Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of The OC. They all belong to Josh Schwartz.
A/N: Sequel to "A Bitter Pill": Bob Stankey, head of the group home Ryan stayed at for six months, is ready to stand trial for second-degree murder due to depraved indifference in the death of a teenage boy in his care. Ryan is set to take the stand and testify against Stankey, facing the man who abused him.
This story takes place three months after "A Bitter Pill" ends. Ryan and Luke are friends and attending the public school while Seth is attending Harbor. I'm taking some "liberties" with the time and understand that it would be more like a year or longer for any trial to begin. But, I didn't want to fast forward an entire year so, in this story, the legal justice system works at lightning speed. :-)
A very special "thank you" to Ally R. Swan, Matthewsbj, Linneagb and Guest for the positive feedback. I really appreciate it! :-)
Chapter Seven
Ryan opens his eyes and blinks a few times. He frantically looks around the room then sighs, realizing where he is.
I'm in jail...
He had fallen asleep. Something that had been eluding him for weeks. But he feels anything but rested. All he can think about is the trial. Seeing the confusion on the prosecutor's face when he answered "no" to his pivotal question. Hearing the stir of commotion from the onlookers when they sensed the trial shift in favor of the defendant. Feeling disgusted with himself for lying, but feeling utterly helpless at the same time.
How else could I have kept them safe?
Ryan places his index finger on the cement brick wall. He stares at his finger as he moves it methodically along the indentation between the bricks; slowly gliding it back and forth until it all becomes a blur. He blinks away his tears.
I'm so sorry, Sandy...
"You alright, kid?"
Ryan immediately pulls his hand off the wall and sits up straight. He sees a man in uniform, standing outside his cell.
"I'm fine," Ryan replies by habit even though he feels nothing close to being "fine".
"I'm Tom, Sheriff Hicks deputy," Tom says, noting the boy seems slightly confused after taking a short nap. He's not surprised. He's seen it before. "I want to let you know that your Public Defender will be here shortly to meet with you."
"There's no need," Ryan says, his voice tinged with despondency.
"Well you can talk to him about that," Tom says. "But, in the mean time, is there anything I can get for you?"
Ryan looks at the deputy and musters up whatever he thinks will pass for an appreciative smile.
"I'm fine."
"Very well. When your lawyer arrives, I'll come back and get you," Tom states, shaking his head slightly while taking his leave. He can't believe the boy sitting in the jail cell is the son of Dawn Atwood, recalling when the woman was arrested and the sheriff placed him on duty to take over the next shift. Ray Hicks told him to help himself to the bottle of aspirin in the desk drawer. Tom gave in after a mere five minutes. The woman's incessant complaining coupled with her shrill voice gave him a headache he would never forget.
Ryan watches the deputy leave then lays back down on the hard cot.
What in the world can a lawyer do for me, Ryan thinks to himself. I just want this over and done with. Then everyone will be able to get on with their lives...
"What can I do for you, Sheriff?" the security guard asks.
"I need to see the school security footage from yesterday between 4 and 5pm," Ray replies as he and Sandy enter a small office with multiple computer screens showing up-to-the-minute footage of the school grounds. "I need the footage of the student parking lot as well as the front and east entrances of the school."
"I can do that," the security guard says as he brings up video on a set of computer screens sitting idle on a desk. "But we don't have footage of the student parking lot. Just the entrance."
"Really? Why not?" Sandy asks, somewhat confused. He knows Harbor has security cameras over every inch of the school.
"Budget," the guard replies. "But the cameras take in a wide angle. Hopefully it will be helpful."
Ray and Sandy study the computer screens. After ten minutes of viewing, Sandy notices something suspicious.
"Look... the front entrance," Sandy says, pointing at the screen. "Someone's entering the building."
"Maybe a student forgot a book from his locker?" Ray suggests.
"He doesn't look like a student," Sandy says, taking a closer look at the screen. "And it was really warm yesterday. This guy's wearing a sweatshirt with a hood."
"Possibly to hide his identity?" Ray ponders aloud. "Interesting..."
Sheriff Hicks takes out his notepad and pen and jots down the time stamp on the screen.
4:10pm-man in hoodie, front entrance
Ray and Sandy continue to study the video footage on the screens. After what feels to be an eternity, Sandy again points at the footage of the front entrance.
"There! There he is again," Sandy states. "The guy's leaving, his hands are jammed into his pockets and his head is down."
"There's no way we'll be able to make out a face," Ray says, peering in closer. "Is there anyway you can zoom in?"
"This is it," the security guard replies. "We just don't have the fancy software. If I zoom in, the picture will just become a blurry, pixelated mess."
Ray sighs in disappointment, although he's not surprised. The FBI crime lab would have the software, but not a public school security firm. He makes another note.
4:28pm-man leaving
Another few minutes pass by as all the men study the monitors.
"There's Ryan," Sandy says pointing at a lower screen. "At the east entrance."
"That goes out to the student parking lot," the security guard says. "What exactly are you folks looking for?"
"I wish we knew," Ray says. "We're just trying to track this boy's activities during this time frame. We think something may have happened to him."
"Is he missing?" the guard asks with concern.
"No, but something happened," Ray replies as he makes another note.
4:35pm-R. east entrance
"He doesn't look injured," Sandy says. "I can tell his pants aren't torn. Luke said his knee was bloody."
"I haven't seen any cars leaving the student lot in awhile," Ray states. "Wish we could see Luke's truck."
"There's a van pulling in," Sandy says, pointing at the screen showing the entrance to the student parking lot. "Looks black or maybe dark blue with side doors."
"Maybe a student returning for something he forgot?" Ray asks, posing the question but knowing it sounds implausible.
"I've lived in Newport Beach for far too many years," Sandy says. "And never have I ever seen a kid drive an old black van."
"Mr. Cohen, if you one day decide to give up practicing law, please apply at my office for a job. I swear you're more observant than my deputies," Ray says with a smile as he jots down the information.
4:37pm-black van
"It's Sandy. Please, call me Sandy."
"Very well, Sandy," Ray says, acknowledging the camaraderie and budding friendship.
"There it is again!" Sandy says pointing at the screen showing the student parking lot. "The same van."
"That's strange," Ray says, scratching his chin. "Why would the van be circling around the parking lot. It's virtually empty. There's plenty of places to park."
Sandy nods in agreement as he and the sheriff again peer closely at the screens, both men searching for anything that could explain Ryan's behavior in court this morning. After a few more minutes, Sandy again points at the screen. "There! That's the third time the van has passed by."
"The boy is in that van," Ray states solemnly, realizing now what most likely happened.
"What? What are you saying?" Sandy asks with grave concern.
"Ryan is in that van."
"How do you know?" Sandy asks. "We can't even see Ryan."
"Think about it for a moment," Ray says. "We know Ryan went to Luke's truck. This van has been circling the parking lot, very slowly I might add."
"But, that's kidnapping," Sandy says.
"And Ryan's a minor and if they had a gun..."
"That's aggravated kidnapping," Sandy states as he swallows back a sick uneasiness rising within him. "Something was bothering him last evening," Sandy says, recalling how quiet and withdrawn Ryan behaved. He and Kirsten thought he was just nervous about the upcoming trial. "I even talked to him later that night. I tried to allay his fears. I never thought..."
"No one could ever have foreseen something like this happening," Ray interrupts, hoping to console the distraught father. "Please don't beat yourself up over something you had no control. We need to keep our focus on Ryan and what could have happened to him yesterday."
"Who could have done this?" Sandy asks.
"I'm thinking some of Stankey's lackeys," Ray replies.
"But how could they have known Ryan would be there in the parking lot?"
"This was planned," Ray states. "They've probably been watching the boy for days or even weeks. Figuring out his schedule. Making note of his routine."
"But Kirsten usually picks Ryan up from soccer practice," Sandy says. "Luke driving Ryan home was last minute."
"They were most likely parked out on the street," Ray explains, making a note to himself to have his department look at the street footage. He knows there are cameras posted at every intersection. "All one needs is a good pair of binoculars. They saw the boy exit to the student parking lot and were able to quickly adapt their plan."
Sandy runs his hand through his hair and sighs. To think someone would threaten a kid and possibly even harm him makes him sick to his stomach. He goes back to looking at the computer screens, making a note to himself to look into a fundraising effort to enhance the public school's surveillance system.
"Look! The van is leaving!" Sandy says, pointing at the screen.
"And in a hurry, it appears," Ray adds. "And I'll be... there's Luke leaving the school."
"That must have been the noise he heard," Sandy says. "Luke said he heard a car peeling out of the parking lot."
"Can you pause this?" Ray asks the guard. "I need a copy of the image of this van."
"No problem," the security guard says. "Is there anything else you need?"
"I need a copy of all the footage we've just seen," Ray says as he makes one last notation in his notepad.
4:48pm - L. hears van leave
"Comin' right up," the guard says as he prints off the picture and records the data onto a disk.
"Thank you for all your help," Ray says as he takes all the evidence from the security guard.
"It's been a pleasure," the guard says. "I hope the boy you're trying to help will be okay."
"Believe me, we're not going to rest until he is," Ray states as he and Sandy take their leave.
"What's our next step?" Sandy asks as he walks with the sheriff back to the car.
"Now we need to have a heart to heart chat with Ryan," Ray replies. "And I hope and pray the boy will be able to shed some light on our mysterious black van."