Closing Argument
By Jelsemium
Amazingly enough, not for any challenge. I wrote this February of 2007, from an idea that I got from reading Scurvy's "Trust" story, although this story is in no way connected to "Trust."
Thank you to missmissa85 for pointing out my conscious/conscience mixup!
Agent Don Eppes was mortally certain that Julia Escondido knew that her sons were involved in the carjackings.
He was also certain that she knew more than a little about the chop shop where the Escondido boys did their business, although there was nothing to indicate that Mrs. Escondido actually did business with them herself.
However, the petite owner of the used car lot was stubbornly clinging to her story. "Dios mio! I don't know what you are talking about. My sons are good boys. They couldn't possibly be involved in such a crime!"
Don exchanged looks with his partner. Agent Megan Reeves. Megan gave a little nod, indicating that he should carry on.
Don took a second to collect his thoughts before continuing his arguments.
As dainty as Mrs. Escondido looked, she wasn't a pushover. Pushovers did not build a used car dealership from the ground up, especially not in this neighborhood. Don was going to have to appeal to her common sense and maternal instincts.
"Look, Mrs. Escondido," Don said. "We know you want to protect your children. It's only natural. However, impeding a federal investigation is not going to help them."
Mrs. Escondido looked skeptical.
Don took a deep breath. "In fact, it can only make things worse because it's only a matter of time before one of the victims is hurt or killed. Grand theft auto is a walk in the park compared to first degree murder with special circumstances."
He heard a faint rumble, like a heavy truck passing on the street outside the dealership. He ignored it to concentrate on the woman in front of him. If she was nervous, she wasn't showing it. In fact, she looked downright annoyed.
Julia Escondido threw up her hands. "How many times must I say it, Agent Eppes? I know nothing of these carjackings! May God strike me down if I am lying to you!"
The rumble turned into a roar and Don's stomach gave a sudden lurch as the ground under his feet went from a trustworthy solid to quivering jell-o. Something in the outer office fell with a crash. Outside in the lot, car alarms started blaring.
"¡Madre de Dios!" Mrs. Escondido cried out.
The light fixtures swung and Megan took a few steps backwards and braced herself against the doorframe to the outer office. Don made a mental note to tell her that wasn't considered safe anymore. The door could start swinging and hit her.
Meanwhile, he was suppressing his own ingrained response of diving under the nearest piece of furniture. It wouldn't look professional, he thought, especially since the nothing in the office showed signs of collapsing.
Besides, there was only one desk in the room and Mrs. Escondido was already underneath it.
In less than a minute, the roar subsided to an irritated grumble and faded away completely. The ground settled into a more comfortable position. The ceiling lights continued to swing, but with much less conviction. The car alarms continued wailing for their mommies.
When Don was convinced that the slight quiver he felt was actually the effect of adrenaline rather than moving tectonic plates, he walked over to the window and looked out. It seemed to him that he could see dust rising from the San Gabriel Mountains, but that might have been his imagination.
Aside from that, he did not see any obvious signs of devastation. His family was probably all right, but he would call them as soon as he had the chance. The airwaves were probably jammed right now, anyway.
He heard Megan murmur something and turned around in time to see her helping Mrs. Escondido from under the desk.
"I will tell you everything!" Mrs. Escondido blurted, wild-eyed. "Just don't… just don't hurt them!"
"I'll do what I can," Don promised Mrs. Escondido over the wailing of the car alarms. "But there are some things that are in the hands of a higher power."
Back in headquarters, Don and Megan were content to merely observe the interrogation. David and Colby needed something to do to take their mind off the quake, anyway.
Moreover, they had a lot to do. Mrs. Escondido knew far more about the carjacking than even Don had suspected. In fact, she knew a lot of about a lot of things, including crimes that Don would have never suspected her sons of being involved in.
He wondered what Megan had said to put the woman in such a cooperative mood.
Megan kept ignoring Don's interrogative looks, so Don finally came right out and asked. "Why is she being so helpful?"
Megan grinned. "I'm guessing she wants to be sure that she has a clean conscience," she said.
"And you didn't say anything to encourage that?" Don asked with a touch of skepticism.
"Well, I did point out what had happened when she challenged God to strike her down for lying," Megan said. "That may have… shaken her up a bit."
Don barked out a laugh, and then headed to his desk to call his dad and Charlie.