Follow Me Back (complete first draft of the published book)

Chapter 36: The Interrogation (Fragment 10)

Chapter 36: The Interrogation (Fragment 10)

February 20, 2014, 8:17 PM

Case #: 124.678.21-001

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTION OF POLICE INTERVIEW

~~START PAGE 12~~

INTERROGATOR: Tessa, the man from the apartment in New Orleans. Was he the same man who got in the car with you tonight?

HART: Yes.

INTERROGATOR: Are you certain?

HART: Yes. I didn't realize it in the car, though. He seemed normal at first. He had the rabbit's foot. That was supposed to be the signal. He was the only one who knew about it. So I felt safe when I saw he had it. It wasn't until we were back at my house that I realized.

INTERROGATOR: Whose idea was it to go back to your house?

HART: It was his idea. He was very insistent. He said the concert was too crowded. He knew about my agoraphobia and stuff. He said I'd proven my point by leaving the house to come meet him, but I wouldn't be able to handle all the people at the concert.

INTERROGATOR: So he then entered the car with you?

HART: Yeah. I switched to the back seat so we could sit next to each other and talk. Max recorded it from the front seat while Nev drove back to my house. You can probably get a copy of the video from them.

INTERROGATOR: OK. Terry here will look into that. Can you sum it up for me in the meantime?

HART: I let him touch me. I let him hold my hand a little bit. Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick.

INTERROGATOR: Easy now. Take a breath [pause]. That's it. Tessa, what did Mr. Duncan say to you in the car?

HART: I don't-I don't remember exactly. I remember he said his name was Blair, not Taylor. He told me that we had actually met once. In New Orleans. He said he had a secret crush on me ever since, and he'd started following me on Twitter. That was the big secret he'd been afraid to tell me until we met in person. That was back when it was still my personal account, @TessaHart, before I changed my username.

INTERROGATOR: And this story led you to believe he might be the man who'd stalked you in New Orleans?

HART: No. Not at first.  I'm so stupid. He seemed nice. A little more shy and quiet than I was expecting, and he was wearing way too much cologne, but otherwise basically nice.  I didn't remember him, but there were a lot of nights I don't remember all that well because I was drunk. I was so drunk. So stupid.

INTERROGATOR: No one is blaming you for what happened, Tessa. You're the victim here. I need you to remember that.

HART: I know. I'm trying.

INTERROGATOR: Now, when police responded to the scene, they encountered you inside your home, screaming.

HART: I guess. Was I screaming?

INTERROGATOR: You don't have any recollection as to why you were screaming, Tessa?

HART: I guess I was freaked out!

INTERROGATOR: You were frightened by something Blair Duncan did at the house? Or by the police?

HART: No, I was scared of him. I figured out who he was like, maybe 10 seconds before the police showed up.

INTERROGATOR: OK. Please walk me through what happened at your house.

HART: We went inside. Max recorded us talking for a little while in the living room, and then he and Nev stepped outside to give us some privacy. And then-