I was still staring out the window in the dining room when I saw the cops pull up. Peter was standing out there to meet them and i knew I should go to but I stayed where I was. The fear inside of me was building every second. They walked inside and Peter motioned for me to come with them. I stood up, shaking, and followed them into Peter's office. He held the door open and the police officers went in. Peter squeezed my shoulder again and told me it would be fine. He sta at his desk, and the two officers and I in chairs in front Peter. We were all introduced and Officer Parks got right into it, "Olivia, when you say Jackson Gafferty last night how did he react to you?"
I thought for a moment trying to get passed my being scared so I could help them, "Um . . . well, at first he seemed to be annoyed." Then I stopped. The Jackson force was back.
"Go on." Officer Johnson told me looking up from the pad of paper he was writing on.
"I . . .I . ." I tried as hard as I could to get the words out but they wouldn't come.
Peter looked at me sympathetically and said, "It's okay, Liv. You can talk to them." Liv. No one had called me Liv in so long. Not since Crystal died. Since then everyone had called me Olivia, or Ms. Jacobs, or they didn't call me anything. I think it was the Liv thing that got me going again.
"He seemed annoyed at first," I repeated, "but then he was really pleasant." Pleasant? I thought to myself. Who the heck says pleasant other then really proper people?
Officer Johnson spoke next, "And what did you talk about?"
"Um . . . I just asked him where he was going and I thought he went to school here so I asked what I should tell Peter when I got asked about him. Jackson, I mean."
Officer Parks was silent for moment, watching Officer Johnson write on his paper. When Officer Johnson was finished the other said, "What did he tell you tell Peter?"
"He said to tell Peter that I was helping someone find their hidden treasure. But I don't know what that means?" I told him feeling like I should.
He nodded then asked, "Was there anything in your conversation that you can remember that would give any idea as to what that might mean?"
I thought about that. The feeling of being scared came over me again. I felt like if I gave the wrong answer I would have to go through everything again. I took a deep breathe and thought again about last, trying to take myself back to the point in time. Unfortunatly, she came up blank, "I don't know. I'm sorry. I don't think so." I felt like I was going to cry.
"Okay, thank you, Olivia." Officer Parks said. Then all three men stood up so I followed, "You really helped us out." I gave him a tiny smile.
"We'll keep in touch, just in case." Officer Johnson said. What did that mean? Just in case? Peter and I walked them outside. I could have gone back to my so called breakfast but I had to ask Peter.
After they'd gone Peter turned to walk back inside but I grabbed his sleeve, "What did Officer Johnson mean when he said they'll keep in touch just in case? Just in case what? Am I in trouble?"
Peter looked at me and smiled, "I think he meant just in case you remember anything else. No, you're not in trouble. Why would you be?"
Should I tell him? "I don't know." I shrugged.
"Is this about your friend Crystal?" he asked.
"How do you know about Crystal?"
"It was in your records. Just because the police made a mistake before doesn't mean they're going to do it again. Crystal's death wasn't your fault."
I was shaking my head. "It was my fault. If it wasn't for me Crystal would still be alive." Peter tried to say something to me but I left him before he could say anything else. I went up to my dorm and sat at my desk staring out the window. It was my fault. No matter what Peter said or did and no matter how I felt that was the truth. Because of me Crystal was dead. The court, the judge, Josh, Peter . . . everyone was wrong. Dead wrong.