Shona notices the quick glance the detective gave her gun. "Can't be too careful," Was all she said before turning back in and Akil follows.
"No, you can't." Akil agrees, seeing what appeared to be Joule's luggage at the desk. "This hers?"
"Yeah. The backpack, too." Shona motions, putting her .22 in her purse.
"Pretty piece," Akil refers to Shona's gun. "Social worker packing?"
"I been in this field a long time and come across different kinds of people. I protect myself and I do have a license."
Akil lifts her hands, letting it be known she wasn't worried. "Who was there when you went to get her stuff?"
"Just Sheryl."
"No Justice?"
Shona shook her head. "Do you wanna tell me what's going on now? What's that girl into?"
Akil stares at the social worker, feeling she deserves to know what she has been inserted into unintentionally from just doing her job. "Brock Preston, Joule's father, was working with the FBI to help bring down a drug operation by helping us put a face to a name we know. Sadly the leader of that organization killed the Preston's before we could get any info. That left Joule's by herself."
Shona felt for the young teen, but also worried about her own safety. "That means this faceless drug lord gonna come question me soon since I placed her?"
"It's a strong possibility."
Shona takes a deep breath, "I was just doing my job."
"I'm gonna make sure you're protected, Shona."
"I wanna believe that, Detective, I do. But the innocent bystanders always lose their life first."
Akil watches a worried Shona pace back and forth. "Do you have any family? Husband, kids? I can send a unit in OKC to pick them up."
"No. I'm single."
"What about family outta town?"
"A sister out in Florida."
"Might wanna call her and ask if you can come stay for a little while." Akil suggests for Shona, "Just to be safe till everything blows over."
"Which will take how long?"
"I wish I had the answer."
Shona sighed, pulling her cell outta her purse as she scrolls and Akil had another question. "How did you meet Sheryl? You sent Joule all the way to her in a whole other city."
"I lived in Gove City back then, spending a summer with my grandma before she died. She knew Sheryl, and told me she was an adoptive parent. We worked together where I placed two separate kids in her home for different purposes. One didn't stay long, just waiting on the judge to approve getting her back and the other one's still there. Dylan Martinez."
"And back then, you never seen her family?"
"Just Warren and Dink. I just met Justice the other day."
"And she never mentioned anybody else?"
"No. Are you investigating the Young's?" Shona asked, wondering why all the questions about their family.
"Oh, no. Just wanted to know." Akil assures, making Shona nod and continue calling her sister.
Shona speaks for a hot second before returning to Akil. "My sister's ready for me. She's gonna book me a red-eye flight, so hopefully I will be up in the air by sunup."
