FATHER ALWAYS SMILING

Chapter 42 ~~~~~

She frowned. "Your daughter's being threatened?"

"Yes, and I have sent several emails to your police department, you should have several files. So, to be safe, I placed a tracking device on my daughter's phone. For her protection," his fingers interlaced as he looked down at his hands, his smile faint. "She's the only family I have left. And there's nothing I wouldn't do for her."

"Including murder attempted?" regadless if he had been in the right to do sp, the law was the law. And the evidence, and his hands, pointed to the fact that Alastor beat Nick Green before the man escaped. Alastor didn't deny it, and it was clear he'd do it again, if not worse.

His grip tightened as his gaze snapped to her, and became focused as the air around them suddenly felt cold, almost terrifying. Like being trapped in a room with a hungry animal out for blood. "What would you do, detective, if it was your child at the mercy of a predator?"

Kira didn't respond, no answer was needed, they both knew what would have happened in this hypothetical question. Alastor then merely asked.

"How long would it be until my daughter can get her phone back?"

Kira took the phone in question off the table. "Not for a while, you'd probably be better off just getting her a new phone instead. We can email you any photos or videos that don't pertain the to case so she can have those back. In case you were wondering."

Alastor merely chuckled in response, then asked. "I take it that I can go, then? Unless you have something else, you'd like to ask me, detective?"

Kira was going to tell him, no, but a question of what transpired between him and Nicolas Green bothered her greatly.

"Did nothing else happen between you and Mr. Green, when your daughter fled the basement?"

His closed-mouth smile grew faintly. "No, nothing at all. It's like I said, he managed to escape before I could knock him out and since I was worried for my child and Miss. Ortiz, they took priority. Was that wrong of me to do so Detective?"

"No," the video surveillance had been disconnected by Nick before Amalie and Elain Ortiz arrived at the school, so it was only Alastor's word to go by, yet something about all of this nagged at Kira. The way the scene of the crime looked, the state of the basement, while pointing to a man fleeing, it almost felt like that should have been impossible.

"Really? Because it sounded to me like you're blaming me for his escape. Regardless of the reason, I will never abandon my child." He then said something odd. "If I had a choice of saving the world or my daughter, I would always choose her. Even if it means I let the whole world burn. To me, only she will ever matter, regardless of whom is wishing to be saved. Even if it costs my own life." His eyes became cold as his smile became tight, almost mockingly. "If that makes me a monster in your eyes, I suppose there's nothing I can do to change your mind."

* * *

I took a sip of the hot chocolate the other detective bought for me as we sat across from one another in the lunch area of the police department. I knew it was an old building that had an addition so that the original wouldn't be lost, but I thought it was kind of odd to have something like a coffee shop in a police building. Then again, maybe this was normal given that a lot of police officers drank coffee, like in the shows on TV.

But what surprised me was that the other detective who went by Fredrick Louds said if I wanted, I could call him Freddie, but since I didn't know him well, I called him by his last name.

"Mr. Louds, um... I mean, Detective Louds, is my Dad going to be in trouble? For beating up Mr. Green?"

"I don't think you have to worry little lady, your Dad was just mad that someone hurt you, I know I would have acted just as he did if it were one of my kids."

I remained silent, I don't think anyone could act the same way as my Dad, but maybe I was wrong on that given how many people lived in the world.

"Amalie, can I ask you something?"

"I don't know what Nick intended to do to me..."

"No, no, not that. You sounded as though you don't like Detective Song when you were talking about what happened."

He noticed. "I don't dislike her," I say as I then finish my drink. "I don't feel anything to her, but I don't trust her."

He frowned. "Why?"

"She called me a liar. Or that's what I think because of how she looked at me like I was making something up. I told her something, something really important four years ago and she didn't believe me. I haven't told anyone since."

"You mean about your Mom hurting your Dad?"

I shook my head, looking at the now empty cup in my hands. Should I tell him? My eyes went from my empty cup to the detective that sat across from me.

Though a few people were walking about minding their own business, their own lives, my grip tightened on the cup. I felt that this might be my second chance.

After a moment I finally spoke up. "My Dad killed someone," I said to him, I wanted to try again even if nothing came from it. I just wanted to try. "That's what I told her."