Case 36: Courter in Yellow

After Soccer Practice(49)

"No, just in her bag, the team that's been watching over her haven't noted any signs of withdrawal. She's probably just selling, or carrying for someone."

"Has anyone asked her?"

"Yeah," Robbie sounded offended I doubted him, "She said it's her boyfriend's."

"Shitty boyfriend." Wendy commented.

Rebecca jumped as the door opened, pale blue eyes locking on me, "Look I'm sorry he just didn't want his dad to find it. I swear I don't do drugs. I don't even like that he does drugs!" Her voice was shaky.

Over my shoulder I squinted at the group of them, she's just a kid. Before anyone could come in after me I closed the door, my trust level with the lot of them was on the floor.

"Relax, your test came back clean." She sighed, relieved even though she already knew she hadn't taken any. I know that anxiety personally, I sat down across from her, leaning in against the table.

"Why am I still here? My parents are going to be worried." Her eyes flicked around the room again, weary of the camera's in the corners.

"I would assume they've been notified but I can have them called for you."

"Don't I get a phone call myself or something? Right?" Her voice was high and breathy, panic long taken over.

"You haven't gotten to make a call yet?" I turned a judgemental glare on the two-way glass.

Rebecca was already shaking her head, "The other man said something about the first 48 hours? I don't know. Please let me call my dad."

My phone was already in my hand, on and ready for her. She snatched off the table and I noticed at the very least she wasn't cuffed to it.

It only rang twice before the other end was picked up.

"Hello?"

"Dad!"

"Rebecca! Where are you? Your mother has been in a frenzy when you didn't come home after practice! You know we don't care if you go to Chelsea's for the night but you have to text us." He spoke quickly, voice moving from worried to firm.

"Dad- I'm not at Chelsea's I-" she hiccupped, crying now, "I got arrested."

"Arrested! Rebecca what did you do! Where are you! What happened!" Anger and concern battling in her fathers voice.

"David- He-"

"I'll call my lawyer Rebecca, do not say anything till we get there ok?"

"Dad-"

"Rebecca. Tell me you won't say anything."

Her eyes landed wide on me. I did my best to keep my face neutral and friendly, her dad was doing all the right things and after the night she's probably had it would be good for her to wait for some adults on her side.

"Ok. Yes."

"I have to hang up now to make another call."

"Ok." The call ended.

She stared at me, put my phone back down on the table making no effort to hand it to me or slide it any closer. She watched me pocket it. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. If it's ok with you though I'd like to still talk to you, maybe ask you some questions you can just think on. I'm I wrong to assume after the night you've had you don't want to be alone in here anymore?" I did my best to soften my voice but not to talk down to her.

She was still as stone for a long moment, thinking hard, finally she must have decided nodding was safe.

"Ok. Like I said the fentanyl is not what I'm worried about, frankly possession without use is weak. What we are really worried about is the officer's badge found in your things. You heard about the attack on the police stations right?"

Again she bobbed her head.

"That badge was one of the many that went missing during the attack. As you should also know it was the Fourth Circle behind the attack. So presumably anyone found with any of the stolen items was either a part of the attack or associated with the Fourth Circle." Wide eyes, tapping purple nails.

"I'm not-" she caught herself, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"Even if that's true some way or another, someone near you is, someone gave you that badge. Either the person who gave it to you is or they know someone who is."

I sat in that room with her for an hour, I'd only left for a minute to grab a cup of coffee and my computer. I talked to her occasionally, asking her if she could remember the name or many a nickname of the person who gave her the badge. To those questions she shook her head vehemently to others, about what sport she plays or classes she's taking, she only stared. Keeping her promise to her father not to say anything.

A knock came to the door before it opened, a pair of men, the younger in a nice suit and the older in a gray button up and slacks. The older of the two was graying, maybe a few of the gray hairs were new from today's events, a look of stress consuming his features.

"Dad!" Rebecca sprung from the chair, she was about to hug him but the younger of the two reached out and kept her at arm's length. Rebecca stopped short of collapsing, "It's ok," her dad said, I thought to her. The other man, their lawyer, dropped his outstretched hand. Rebecca's father pulled her into a tight hug, after a beat she hugged him back, they pulled apart within seconds.

Leo cleared his throat from behind them, "We should get seated. I'm having an extra chair brought in."

"Rebecca is under 18, her father has a right to be present as well." the lawyer reiterated for no one in particular.

"Of course, everyone, come have a seat." I turned one of the chairs on my side over to the other side of the table, waiting on my feet for the new chair to be brought in. "This shouldn't take too long."

Rebecca answered every question we had, she still insisted she didn't know the boy's name or how many more badges he had or was giving out. After asking my questions Leo led in with his, I spent the time watching Rebecca and her father, their interactions felt estranged, almost forced. Rebecca barely looked to her father, more often sending glances to the lawyer. She didn't seem reliant on him like a normal teen would in a situation like this. Her father was all stone, not a single reassuring word or gesture, only pushing back on us if we asked something he didn't like. He snapped at Leo when he asked where Rebecca was the night of the raids, yet he barely blinked at me when I insinuated Rebecca's boyfriend David as the one who gave her the badge.
By the time the three of them left, I was digging up everything I could find on Rebecca and her family.

What was, till my phone rang with the caller ID "Bill". I picked up on the first ring. 

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Getting closer to the end~