The Polaroid Girls

Chapter 5

A/N: Hello my lovelies, and happy Tuesday! I hope you're having a good day and I hope my next chapter makes it an even better one. I don't have a whole lot to say or update you guys on this week, so I'll keep this short and simple.

Thank you for reading my story and thank you for taking time out of your busy life to support me and my work. I *sincerely* appreciate it. c:

Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow me if you're interested. And don't be afraid to reach out with any questions, concerns, or feedback. I'm always eager to hear back from my readers. So thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy Chapter 5!

Also, above, I've attached a picture of Josie. She's a beauty, isn't she? ^-^

"Look man, I don't know anything about this girl. You've got the wrong guy." Dale Cooper had been sitting in the station's interrogation room for over two hours.

Royce had met up with Eric outside Dale's house but when they went to the door to ask for him, his wife told them he was on a trip out of town with his father. But he was expected to return Saturday afternoon. Royce gave her his number to call when he returned. Like clockwork, Saturday afternoon, around 2:00 p.m., he received a call from Dale himself asking why the police were looking for him. Royce explained they had questions for him in regards to the Natalie Cabell case and they needed to speak to him. Twenty minutes later, he showed up at the station and asked how he could help.

Eric pushed Royce's printed description of the suspect toward Dale and pointed at the outlined part on the man's appearance.

"This little girl was abducted from her own front yard two weeks ago and this is the description we have from an eye witness, Dale. Sound familiar?"

Dale's eyes traced down the paragraph until he looked up at them in disbelief.

"You can't think I did this. It wasn't me, I don't even know the girl."

Royce leaned forward in his seat at the table, interlocking his fingers and giving Dale a hard look.

"You have a white '93 pick-up registered under your name. Whoever took Natalie put her in a white Dodge pick-up and drove off. You match the description given by a witness. You live two streets away. Now, where were you on the 23rd at 4:30 p.m.?"

Dale's eyes ping ponged between Eric standing over the table and Royce sitting across from him. He was wired and worried, his eyes wide and his back stick straight. Royce leaned his head a little closer and raised a brow, waiting.

"I--" Dale scratched his head, pushing up his black John Deere baseball cap and showing his sweaty, matted hair. His eyes flickered back and forth on the table top. "I was in Atlanta. I swear! There was a John Deere conference for the franchisers and it was mandatory attendance. Ask my wife! Call James Oregen too, he was the organizer of the conference. I was there the whole week and didn't get back until today."

Royce jotted down the conference planner's name and the date and time of the conference. He leaned back in the metal chair and crossed his arms, peering at the sweaty and nervous man across him. He had been helpful and eager to answer all of their questions since the moment he arrived. And even though he matched the description and he owned the correct make and model of the truck they were looking for, he didn't seem guilty of this crime. Something in Royce's gut told him that Dale wasn't their guy.

"We'll check on your alibi. But I still need to ask about your truck." Royce continued.

Dale let out a tight, exasperated sigh and slapped his hands on the table.