"Look kids, me and Kirsten need to go to the police station and do some
things," Sandy said as he picked up his plate and got some more eggs.
"What? You can't just say something like that and just leave us here!" Seth said.
"Ok, so you're saying I should go to the police station with four kids?" Sandy said sarcastically.
"Sandy, it's my mother and I think I should be there," Marissa said as she stood up.
"Yeah me too Dad. It is my step grandmother we're talking about," Seth said as he too stood up from the table.
"And I think I should go too. I've known Julie my whole life and I totally need to help Coop through all this," Summer said.
"Marissa, you can come. The rest of you can stay here and um take care of the house," Sandy said as he finished his eggs.
"Take care of the house?" Seth said, disappointed.
"Yeah, you know like water the plants and bring in the mail and stuff like that," Sandy replied.
"So you guys get to go visit a criminal mastermind while I stay here and water plants? I seriously need to get a life," Seth said as he walked up the stairs slowly.
"I'm going to go get dressed and then we'll leave ok Marissa?" Sandy said as he walked to his bedroom.
"Ok, that's fine," Marissa replied then sat down at the table to finish her breakfast.
"Are you gonna be ok? I could come with you if you wanted me to," Ryan said.
"No, it's ok. I think this is something I just have to do for myself," Marissa said shaking her head.
"Ok, but if you need anything I'll be here, watering plants," Ryan said as he rolled his eyes.
"No, Seth is watering the plants. You get to bring in the mail," Marissa joked.
Ryan laughed, "No way. I guess you didn't know this but I have a black belt in watering plants."
Marissa laughed for a few seconds. "Well, I better go take a shower," she said as she stood up and walked into the bathroom.
Seth and Summer went into his room and shut the door. Seth plopped on the bed.
"I can't believe my dad isn't letting me go to see the convict," Seth said.
"Cohen, it's not that big of a deal. Nothing's really gonna happen there anyway. They'll probably sign a few papers and leave." Summer said as she picked up Captain Oats.
"Nothing's gonna happen? Are you kidding? This will be talked about for years. This is National Enquirer material!" Seth said as he took Captain Oats from Summer.
"Ok Cohen, seriously. What's up with you and that horse?" Summer said as Seth carefully put Captain Oats back in his designated spot.
"He just doesn't like to be handled so roughly. Is that lotion you have on your hands hypoallergenic?" Seth said as he patted it on his head.
"No why?" Summer said as she looked at the lotion bottle.
"Because, he is allegic to certain kinds of lotion!" Seth said with wide eyes.
"Ok, well I'm gonna leave before you really start to freak me out," Summer said as she walked to the door.
"Ok, but if he develops a rash you're paying the medical bills!"
Marissa got out of the shower and get dressed. Just as she came out, Sandy and Kirsten came into the kitchen dressed. "Good timing," Sandy said. "Ok, let's go if everyone's ready."
They all three walked out the door and drove to the police station. They walked in and Sandy went up to the secretary.
"I'm Sandy Cohen. I'm here to speak with the officers regarding Julie Cooper," Sandy said to the woman.
The woman flipped through what looked like some type of planner and stopped at a page. "Yes, they've been expecting you. Go down the hallway and go into the second door on the left," She said as she pointed to the hallway.
"Thank you," Sandy said and they all three walked down the hallway and went into the door. There were two officers sitting at a table and on one of the walls was a two way mirror. Julie was sitting in a chair looking uncomfortable on the other side of the mirror.
"Hello, I'm Officer Moore and this is my partner Officer Jennings. I assume you're Sandy Cohen?" the officer asked. Officer Moore was a young guy that looked to be in his early twenties with short brown hair and a goatee. Officer Jennings looked older, maybe in his mid fifties with balding grayish hair.
"Yes," Sandy said as he shook Officer Moore's hand. "And this is my wife Kirsten and this is Julie's daughter Marissa."
Officer Moore and Officer Jennings shook all of their hands and then they all sat down at the table. "Ok," Officer Jennings said, "I'm sure you're all aware of the autopsy results?"
"Yes," Sandy replied and Kirsten closed her eyes to keep from crying at the memory.
"Let me just give you a quick summary of what happened. Around two-thirty this morning, Julie was apprehended by Washington State Police. Apparently, she was trying to cross the border into Canada. A police report was given to the surrounding states with Julie's description and an officer recognized her, and she was put into police custody and eventually she was brought back to Orange County Police custody. From the police search of her car, a large sum of money was found in the trunk that was the exact same amount of money that was missing from Mr. Nichol's banking account. We also found a baggie of an illegal poison that was found in Mr. Nichol's blood. So we have reason to believe that she killed Mr. Nichol then stole his money and tried to flee the country," Officer Jennings said as he read a piece of paper on a clipboard.
"Wow. I, I just can't believe that Julie would be capable of that," Sandy said as he shook his head.
"We do have the money, and after you sign a few papers you and your sister Hailey are the legal recipients of it," Officer Jennings said as he put the papers they had to sign on the table.
"I don't care about the money! I just want to see Julie get what she deserves!" Kirsten shouted. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Kirsten," Sandy said as he gestured toward Marissa.
"No, it's ok Sandy," Marissa said, "My mother can rot away in prison for all I care."
Sandy shrugged and he and Kirsten signed the papers.
"Thank you, that's all we needed," Officer Moore said.
"When are we going to be able to talk to Julie?" Sandy asked.
"Well, she's going to be interviewed this afternoon and it's expected that she'll make a confession. But to answer your question the earliest you'll be able to see her is tomorrow," Officer Moore said.
"Ok, thank you," Sandy said and the three of them left the room and drove home.
"You can stay here again tonight if you want to Marissa," Kirsten said as they stopped in the driveway.
"Thanks Kirsten," Marissa said.
"Well, look who's home!" Seth said as the three walked in the door. Seth and Ryan were sitting on the couch playing video games. "The plants are watered and the mail is in." Seth said in a pretend excited voice.
"I knew I could count on you two," Sandy said as he took off his shoes.
"Dear God, your feet smell like butt," Seth said as he plunged his nose. "Odor eaters are a good thing, Dad."
Sandy ignored him and left the room.
"So how was it?" Ryan asked Marissa as she plopped down beside him on the couch.
"Well, my mom's a murdering theft. They think she'll confess to it though," Marissa said.
"That's good," Ryan said as he fought Seth in the ninja game.
"You know, we should just all get away from this. We should like, take a vacation or something. You know, like a road trip," Marissa suggested.
"Hmm...looks like someone needs to be reminded of when we got that brilliant idea last time! Perhaps you forgot us getting caught by the police," Seth said sarcastically.
"Yeah, except this time we won't be running away from the police," Marissa said.
"Cool, we won't be running away from the police we'll be running away from our problems! Sounds good to me. What about you Ryan?" Seth said.
"I'm in," Ryan said as he beat Seth at the game for the millionth time.
"I'll call Sum," Marissa said.
"Yah!" Seth yelled.
"What? You can't just say something like that and just leave us here!" Seth said.
"Ok, so you're saying I should go to the police station with four kids?" Sandy said sarcastically.
"Sandy, it's my mother and I think I should be there," Marissa said as she stood up.
"Yeah me too Dad. It is my step grandmother we're talking about," Seth said as he too stood up from the table.
"And I think I should go too. I've known Julie my whole life and I totally need to help Coop through all this," Summer said.
"Marissa, you can come. The rest of you can stay here and um take care of the house," Sandy said as he finished his eggs.
"Take care of the house?" Seth said, disappointed.
"Yeah, you know like water the plants and bring in the mail and stuff like that," Sandy replied.
"So you guys get to go visit a criminal mastermind while I stay here and water plants? I seriously need to get a life," Seth said as he walked up the stairs slowly.
"I'm going to go get dressed and then we'll leave ok Marissa?" Sandy said as he walked to his bedroom.
"Ok, that's fine," Marissa replied then sat down at the table to finish her breakfast.
"Are you gonna be ok? I could come with you if you wanted me to," Ryan said.
"No, it's ok. I think this is something I just have to do for myself," Marissa said shaking her head.
"Ok, but if you need anything I'll be here, watering plants," Ryan said as he rolled his eyes.
"No, Seth is watering the plants. You get to bring in the mail," Marissa joked.
Ryan laughed, "No way. I guess you didn't know this but I have a black belt in watering plants."
Marissa laughed for a few seconds. "Well, I better go take a shower," she said as she stood up and walked into the bathroom.
Seth and Summer went into his room and shut the door. Seth plopped on the bed.
"I can't believe my dad isn't letting me go to see the convict," Seth said.
"Cohen, it's not that big of a deal. Nothing's really gonna happen there anyway. They'll probably sign a few papers and leave." Summer said as she picked up Captain Oats.
"Nothing's gonna happen? Are you kidding? This will be talked about for years. This is National Enquirer material!" Seth said as he took Captain Oats from Summer.
"Ok Cohen, seriously. What's up with you and that horse?" Summer said as Seth carefully put Captain Oats back in his designated spot.
"He just doesn't like to be handled so roughly. Is that lotion you have on your hands hypoallergenic?" Seth said as he patted it on his head.
"No why?" Summer said as she looked at the lotion bottle.
"Because, he is allegic to certain kinds of lotion!" Seth said with wide eyes.
"Ok, well I'm gonna leave before you really start to freak me out," Summer said as she walked to the door.
"Ok, but if he develops a rash you're paying the medical bills!"
Marissa got out of the shower and get dressed. Just as she came out, Sandy and Kirsten came into the kitchen dressed. "Good timing," Sandy said. "Ok, let's go if everyone's ready."
They all three walked out the door and drove to the police station. They walked in and Sandy went up to the secretary.
"I'm Sandy Cohen. I'm here to speak with the officers regarding Julie Cooper," Sandy said to the woman.
The woman flipped through what looked like some type of planner and stopped at a page. "Yes, they've been expecting you. Go down the hallway and go into the second door on the left," She said as she pointed to the hallway.
"Thank you," Sandy said and they all three walked down the hallway and went into the door. There were two officers sitting at a table and on one of the walls was a two way mirror. Julie was sitting in a chair looking uncomfortable on the other side of the mirror.
"Hello, I'm Officer Moore and this is my partner Officer Jennings. I assume you're Sandy Cohen?" the officer asked. Officer Moore was a young guy that looked to be in his early twenties with short brown hair and a goatee. Officer Jennings looked older, maybe in his mid fifties with balding grayish hair.
"Yes," Sandy said as he shook Officer Moore's hand. "And this is my wife Kirsten and this is Julie's daughter Marissa."
Officer Moore and Officer Jennings shook all of their hands and then they all sat down at the table. "Ok," Officer Jennings said, "I'm sure you're all aware of the autopsy results?"
"Yes," Sandy replied and Kirsten closed her eyes to keep from crying at the memory.
"Let me just give you a quick summary of what happened. Around two-thirty this morning, Julie was apprehended by Washington State Police. Apparently, she was trying to cross the border into Canada. A police report was given to the surrounding states with Julie's description and an officer recognized her, and she was put into police custody and eventually she was brought back to Orange County Police custody. From the police search of her car, a large sum of money was found in the trunk that was the exact same amount of money that was missing from Mr. Nichol's banking account. We also found a baggie of an illegal poison that was found in Mr. Nichol's blood. So we have reason to believe that she killed Mr. Nichol then stole his money and tried to flee the country," Officer Jennings said as he read a piece of paper on a clipboard.
"Wow. I, I just can't believe that Julie would be capable of that," Sandy said as he shook his head.
"We do have the money, and after you sign a few papers you and your sister Hailey are the legal recipients of it," Officer Jennings said as he put the papers they had to sign on the table.
"I don't care about the money! I just want to see Julie get what she deserves!" Kirsten shouted. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Kirsten," Sandy said as he gestured toward Marissa.
"No, it's ok Sandy," Marissa said, "My mother can rot away in prison for all I care."
Sandy shrugged and he and Kirsten signed the papers.
"Thank you, that's all we needed," Officer Moore said.
"When are we going to be able to talk to Julie?" Sandy asked.
"Well, she's going to be interviewed this afternoon and it's expected that she'll make a confession. But to answer your question the earliest you'll be able to see her is tomorrow," Officer Moore said.
"Ok, thank you," Sandy said and the three of them left the room and drove home.
"You can stay here again tonight if you want to Marissa," Kirsten said as they stopped in the driveway.
"Thanks Kirsten," Marissa said.
"Well, look who's home!" Seth said as the three walked in the door. Seth and Ryan were sitting on the couch playing video games. "The plants are watered and the mail is in." Seth said in a pretend excited voice.
"I knew I could count on you two," Sandy said as he took off his shoes.
"Dear God, your feet smell like butt," Seth said as he plunged his nose. "Odor eaters are a good thing, Dad."
Sandy ignored him and left the room.
"So how was it?" Ryan asked Marissa as she plopped down beside him on the couch.
"Well, my mom's a murdering theft. They think she'll confess to it though," Marissa said.
"That's good," Ryan said as he fought Seth in the ninja game.
"You know, we should just all get away from this. We should like, take a vacation or something. You know, like a road trip," Marissa suggested.
"Hmm...looks like someone needs to be reminded of when we got that brilliant idea last time! Perhaps you forgot us getting caught by the police," Seth said sarcastically.
"Yeah, except this time we won't be running away from the police," Marissa said.
"Cool, we won't be running away from the police we'll be running away from our problems! Sounds good to me. What about you Ryan?" Seth said.
"I'm in," Ryan said as he beat Seth at the game for the millionth time.
"I'll call Sum," Marissa said.
"Yah!" Seth yelled.