Dont Be a Hero

Knottalia Ripcord

No. It was much easier to just wait for her to get there and the two of them do the investigating together.

Her little heels clicked along-side him as she read over the report on their way to the interrogation rooms. Jackson had called down to have the perps brought one at a time to one of the stark white, windowless cubicles. Each interrogation room contained a table, 2 or 3 chairs, and a light. They each had a camera bolted to the ceiling in one corner.

The detectives entered the first room where a young man sat waiting for them in a chair at the table. He looked tired and scared. No surprise there. He was in a lot of trouble. He was only 18 and had never even been arrested, much less tried as an adult. Grand theft auto was a serious felony. The judicial system didn't take it lightly.

Jackson didn't know or care how the judge would deal with the kid. He just wanted to get the information he needed from him and from his accomplice and then be on his way. How they were punished for what they had been caught doing was not his concern.

He set a cup of hot coffee down in front of the kid and pulled a chair out for Macy. She plopped down and squeaked as he gave the chair a little shove, scooting her closer to the table. He took his own seat. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Macy interrupted him and started in on the startled kid.

"Are you trying to get put in prison, young man?" she chirped at him with her brows furrowed, indignantly. "Or worse! You could get yourself killed, do you realize that? Your poor momma's probably worried sick about you! What could possess a boy of your age and upbringing to become involved with people like the ones you were working for? Honestly! You are lucky I don't turn your butt over my knee and paddle you this instant!"

Jackson gaped at her with open mouth. She never failed to shock the snot out of him. Upon what outrageous angle of perception she drew the basis for her actions he had no idea. He highly doubted he ever would.

To his surprise the kid dropped his head down into his arms and sobbed.

"I'm so sorry!" he wailed. "I should never have started hanging out with Chad! He said we'd make a lot of money! Never have to worry about anything. Told me girls would be all over us! I thought we would do it a few times and quit, honest! This was my first time!"

Jackson just stared at the kid. This was so far from how he'd imagined this meeting would go that he found himself struggling to figure out how to regain control. That is if he'd ever had control in the first place.

Macy hopped up and went around to the crying boy. She glared down at him for a moment before putting her cool little hand on the back of his neck. He was sweating and shaking. He lifted his head. His hands were clasped together and pressed against his mouth and his face was pale.

As Macy pressed her cool hand to the back of his neck and then to his forehead and face he visibly calmed and the shaking disappeared. Tension was released from his body at her touch and she cooed down at him gently. "It'll be alright. Don't be frightened." she soothed. Jackson just stared at her, completely confused and at a loss for words.

"I think you've probably learned your lesson. What do you think, Jackson darling?"

Jackson opened his mouth and then closed it again blinking at her. He just wanted to ask the kid some questions and move on but she'd turned the whole thing into something else completely. Now he was having to view the young man as a person. A scared kid in way over his head. What the hell was she trying to do? He didn't need to be concerned about what happened to the little thief!

He had no desire whatsoever to consider whether the little bastard had learned his lesson. He had no desire to be concerned about the kid's mother, either. Or how she must be feeling. Grrrragghhh! Macy was so ANNOYING! He stood to his feet and turned his back to them trying to regain composure. When he turned back around Macy was looking at him. She seemed to be expectantly awaiting his answer to her question.