Cole

Police

"Are there any witnesses to this assertion you have?", asked Richards.

"I don't know. Amanda would not know as she was drugged and could not witness herself, I guess".

"Why didn't you call her parents to have her taken home instead of...carrying her....   That is weird."

"I did not have a car and did not know anyone.  I just wanted to get her out of there.  I didn't have a phone either.  Carrying her was easy for me.  Plus she lives right near my house."

"Maybe if she does not know you she would not want to be with you, a possible creepy guy, being carried through the night.  We think that is really weird.  Do you think that is weird Mr. Hammond?"

At this point I felt really crushed.  Maybe the officer was right.  Maybe Amanda thinks I am weird and didn't like me taking her home that way.

"I am sorry Officer Richards.  I did not think of that.  She seemed to be okay with me when she woke up."

"Mr. Hammond.  Miss Westbrook is a very nice person.  On the other hand we think you may be a very sick person and we don't like you much. "    He paused for effect.  "At the very least, we think your very suspicious, and you may have committed a crime."

"For this reason", he continued,  "for now, we are going to take some pictures of you, fingerprints, and book you.  We will then release you to your parents until further notice.  Right now we are gathering evidence.  We would like you to wait here until we are done talking to your parents and then you are to go home with them.  You are lucky that you are a minor.  If you were an adult you probably would be sent to prison until further notice.  I want to send you to prison.  I think that is where you need to be.  The prison holds lots of people like you.  I wish we could run you out of this town and never see you again.  We think you are a bad person to have around and we want to get rid of you.   Do you understand?  You are creepy.  You don't even look like a normal person.  Your a danger to our society. "

"Yes sir", I said very sadly.

It seemed my life was probably over.  I was sorry that I scared Amanda too.  She probably was glad I was gone.  I was also thinking that maybe in the end I would go to prison anyway.  I really was not like other people and I thought I really was weird. I thought they should probably lock me up forever.  Amanda would be safer.  I just slumped in my chair.

Officer Richards left the room.  I just sat there.  It seemed like a lot of time passed slowly.

Suddenly, one of the officers standing on one side of me spoke up."Why do you have those big muscles on you, anyway?  Who are you trying to impress?  You probably are dangerous.   Your really weird Hammond. What would you need those muscles for, anyway?  Your a ticking time bomb Mr. Hammond.  I've seen your kind before.  Your gonna have a long rap sheet and die in prison.  You are a waste of the taxpayer's money.  I also don't think you should pray on young girls.  Your sick. You should be in handcuffs right now, or a straight jacket and thrown in a cell."

I did not say anything.  I felt like total crap.  My life really was over.

An assistant officer entered the room and took my picture as well as my fingerprints and left.

I just sat there with ink on my finger tips.  Nobody bothered to clean me up.After what seemed again like a long time the door opened and Officer Richards reappeared.

"Okay Mr. Hammond, we are releasing you to your parent's custody.  You are to stay at home until further notice as we may need you for more questioning.  If you are found away from your home you will be arrested immediately and charged for violating our custody."