Impossible Choices

Chapter 3 - Oprah, Wheel of Fortune and a Suspect

Cheryl's head snapped up as well and for the first time in almost an hour, Mrs. Peabody was silent.  She cleared her throat and said, "There is no need to shout, Lieutenant.  I didn't realize you were hard of hearing or I would have spoken more loudly."  She then repeated her previous statement in a much louder tone.  "I said, I thought it was odd when I saw Kendra out front by herself.  Her mother is a bit over protective and rarely leaves her by herself.  I was watching Oprah and she had Dr. Phil on and he was talking about how …."

"Mrs. Peabody," Steve interrupted, "about Kendra?" 

With a slight glare in Steve's direction she continued.  "I was getting to that, I was going to tell you how long she was out front by herself.  I noticed her right when the show came on and didn't see her mother again until about 25 minutes later." 

Steve stopped writing and looked up.  "Mrs. Peabody, forgive me I don't watch much daytime TV what time does Oprah come on?" 

Looking at Steve as if only an alien didn't know what time Oprah came on she replied, "Why 5:00pm just like it always has." 

Steve's jaw muscles tightened and he took a deep breath.  "Mrs. Peabody, why didn't you mention this when the officers questioned you yesterday?" 

With a look that indicated just how stupid a question that was, Mrs. Peabody explained as if talking to a small child.  "Well, Lieutenant, they were here at 7:00pm.  That is when Wheel of Fortune is on and my attention was there not on that mess across the street.  I asked if they could come back later when I wasn't busy but they insisted on talking to me then.  You know I think the whole lot of you could learn some manners."  As she ended her small sermon her expression was one of reprimand. 

Ok Stevie boy settle down this one needs to be handled with kid gloves, he thought to himself.  "I'm sorry if we appear rude, Mrs. Peabody; that is certainly not our intent."  A sideways glance at his watch saw it quickly approaching 7:00pm.  Oh great, my murder investigation is about to get stalled because somebody wants to buy a vowel, he thought with a small amount of humor.  "Mrs. Peabody are there any other details that you didn't tell the other officers about?" 

She sat considering his question for a moment before she responded.  "Well now that you mention it I do recall seeing Kendra running from the side of the house back to the front.  I thought maybe her brother was chasing her but that wasn't the case.  She came back out front and sat on the front porch.  That is where she was when her mother came back."

Cheryl's look to Steve spoke volumes.  They may have gotten the break they needed.  With an ease that acknowledged their time spent working together, they both rose and thanked Mrs. Peabody for her time and made their way out of the house.  As they settled in the car they spoke almost in unison, "Wow!" said Cheryl. 

"Great," said Steve. 

Cheryl tilted her head to one side and a slight frown marked her features.  "Ok, I give what's up?  You don't sound very excited."  Silence was her only response."Yo, Lieutenant Sloan?" 

Steve slowly turned his head and said, "Cheryl, that mother probably killed her son and in all probability her daughter witnessed it.  Are you really looking forward to questioning a 7 year old girl about that?" 

Cheryl's expression sobered.  She had been so excited about a solid lead that she had not yet considered the repercussions of the new evidence.  Her mood changed; she looked to Steve and said, "So what's next?  I doubt that Child Protective Services will act on this and remove Kendra.  We are going to need to talk with her first and see what she tells us." 

Steve ran his hand along his jaw as he considered their next move.  They really had nothing firm.  Mrs. Peabody's story contradicted Mrs. Rayburn and Kendra's story but that was not enough to arrest someone for murder.  They really needed to talk with Kendra alone and he wanted his father with him when that happened.  Mark had a way with children that Steve was under no illusions he shared.  He would also like to get his father's impressions of Mrs. Rayburn.  Reaching a conclusion he said, "Let's call it a night.  Tomorrow morning before I come in, Dad and I will come by the house and talk with the Rayburns.  I want to get his impressions of them.  If things work out maybe I can get he and Kendra together alone while I ask the parents some more questions." 

Cheryl eyed him speculatively.  "Ok that tells me what you are doing in the morning.  What exactly am I am going to be doing?" 

Steve paused before responding.  "I want you to check Mrs. Rayburn out.  I want to know what her former co-workers thought of her.  She volunteers at school what do the other parents think of her and I want you to light a fire under Child Protective Services and get Kendra out of there." 

Cheryl's eyes glinted with amusement.  "Is that all?  Don't you have some laundry that needs to be picked up?  Shall I have your breakfast ready when you get in?" 

Not completely sure if she was teasing or not Steve hesitated before answering.  "Cheryl," he said in his most pleading tone.  "Not to be stereotypical or anything, but you know the majority of her co-workers were probably women, you also know that the majority of the parental volunteers she likely works with are women.  We know I don't do well talking with women….watch it," he said as her mouth turned up in a full fledged smile.  "They would be more comfortable with you.  And as for Social Services, you are more diplomatic then me and do you realize the amount of paperwork," he stopped abruptly before continuing.  "They like you better," he completed with a smile that had been known to melt hearts. 

Cheryl's was no exception.  Oh this man did know how to push her buttons.  No one could do boyish charm like Steve Sloan.  When he looked at her like that with that tone she found it difficult to refuse him anything.  Holding her hands up in mock surrender she replied, "You win.  Whatever you want."  She was laughing now and as she looked back at Steve she could see that he was laughing as well.  Well at least he looks more relaxed, Cheryl though to herself.

After dropping Cheryl off, finalizing his notes from the day's interviews and updating the captain on the status of the investigation it was 10:00pm.  He was tired, hungry and frustrated.  He somehow felt he was failing Kendra.  He suspected her mother was a murderer; how could he leave her in that house?  Even though logic told him he couldn't have prevented Kevin's death, he still felt like he had failed him.  Kendra had told him that Kevin said that policemen kept people safe.  With the suddenness of a sledgehammer pounding him in the head, the irony of that thought hit him.  Even with everything he had been through Kevin still maintained his innocence.  He had been abused on multiple occasions but never lost his belief that policemen protected people.  Up until the day he was murdered, he probably still believed that the police would save him.  Steve felt a surge of anger course through his veins.  He would not fail Kendra

As he entered the house and shut the door behind him, he shut his eyes and briefly leaned back against it.  When he opened his eyes his father stood watching him with a mixture of affection and concern in his eyes.  "Hi, Son," he said. 

"Hey, Dad," Steve replied.  As he started up the steps, Steve asked, "How was your day?" 

As his son joined him on the landing, Mark replied, "Not to bad.   It was a little busy this afternoon but that made the time pass quickly.  Any new leads on the case?" 

As Steve moved towards the kitchen, he responded over his shoulder, "Yeah we had some developments.  One of the neighbors remembers Mrs. Rayburn leaving Kendra alone out front.  She also said that she saw Kendra running from the side of the house back to the front.  The side she ran from is where the driveway is and the fence across there is chain link.  She may very well have seen the murder." 

Mark shook his head.  "Steve, Kevin had suffered physical abuse and Kendra may have suffered that as well but it is a certainty that she has endured mental abuse.  You can't live in a home with an abuser and not suffer it.  If she saw the death of her brother; she may be too traumatized to actually remember it."  Steve nodded his agreement.  "I know, Dad, that's why I want you to go with me tomorrow.  I would like to get your impressions of the mother, but mainly I would like for you to talk with Kendra.  I will be following up with some questions for her parents so you could probably get her alone." 

Mark nodded his agreement.  "I would be glad to go.  My concern right now is you.  I kept a plate warm for you.  We can talk more while you eat." 

Steve smiled his appreciation at his father.  "Thanks, Dad."

After eating and talking with his father, Steve went downstairs to take a shower and go to bed.  It was after 1am when he finally climbed into bed.  He wanted to be at the Rayburn's by 9am so he was in for another short night.  As he lay back, his mind was still racing.  He lay quietly and breathed deeply trying to clear his head so that sleep would come.  Though it took a while, sleep eventually claimed him.  It was not to last long though.  Once again Kevin Rayburn came to ask him why he hadn't kept him safe.  Steve jerked awake and looked at the clock.  The glowing numbers seemed to mock him with the same number as before 4:30am.  "I'm sorry, kid, I'm really sorry," he muttered under his breath.  As with his previous rude awakening, he knew his sleep was done.  He stumbled over to the couch and flipped on the TV.  Maybe if he watched some shows he would be able to carry on a conversation with Mrs. Peabody the next time they talked, he thought wryly.  Much to his surprise he drifted off to sleep was roused by his father banging on his door.  He jerked much the same as he had when he overslept for school and his father roused him in a similar fashion.  "Coming, Dad," he replied sleepily.  He opened the door to find Mark fully clothed and ready to go.  Mark couldn't help himself; he had to laugh.  The large man before him more resembled the small rumpled child he had been, rather than a tough homicide detective.  If only some of the thugs he had arrested could see him now.  Steve muttered an apology and told his Dad to give him 30 minutes.  Still laughing to himself Mark made his way upstairs to wait for his son. 

True to his word, Steve came up the steps 30 minutes later.  His hair was still wet and he was tucking his shirt into his jeans and clipping his gun onto his belt as he made his way towards his father.  Mark stopped working on the crossword puzzle from the morning paper and looked over the top of his glasses at Steve and said, "You know, Son, oversleeping at this stage in your life doesn't mean a trip to the principal's office like it did when you were in school." 

Much to Mark's amusement Steve jerked and blushed.  "Dad, she was someone we needed to interview for the case and nothing more.  I overslept because I turned my alarm off and then dozed off on the couch.  It had nothing to do with Miran…., I mean Ms Keating." 

As Mark rose from his desk he continued to laugh.  "Whatever you say, Son.  Are you ready to go?"  While still shoving his shirt into his jeans Steve nodded yes.

As they approached the Rayburn's home Mark commented on the Norman Rockwell qualities of the neighborhood.  Steve told his father he had experienced similar thoughts when he traveled through the area the day of the murder.  As they pulled into the driveway, Steve resisted the urge to look across the street to see if Agnes Busybody was looking out the window.  He had decided on the new name for her this morning while he had been showering.  He just had to hope that when he talked with her again he wouldn't let the new name slip out. 

As they got out of the car Steve took a moment to look around.  Things looked so normal no one would ever dream that a child was being abused behind the walls of this house.  He and Mark moved towards the house and as they approached the front door Steve felt one of his internal alarms going off.  The front door was ajar.  Holding his hand behind him to stop his father Steve motioned towards the door and indicated that his father should wait on the porch.  Mark nodded his understanding. 

Steve stepped through the door drew his gun and moved slowly into the house.  He had only moved a few steps when he felt someone behind him.  He jumped and swung his gun around only to find his father behind him smiling sheepishly.  Steve dropped his gun to his side and whispered, "I told you to stay on the porch." 

Mark shrugged his shoulders and said, "I figured maybe you could use the backup."

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Steve said, "Ok, but stay behind me and at the first sign of trouble I want you out of here.  Understood?" 

Mark bobbed his head in agreement.  As they moved through the house Steve noticed nothing out of place.  As they moved deeper into the house, Steve thought he could make out noises coming from the family room.  As he entered the room his gaze first fell on the pair of feet he could see sticking out from behind the couch.  He heard a sharp intake of breath from behind him and looked around the rest of the room.  There standing in the doorway between the kitchen and family room stood Sharon Rayburn.  Standing in front of her was Kendra and in her hand she held a gun that was pointed directly at Steve's chest.