective Brunet is standing there gazing at this person as if he's the polar opposite of the detective he's worked alongside for the last several years...but day by day it's becoming clear that he doesn't have any interest in seeking real justice and it is indeed personal...

Brunet: "What is your issue with them? Is it because they're a couple"?

*brief pause*

Lane: "It's not normal". 

Brunet: "We've been through this. It really isn't your business and I shouldn't have to remind you that the focus should be on getting the little girl whose life was cut short justice".  

The detective says nothing. He just picks up a file from his desk and proceeds to walk around it then towards the door to his office...but Brunet is blocking the exit. He's still standing there waiting for a response but instead of getting one Lane just stands in front of him and a hard silence falls between them as they merely look at each other. Brunet's look is one of there being an imaginary line between them that he's just waiting for Lane to cross. He doesn't move an inch so Lane has no choice but to walk around leaving Brunet fuming before pushing himself to leave and locate which cell Laurent is in...

Before Brunet even approached Laurent's cell he heard his loud sniffs and he can't help but feel so bad for him being in a place he doesn't deserve to be in nor belong. Now that he's in front of the cell he looks at each of Laurent's hands holding a firm grip on his hair while he's slightly bent over with his elbows resting on his thighs. Brunet is unaware that he's been in this state since detective Lane left him after essentially telling him that it's a good chance he won't get to talk to his love and their sweet little Emma tonight. Seeing him like this magnifies his sympathy with him but also makes him more determined to get him cleared of this charge. After a gentle clearing of his throat he calls out, "Mr. Bourgeois" so Laurent slowly looks up...his face soaked in tears and his eyes squint in anger as he thinks that he's behind this too so he replies, "what do you want? You're happy to see me in here too"? The detective takes another pause but this time he looks around to make sure no one can hear what he's about to say. He doesn't want to take any chance that Lane will find out he's actually working against him. There's no telling what he might do since it's obvious he feels such contempt for them...

Brunet: "No, and I'm not with my partner on this. I know you're innocent. That's why I went to your home to talk to your husband". 

Naturally Laurent's head pops up and he looks at the detective in shock as this was the last thing he expected to hear. He then stands to his feet and slowly walks over...

Laurent: "So, you can get me out of here"?

Brunet: "I'll try and your husband is calling an attorney. I told him to let him or her know that if it helps then he can tell them that I believe you're innocent". 

Laurent closes his eyes as he blows out a soft sigh of relief. He then opens them and with a shaky voice he replies...

Laurent: "Thank you". 

Brunet: "You're welcome", he replies softly. 

*brief pause*

Laurent: "I need to talk to my little girl. Can I call home now"?

Brunet: "Sure thing. I'll be right back". 

Laurent nods then begins wiping his tears away while trying to compose himself enough to make the call without breaking down. Seconds later the detective returns with a cordless phone and hands it to him through the cell bars. Laurent breathes out another thank you and the detective softly nods then steps a few feet away to give him some privacy. Laurent's shaky hand grasps the phone as he dials the number then brings it to his ear. After the second ring he's hearing the voice of his love so he greets him with a soft, "hi bebe". There's a brief pause before Larry's soft and emotional voice replies, "Laurent" then right away tears are streaming down his cheeks at the sweet sound of his husband's voice. Upon beautifully breathing out his name words are instantly stripped from him. Laurent listens to him and as each second goes by his heart drops a bit more. He then whispers, "just breathe bebe". But, Larry can't help himself. The image of his love being handcuffed and taken out of their home is in his mind and the thought of him being in a cold, dark cell is simply too hard to grasp...

Larry: *sniff* "I miss you so much baby". 

Laurent: "I miss you too my love", he replies softly. 

*brief pause*

Larry: "Detective Brunet was here". 

Laurent: "I know. He believes that I'm innocent and gave me the phone to call you". 

Larry: "I'm so happy for that but I'm looking for a lawyer so you can come home".  

Laurent: "I know you are bebe and I know I'm coming home soon". 

Larry: "I can't wait", he whispers.  

Laurent: "I can't wait either my love". *pause* "Can I talk to princess now"?

Larry: "Of course baby".  

Larry drops the phone and Laurent's heart flutters at the way he gently calls for Emma. He then hears that little voice in the background saying, "yes papa" which is how she always replies to one of them calling for her. He then hears Larry sweetly telling her, "your papa's on the phone and he wants to talk to you". A second later he hears that sweet voice saying, "papa"? Laurent closes his eyes and blows out a silent sigh at the sound of that precious voice as he can tell that she's really missing him...as he's missing her. He then straightens up to reply...

Laurent: "Hi princess". 

Emma: "Hi papa". 

Laurent: "Are you helping your papa and grandmere"? 

Emma: "Yes but I miss you". 

Laurent: "I miss you too bebe". 

Emma: "Will you be here to tuck me in"? 

Laurent drops the phone from his ear as he instantly feels a lump forming in his throat at the question and it's slowly killing pieces of him because for the first time since she was born he won't tuck her in and kiss her goodnight. He has to quickly compose himself to answer in a way that won't make her sadder than she already is... 

Laurent: "I won't be able to tuck you in tonight my love but your papa will tuck you in until I come home". 

Emma: "When are you coming home", she asks innocently.  

Laurent: "I don't know, bebe but your papas are trying really hard to make sure I come home soon, oki"?

Emma: "Oki", she whimpers. 

Laurent: "So you just keep being papa's big girl by helping out and taking care of your brother". 

Emma: "I will papa". 

Laurent: "I love you princess". 

Emma: "I love you too". 

Laurent: "Now put your papa back on the phone, oki"?

Emma: "Oki. Bye papa". 

Laurent: "Bye my love". 

It was so hard talking to Emma...and being unable to tuck her in tonight or tell her when he's coming home hurt the most. Now his love has the phone and they speak to each other in a gentle tone...

Laurent: "I'll be home soon bebe. Give mama and the kids kisses for me, oki"? 

Larry: "I know my love...and I will". 

Laurent: "I love you". 

Larry: "I love you too". 

---------------------------- 

A/N: I was ok until Laurent spoke to Emma so I had to take a few moments before I could finish. Even as the author detective Lame is really making my skin crawl. Thankfully detective Brunet is on their side and Larry is looking for the best lawyer to get him out. Please share your thoughts. I'll be replying soon. Love you guys. ❤️