Interrogation
The room was not at all what Dabria had imagined. She had pictured an empty square, with a table in the middle and a single light. She had thought that she was going to be grilled by some grey haired and not so understanding man. But none of that was correct. The room was softly lit by the sun outside, through a window, with some shades halfway closed. It was an office, with shelves containing books and file holders. The big desk in the middle was facing towards the door, and the grey haired policeman sat with his back towards the window. The colour of his hair was the only thing that seemed to check out from her expectations, as the man leaned forward and offered her a mint from a bowl on the table when she wat down. The chair was wooden, and with a padded sitting area, not at all uncomfortable and cold. She took a mint, and thanked the man, unsure what to expect next. In the room, already waiting when they entered, sat Almund. He and Dabria now sat beside each other, listening to the man.
"So, Dabria, me and Almund have talked for a bit now. It would be very helpful if you could tell us what exactly happened when Theadora disappeared." The man said and sat ready with a pen and notepad.
"O-okay. So we both went to bed at the same time. I had a long day so I fell asleep very quickly." Dabria talked slowly, making sure to remember as much as possible. "I thought she did too, I didn't notice her being very awake or anything. We talked a bit, before sleeping, about how things were going to be better now, that I lived with them. Then the next thing I knew, I woke up. She wasn't there. I thought she had already gone up. When I met Almund in the kitchen he said that he hadn't seen her. Then I checked around the house, and couldn't find her. We tried to contact her, but got no answer. No one that I've asked, that usually know where she might be, knows anything."
The man nodded and put down some notes as she told him about the events. He didn't show any sign of anything being of.
"You're story checks out with Almund's at least. She didn't say anything that might have indicated where she might go? Did you talk about anyone that night? Or was she upset about anything?"
"No… Well we talked about her, eh, girlfriend, and relationships." Dabria wasn't sure if Amber was going to give herself that same title when they questioned her. "She was unsure about their relationship, but nothing to serious. It was just banter, that we usually have."
Dabria looked at Almund, she felt a bit weird outing Thea's romance-issues in front of her dad. Almund didn't seem bothered by the talk about Amber however, but rather looked like he wanted Dabria to remember something more useful. She looked back to the cop.
"I had just moved in with them that night. I unpacked some of my stuff and-" She went quiet for a second, remembering something. "And I had forgotten a thing at my old place. I told her that it made me a bit sad, and she offered to help go get it. But we agreed that it wasn't going to be fixed at the time. She said she would think of something, but then we just let it go, I didn't want to talk anymore about it."
Almund and the policeman both sat up a little straighter.
"What did you forget? Would she go back to Tristram's to get it?" Almund asked her, hoping this was a lead.
"I'll ask the questions if that's alright?" The man said and looked at Almund with a kind but stirn face.
"I'm sorry for interrupting." Almund leaned back against the backrest of the chair, trying to force himself to look more relaxed.
"If you could answer the questions though, Dabria. What was it that you forgot?"
"A small thing really. A coin. Not worth much, but it had a special meaning for me."
"Sentimental value can be just as important if not more than economic value sometimes." the cop said, urging her to continue.
"Well I told her that I probably forgot it. And as I said before, she talked about going to get it, but I said that we should just let it go for now."
"I'm sorry, Dabria, but before you said that the two of you agreed on to not go get it. Now you said that it was you who decided it?"
"Erhm… yes? Well I said that we shouldn't go get it, and she didn't say anything about it after that."
"Never trust a silent agreement from any of my kids." Almund sighed and leaned his heads into his hands.
"What?" Both Dabria and the man said.
"I love my children, all of them. But they are as mischievous as they get sometimes. Mostly in an innocent kind of way, but there has been some bigger incidents." He looked at Dabria, and she knew he meant the fire.
"You wouldn't put it past her to try to get Dabrias coin back?" The cop asked Almund.
"I would hope that she is clever enough to not attempt a break in, but if I speak from my heart, then no."
Sel entered the office, after having been collected in the waiting room. He too looked around as he sat down in the chair, taking in all the literature and folders on the walls. He could see the form he filled in some half an hour ago on the desk.
"Selsindyon is it?"
"Sel works fine." He said, and smiled half heartedly at the policeman. "What was your name?"
"Officer Jarvas." The man smiled back, and held up the bowl of mints to Sel.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Jarvas put the bowl back down, and flipped through some notes before looking back up at Sel.
"So, when did you last talk to Theadora?"
"We said goodbye after school ended yesterday. Last I saw of her, she was driving her bike home."
"Her motorbike?"
"Yes."
"You haven't texted her since then?"
"No. I went home, after having passed by a pet store. I spent the evening at home, doing my own thing. I didn't talk to or text anyone. The next morning, this morning, I texted my friends, and some of them answered not Thea though."
"How would you describe her mental state the last time you saw her?"
Sel furrowed his brow, trying to think if there had been anything odd to describe.
"She was happy I would say. They had played a good game of football. She and Dabria had had a talk with Dura, and they were happy afterwards. I guess you already know that Dabria moved in with them?"
"Yes, I've been informed."
"Well, I got a text from Dabria this morning that Thea was gone. And now here we are."
"Here we are indeed."
Jarvas wrote something in his notepad, and scratched the back of his head.
"Sel. Would you think that Theadora was capable of doing something illegal?"
Sel froze. The conversation seemed to have taken a turn he was not expecting. He trusted to law system, to some extent, but was it really wise to mention everything.
"Selsindyon?" Jarvas looked at him, waiting for an answer.
"Well… Everyone breaks the law sometimes right? You know, the accidental speeding or riding without seatbelt?" He tried to finish with a joking tune to his voice.
Jarvas didn't look amused however.
"Sure, let's say that. You mean that she wouldn't do anything bigger than that?"
"I'm not sure what you're asking for?" Sel pushed the question away.
Jarvas eyes looked at Sel, unmoving, as he picked up and flipped through some pages in his notes. He looked down at them and read.
"Theadora with a group of friends accidently set fire to a stable." He quoted and looked at Sel, before continuing. "Theadora entered the Brontes' home, and was physically attacked by Tristram Bronte when she didn't leave per his request."
"She was looking after her sister, she's hardly in fault for being punched in the face!" Sel felt that he needed to stand up for his friends on that one.
"Would you say that Theadora is capable of doing something illegal?" Jarvas repeated the question.
"Why ask if you already know?" Sel crossed his arms, not as keen on cooperating anymore.
"We need to know if we are looking for someone who might have gotten in trouble as a result of potential illegal actions."
"Well yes then I guess! She wouldn't do anything out of spite or hatred though. She always sticks up for her friends. The things you have there," he pointed with his whole hand to the notes. "are only examples of that."
"You burned down a stable to stand up for you friends?"
"It wasn't meant to happen. It's complicated."
"Again, I agree. It is complicated."
Jarvas seemed calmer now, and finished up some writing, before looking back at Sel.
"Thank you Sel. You can go now."
Sel stood up and pulled his hoodie around him, as he headed for the door.
"And next time you go to a police station, try not to smell like illegal substances." Jarvas muttered to him before he exited the room.
"Bree Greenleaf." Jarvas stood in the waiting room again.
Bree stood up, clearly nervous. Sel had seemed tense when he came out just minutes before, and Dabria had just gone to sit in a corner deep in thought. She pulled the sleeve of her shirt over her hands, and looked down at Katkin for some support.
"Are you coming?" Jarvas asked.
"Yes, sorry, I'm coming." Bree started to walk towards him.
"Can we both go at the same time?" Katkin stood up and asked Jarvas.
He had already turned around to leave, and stopped and turned back. He looked at Katkin, and then to Bree.
"Sure. Katkin was it?"
Katkin nodded.
"Come with me then. Both of you." Jarvas turned away and walked down the hall again.
The girls followed him, and Sel watched them disappear into the office. He looked between Dabria and Amber, both clearly not in a talkative mood. He moved to sit closer to Dabria, but she didn't make any sign of noticing him. He cleared his throat, and she glared at him.
"Did he ask you about Thea's criminal activities as well?" he tried to make it sound lighthearted and a bit jokingly.
"No."
"What did he ask you about?"
"About when I last saw her, and what she did and what we said." Dabria said, with a short voice.
"What did she do and what did you say?" Amber suddenly asked from across the room.
"I rather not talk about that." Dabria said.
Sel sensed that she rather not talk to Amber specifically about that.
"She texted me. Yesterday. She wrote that you said that we should be together officially." Amber said, her eyes piercing into Dabria. "What did you talk about?"
"You should try to look for work here." Dabria said, still not wanting to answer.
Sel understood that this wouldn't end in a good place if he let them continue. He cleared his throat again, and stood up, placing himself between them.
"This will not help the situation."
Both girls stood up at the same time, and step towards each other. They were shooting hard glares at each other, and came to a stop with Sel between them. He did not like were he had ended up. He put a hand on each of them, and tried to push them a bit apart.
"Do you know where she is Dabria?" Amber asked with a demanding voice.
"Would I be here if I did?" Dabria rolled her eyes demonstratively. "You're just scared that she's with someone else."
Sel could almost feel the temperature of the room drop, and he looked at Dabria letting her know that she crossed a line. This was not how they were supposed to talk to Amber. Her face showed that she had already realised that though, as she slammed a hand across her mouth. But it was to late, it was already said. Both of them looked to Amber, to see how she reacted. The anger that was previously burning in her eyes, faded slowly as Dabrias words took hold. They saw tears forming in the corners of her eyes, and her gaze became unfocused.
"I'm sorry Amber, I didn't mean to-"
"Save it. We both know what you meant." She cut off Dabrias apology.
"She wouldn't."
"You're probably right. But where the hell is she then?"
Amber sat down, fighting to hold back the tears. They seemed to be a mix of anger, sadness and anxiety. Sel sat down beside her, and put a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it softly. Dabria sat opposite them, and chewed on her lip as she tossed her theory back and forth in her head.
"She might be at my dad's." She finally said. "To get something that I forgot there."
Sel and Amber both looked a bit surprised. Sel had to agree that it sounded a bit like something Thea would do, and he realised that the questions he had gotten made more sense now, if this was Jarvas theory as well.
"Shouldn't she be back now, if that's the case?" He asked.
"We don't even know if that's where she went. But if it was, do you think Thea is any good at sneaking?"
"You think Tristram found her? What could he have done?" Sel thought this sounded a bit to dramatic to be true.
"I truly do not know what Tristram's capable of."
"So should we go and see?" Amber asked.
Amber and the rest of the Fource were not fully aware of Tristram and his doings, or Dabrias relationship with her dad. All they knew was that it was a bit rocky.
"I think we should let the cops do their work first." Sel said, trying to help Dabria. "Let's see what they think after having talked to Katkin and Bree."