"Hey, can I help you with something?" asked a short blond lady. Her eyes seemed nice, sweet.
"Yeah, I think you can, I'm looking for someone."I was kinda scared considering I was completely new to Santa Barbara, and the fact that I was asking a cop for help finding a address.
"Sure," she said with a smile that could light the day.
"Um… just one thing. Why are you at the police station alone? I mean, couldn't your mom and dad help you out? I'm sure they would know".
The words "mom and dad" stung me like a wasp. I didn't feel like explaining to her why I wasn't accompanied by an adult, so like any 14 year old would in my position, I lied.
"They sent me here to look for my uncle. I am going to be staying with him for awhile." I really was going to be living with Uncle Henry, but not because my parents sent me. The truth is that my parents went missing just last week (well, my dad anyway, my mom is in a better place) and my uncle is the only person in his right mind who could take care of me. Dad never said he had a brother so I've never met him. I really hope he's got a son my age because I seriously don't want to live with just some old guy for the rest of my life.
"Hey, are you OK?"
Oops. I didn't realize the cop was still talking. I quickly recomposed my self and said, "Yeah, I'm fine, just day dreaming." I chuckled some so she'd be a little less suspicious. She gestured for me to follow her, and i walked close behind her. The place was bustling with officers taking in criminals, transferring case files, and going about their business, laughing and talking. It was kinda hard to focus in on people because I didn't have my glasses on. I stopped for a second to take them out and everything became clearer, and then I saw something that sparked my interest. It was a name, Jack Spencer, on one of the case files that a cop was holding. He was an off beat looking guy, newly wed by the shine on his wedding ring. He turned a corner, and I hurried to catch up with the detective I was following. Finally, we came to a desk with a name tag that read Det. Juliet O'Hara. She sat down behind the desk and then looked up at me.
"So Shakespeare..."I said, trying to avoid a awkward moment. (I never said I was good at it)
"What?" Bullet so not dodged. "Your name… Juliet, you know, like the famous stage play…" Open mouth, insert foot. I was so embarrassed.
"Yeah...So anyway… um, I need to know your last… actually, I need to know your name in general. Who are you?"
I'd completely forgotten to tell her my name. "Spencer, Nick Spencer." Yeah, James Bond style, I'm so cool.
"OK, so your uncle's name is Henry Spencer then...wait a second Henry Spencer's here. Actually, not right now, it's his day off, but he does work here.
"You have a picture?"I pulled a folder out of my backpack and grabbed the picture. I showed her the photo of a bald man with a similar facial structure to mine.
"Yep, there's no doubt about it. You're Shawn's cousin." I immediately grew hopeful. I had a cousin! Just by his name he sounded cooler than Henry.
"He's not here right now, but sooner or later he'll come in with some kind of outlandish premonition," she said as if there was absolutely nothing strange about that.
"Uh… premonition?" She looked at me as if baffled.
"Yeah, you didn't know your cousin was psychic?"
Oh great, I have a whack job for a cousin, what did I do to deserve this? My mind was starting to race. My reaction must have shown because she gave me a look as if she thought I was going to freak out on her. I smiled, hoping to reassure her.
"The family's kind of broken up. We don't really talk to each other much," I said, trying to play it off as no big deal.
"In any case, we have to get you to where you need to go. I guess I can give you a ride to Henry's. He's expecting you, right?"
"Define expecting."
