They wanted to know everything…But…could I tell them everything? Everything about my life…could I really sum it up to these two men I barely even knew? Not even Nathan or the Romanos knew all that had happened to me.
"I wanted to visit home, for the anniversary of my grandfather's death. He's buried in a cemetery not far from the house. I brought Todd with me and-"
"Your son. We didn't know his name so we couldn't find his birth certificate for the foster home. Would you happen to have it somewhere?" the younger inspector asked. I froze.
"I…I don't have it…"
"Oh well, we'll get one from the state. Do you have his social?"
I sat there, silent, thinking.
"He's…not my son…"
The younger inspector looked surprised, but Morrison did not.
"If he's not your son, who's is he?"
I never really set myself in the title of a mother, I just kind of fell into the roll. And for some reason, other people seemed to think Todd was my son. But, for some reason, admitting that he wasn't made my chest feel tight.
"He was the kid of a married couple in the last town I visited. He was locked outside his house so I let him stay the night at…the place I was staying. In the morning, his parents were gone with all their stuff. I was taking care of him for a little while."
"Why didn't you take him to a police station?"
Why didn't I? Aside from growing to love him, I don't think I could've taken him anywhere with Nny around. I didn't like doing brash things when he was watching. Like I'd once said, even doing the right thing sometimes makes him upset.
"I just didn't. I'm sorry, but he was so upset…I didn't want to leave Todd alone."
Morrison nodded calmly, not moving otherwise.
"Let's skip back to the incident. You say you knocked out Nathan Hughes and put him behind the house in the pool shed."
"Yes…I did. Where is Nathan? Is he alright?"
"He had a little bit of a concussion, but he's in holding at the moment. Has been for about a few days now. He's a suspect at the moment. But if he was in the pool shed the entire time, he's only a person of interest."
I felt a little better, but I felt bad about having to stash Nathan away like that, especially after…what I said…
"But please continue. Nathan Hughes was in the pool shed because?"
"Oh…Well…I…got a phone call from…my father…"
Both the inspectors ears seemed to perk up now. I took a deep breath and swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in my throat.
"He called…and told me that…that he was…"
I couldn't get the words out. I held my head in my hands and closed my eyes, breathing a bit quicker.
"He said…he was coming to the house…he was…going to kill me…I just…I just w-wanted to protect everyone. I told Todd to stay in the bedroom upstairs…and locked the door…after that Nathan found me and I…did what I did…Then…he came…"
I twisted my blanket in my hands, a nervous wreck. Recalling all of it was so difficult…
"…He was going to kill me…I knew that I didn't stand a chance…But…I got a cleaver from the kitchen and…I…"
"Alright…I think that's enough for today. Miss Foreman, I think you need a bit more rest before any further measures are taken. You just stay and recover some more and we'll be back soon with Todd's release papers." Morrison said, standing up and taking his coat in his arm. The other inspector stood up with him, ready to leave. I nodded, catching my breath and hoping my heart would stop pounding. They both gave me friendly looks and stepped out, leaving me to myself.
I sighed, running my hand through my hair. It was getting a little to long…It needed a cut, a fresh start, like I did.
"I wonder what I can persuade Christine to do?"
Tony and I slipped back into the car, and I got out a pack of cigarettes from the glove box.
"What's going on Sir? You seem to be keeping quiet about something. Something big…
I opened the pack to see that there was nothing inside, further fueling my frustration with the situation.
"Think about it logically Tony…" I sighed. "That young woman with the stab wound told us she was going to murder without a second thought. You saw how worked up she was when she was telling us."
"Sir? What about the boy?"
"We can't release him to her yet. Self-defense, former battered child or not, I saw and heard a very traumatized woman up there. Before she or that boy go anywhere, she needs to be psychologically evaluated."
"Sir…Are you sure?"
"Tony…"
I started the car, letting the engine start up and turning to him.
"We might have our killer."
'I hate this…'
Sitting in this alley…my ribs poking at my lungs, threatening to go straight through them. Gritting my teeth and bearing through it seemed like my only option. I just sat there, hissing in pain and trying not to move, spitting out words that would make a sailor cry like a little girl and run away.
My only company seemed to be a couple of old hobos at the end of the alley. They just sat there, whispering and laughing at me through their teeth, or…lack of teeth. If I could move, there would a very concerning lack of hobos in that alley.
"Hey, boy! You're makin' an awful lotta noise over there!" The hobo in the dirty orange hat said to me, chuckling like an old lunatic.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you got in pretty bad scrape there! What's wrong, bar fight?" said the hobo in the green jacket.
"Shut up." I wheezed, trying not to breath in too hard.
"Aw, leave 'um alone Earl!" orange hat said. "He's in some pain!"
Still chuckling, yet defending me. Sarcasm is a hell of a thing, it is.
"Hey, you think he almost died? He looks like hell Pauly…You think we should tell somebody?"
They both started howl-laughing and it echoed through the alley. I wanted so badly to get near them…to take out my knife and relive the good old days when I painted the walls of that house with the blood of asses like these two. But, I sat through it, hoping heal just enough…
"Son, you ought to learn to lay low out here. People don't take kindly to folks like us getting rowdy and slumming about like drunken idiots. You'll realize sooner or later that we aren't meant to draw eyes and turn heads. We stay down, kid."
"Are you still talking?" I asked, rubbing my neck. It hurt a little, but not as much as my chest and my leg. Mr. Abusive Dad guy cut into it, but not enough to draw a lot of blood. I could feel the crusty beginnings of a scab already.
I thought about Squee and the old couple in that alley. I even thought of the bitch. No good thoughts there, but thinking kept my mind off of the pain, good or bad subjects included.
I thought of the girl in that alley too. I wondered if my makeshift treatment was enough to keep an infection away. I wondered if she didn't mind me fighting her battles for her. I wondered if she was even alive. I knew a stab like that wasn't usually fatal, but things can go wrong.
I wondered in that alley for so long, I wondered if I would be able to wonder again anytime soon.
'I think I'm losing my mind…more than I already did…' I thought. 'Damn…I'm hungry…What I wouldn't do for a chocolate chip cupcake right now…'
Well everyone, I said it would be out soon, didn't I? It's a little shorter than last time, but it's not very late!
Okay, it's a little late, but another part for that art contest snuck up on me, as well as the A.C.T.'s. Those things were super sneaky!
A lot went down this chapter huh? Interrogations, suspicions, hobos…SIGH!!!
Time for reviews!
To Pissed Off Irish Chick-
I know! An update!! And as for Nny, I guess you found out, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!?! Tee hee…
To reddogf.13-
I sometimes have to reread the story too, so don't sweat it! And…the link doesn't work…Is god himself conspiring against me seeing these bookmarks!?! HUH!?!
To Dark-Harichan-
Wow…Once again, sorry about your arm, but I pretty much got Joygasm, pawn shop, souls of children, Nevada, and pigeon coop from that. And the Dr. Tran reference.
On my dad's truck there's a decal of Dr. Tran peeing on another truck logo.
SUB-ZERO RAPE COASTER!!!!
To bloddy raptor-
I hope the suspense killed you good and hard. D:
To Cherry Flavored Grenades:
Thanks for showing me I'm not alone in that. And I hope this story isn't secretly going out at night dressed as Dolly Parton and slaying it's readers in the night. That'd be messy…I'll keep on writing and keep her murderous rampage under control.
To -
THE TRUTH-A…SHALL SET CHU FREE!!! And yes, Johnny was in this chapter, in a hobo hating ensemble today, lovely choice of fashion for the season. And who knows about Squee…Maybe next chapter he'll get brushed up on. And Nathan will get his limelight again, like chapter 17, but smaller and less flashbacky…
Anyway, thanks for reading, and thanks for keeping the hope alive for every character!
Except Danny's dad. He's gone. Forever.
I checked this time, he's dead.
-SmileyPenguin