Curveball—Part I

"Hey, Mr. State's Attorney," a raspy, female voice sang. "I'm free for tonight if you get me out."

Peter sharply looked to his left, every muscle in his face turning rigid once he laid eyes on the prostitute behind bars, moving her hand between her legs in a seductive manner while rotating her tongue in circles. He rolled his eyes and continued following the officer towards intake.

The bright, overhead fluorescent lighting caused his tired eyes to squint repeatedly as the previous exhaustion he felt deep in his limbs from a long week faded to anger upon hearing continued outburst from detainees in cells upon recognition. No doubt he'd be on the news cycle tomorrow.

It was 11 p.m. when he received the call from Zach. He was in bed, sound asleep after a night out catching up and enjoying reserve scotch with a college buddy he'd kept in touch with over the years. He never expected his slumber to be disturbed in the middle of the night by his son calling from the police station, pleading to get him out.

"Dad?"

Peter slowly sat upright in bed as he cradled the phone to his ear and blindly reached out to turn on the bedside lamp. "Zach?" He pulled the device from his ear and checked the time. "Zach, what's wrong?"

"Dad…can you…come get me from the police station?"

He paused rubbing his tired eyes. "Did you say the police station? Why are you at the police station?" He swung his legs over the side of the bed, fully alert now.

"The cops busted a party I was at."

"Whose party and does your mom know you were at a party?" After all, it was her weekend to have the kids.

"Yeah, she said I could go as long as I was home by curfew. And it was Nick's party. His parents are out of town," he mumbled. Nick, the rambunctious kid two years older than Zach who signaled nothing but trouble. For their sake, both he and Alicia hoped their friendship would end once they left Highland Park.

Peter gravely sighed. "Okay, but why are you at the police station?"

"Umm…" He listened intently to the noise of his son's surroundings that was littering their conversation. It sounded like a war zone. "I can't say more now. They're about to book me. Can you please come?"

The unmistakable fear in Zach's voice caused his stomach to contract in knots. He quickly rose from the bed and made his way towards the closet.

"I'm on my way."

He still didn't know the nature of his arrest, other than he was at an unsupervised party and there was a raid. The endless questions cycled through Peter's head once again as he walked through a door adjacent to the backroom arrestees were processed in before detained in holding cells with the rest of the communal pool. He found only his son in what resembled a previous shared office turned storage room. Zach was hunched over in a chair, head down, hands bound by steel cuffs as shivers rattled his slim frame from the chilled temperature of the eerily quiet room. It was all like something out of a movie.

"We thought it best we'd keep him back here, Peter. You know…" the officer said with a nod of his head.

Peter extended his hand in gratitude; it was met with an expectant firm shake. "Thanks, Jack. I really appreciate it." He looked towards Zach again, now staring up at him, his ashen face and wide eyes showcasing the renewed fear.

"Uh, how many kids were arrested tonight?" asked Peter, turning his attention back to Jack.

"Three. Got a call from a neighbor about noise levels from a party. When we got there, it was like a stoners gathering. Long story short, we found your boy and two of his friends with about a gram of mary jane in each of their pockets."

Peter slowly rolled his head back in Zach's direction. Speechless.

"Listen, uh…" Jack leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper, "We had to bring them in to weigh the marijuana and such. Even though it was a small amount, as you know, it's still a municipal violation. I'm not sure how we're going to work out this charge. The boss—"

"No." Peter held up his hand, halting the offer he knew was coming. "No special treatment. But thank you for considering." He gripped his shoulder. "May I have moment with my son before we proceed with the formalities?"

"Sure…sure. Take your time. I'll be right outside when you're ready."

Nodding, Peter watched him go. Once the door closed, he swiveled back around and inhaled a deep, steady breath. His son was arrested and on top of that, in possession of recreational drugs. The situation went from bad to impossible in five seconds.

He strolled over to Zach's seated position, grabbing an adjacent metal chair and swinging it around to face him. The teen didn't move, nor acknowledge his father while he slowly eased into the chair and took a moment to memorize the grave disappointment he represented.

"Are you going to tell me your side now?" Peter's voice sounded like a bellow in a winding tunnel to Zach's ears. It was constricting and chilling. Escaping the controlled wrath seated before him was not an option.

He fiddled his shackled hands as his eyes began to fill with tears from both the precariousness of his situation and the metal irritating his wrists.

"Dad, I didn't know. I swear! I had no idea they'd be smoking pot there."

Peter folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head to the side, analyzing his choice of words. "But you were expecting it to be smoked somewhere else?"

"No! I didn't know there would be pot at the party."

"Who are they, Zach? Who was smoking it and how did it get in your pocket?"

The teen swallowed nervously. "It was Brad…and Nick."

He looked around, making sure the coast was clear. Even though they were the only persons in the room, in the back of his mind, someone was somehow listening through the brick walls. He continued, "They were in a corner smoking, it, and then a lot of other kids joined in and started smoking, too. When we realized it was cops coming in to break up the party and not Nick's parents, I don't know…" He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess one of them jammed it in my pocket."

Peter narrowed his eyes. "Did you smoke any?"

Zach hesitantly met his gaze. "No…"

Peter leaned forward, his mouth thinning in a tight line. "So you're going to sit there, high, and lie to my face, Zach?"

"Dad I'm not high!"

"I've seen dozens of people under the influence. Your eyes are glazed. You're sweating." A pause passed between them, the smeared truth unwelcome and unprecedented. "If you're not high from marijuana, then what drug did you try tonight?" he asked after not hearing him refute.

"I just…I had a drink."

"And now underage drinking…" Peter muttered under his breath.

"It was only beer." Peter's eyes widened at his casual admittance. "Dad, you let me have beer at home," Zach quickly accounted.

"That was only once and it was only a little, Zach," he seethed. "Not enough to have you buzzed like you are now nor was I encouraging you to drink in public. Underage."

Exhaling a breath, Peter rose and began to pace in circles. "Just beer, that's it?"

Zach rotated his sore wrists in the cuffs, avoiding his gaze.

"Answer me, Zach."

"Yes," he slowly responded. "And I—I took a small hit of the pot. But I didn't like it. It's gross and it burns."

"Was this your first time doing both?"

Again, Zach looked away. "No," he murmured.

"God, this just gets worse and worse. Your mom…" Peter's head snapped back in his direction. Alicia. He forgot to call Alicia. "Your mom is going to lose her mind."

Zach sat up straighter, his eyes pleading for salvation. "Dad, do we have to tell mom? You're the State's Attorney. Something can be worked out, right?"

Peter looked at him as if his he had grown a second head. Did both his children walk around with this clout of entitlement?

"No. Not only were you at a party drinking and possibly high, you are also a teenager that was caught in possession of marijuana, Zach! I am not pulling a favor to give you an easy pass," he yelled. Turning away from him, he reached in his pocket for his cellphone. "I can't believe this…"

"Dad, I'm sorry."

"For what, Zach? Not getting rid of your bag before the cops showed up?" he spat, placing the phone to his ear.

Zach quickly swiped a tear and looked away. Peter turned from him and walked towards the only window in the room. A small, square window with a sore view of the twenty-four hour pharmacy two blocks down the street. He momentarily got lost in the graffiti painted on the side of the building and of patrons stumbling through the sliding, double doors when his brows furrowed upon hearing Alicia's muffled voice answer the phone.

"Alicia, where are you?"

"I'm about to leave work. Is something wrong?"

He checked his watch. It was fifteen past midnight. "You're at work this late? On Saturday?" As if on cue, the sound of Will's voice in the background asking her about a file was clear and distinct.

"Yeah, it was last minute. A client may go to death row on Monday. K-kalinda got a break with some evidence. We've all been strategizing for the past two hours." He listened to her words, not readily answering. "Peter, what's going on?"

He ignored the pressing question he wanted to ask. "I, uh, need you to meet me at Cook County police station right now." He turned back to Zach. "Our son was arrested tonight."

"What?" she screeched. "He went to a party earlier, but should be home now. His curfew is midnight. He even texted me he was home. IN BED!"

Peter closed his eyes and pinched the skin between his brows. "Unfortunately, he's here, at the station handcuffed instead."

He heard her quickly excuse herself followed by the sound of a door slamming, letting him know this was about to escalate even more. And she hadn't even arrived yet.

"What was he arrested for?!"

"Calm down."

"Pet—"

"Alicia, calm down. I'll fill you in when you get here. Just drive safely, alright?"

"Peter, you—"

"Alicia, I'll tell you when you get here," he said sternly. "Okay?"

A long pause passed. He knew she was weighing the option of whether to proceed with this battle. "Okay. I'm leaving now."

Ending the call, he turned back to his son. "If you think you've had a bad night so far, it's about to get worse."

Zach hopelessly looked up at him, knowing he was right.

# # #

The door to the room swung open, causing both men to pivot their gaze towards the entrance. Alicia felt paralyzed in the moment, unable to move as she ingested the scene filling her vision. Her eyes briefly met her husband's then swept to her forlorn son before she turned and closed the door. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she took careful strides towards Zach, her mind replaying the instance last year when he told her he never lied…that he was being a good boy. Pain weaved with anger seemed to soar through every bone in her body as she stood before them, giving each a look of exasperation.

"Alright, I'm here. Why is my teenage son in Cook County lockup at midnight when he told me he was home in bed?"

Peter folded his arms as he looked to the subject of the hour. "Zach, tell your mom why you're here."

He licked his lips and swallowed the budding lump in the base of his throat. "Nick's party got busted by the cops and they found marijuana in my pockets."

Alicia felt she would faint. Her eyes grew wide as she slowly looked from him to Peter then back to him again. "Did I just…can you repeat that?"

Zach sat up straighter, sighing. "I was arrested for possession of marijuana tonight, mom."

She slammed her purse down on a nearby table, the rage pumping through her veins reaching a level of uncontrollable. "You told me you weren't doing that, Zach!"

Peter looked between them, wondering when that conversation happened.

"And I wasn't! I'm not now."

"Don't lie to me again," she said through gritted teeth, her threatening tone causing Peter to draw back.

"Mom, I'm not lying. I wasn't lying before...about that. I didn't do it."

"But you said you tried it tonight, Zach," chimed in Peter. "And you had beer."

Alicia slowly looked back to him. "So you lied?"

"No," he groaned. Lowering his laden head, he buried his face within his sweaty palms. "I don't know. I just want to go home."

"Home?!" She moved closer to him, her voice rising by the seconds, not caring if others outside heard them or not. "Zach, you are in custody of the Cook County Police Department! Do you—"

"Alicia." She looked to Peter, his gaze telling her to simmer down. Now was not the time for a lecture. "We do need to get him out. We can discuss this more at home."

"Why bail him out? Maybe he needs to spend more time in here with his drug dealer friends."

Zach sat upright at the accusation. "They're not drug dealers, mom."

"Then how was marijuana in your possession?!"

"I think some kid slipped it in my pocket when the cops came to shut down the party. I never had any drugs on me before that."

"Why put it in your pocket? Why not someone else's?"

"Because he's our son," said Peter.

She closed her mouth, extinguishing the fireball she was about to hurl. The severity of his statement just hit her, the rage blinding the meat of the situation. Being his wife came with a price when he first entered office; and their family became collateral. She despised it just as much then as she did now. No matter how many times Peter promised he would die before he let anything happen to them, she knew even he could not keep that forlorn debt paid. It became her vow to ensure their children were never partial to that sacrifice. But even life had no regard towards her maternal control. Once they left this room, it likely would no longer be a family matter.

"So, what's the details of his arrest?" she asked, calmer.

Peter uncrossed his arms and massaged the tension gathering at the base of his neck. "There was only a gram on each of them, so a municipal violation charge. There's likely a fine—probably a couple hundred. I said no special treatment."

She took a second to process the latter of his response, realizing this situation could get even worse. "Have you paid it?"

"No. Was too shocked to get that far."

She nodded. "I'll go take care of that so we can get home to Grace. I called her on my way here. She's fine waiting by herself but sounded a little scared."

"There were two other kids arrested with him—I think Nick and Brad. Do you mind checking for them too, if they're still here? I'm not sure if their parents were contacted yet…or their situation."

"Sure. I'd also like to talk with their parents."

"Together," he said knowingly.

She eyed him, the flash of annoyance reflected in her orbs telling him she didn't need a chaperone.

"Of course," she said reluctantly. "And I'll see you both at my apartment so we can continue this."

Peter moved closer to her, leaning down towards her ear, speaking in a hushed tone, "Alicia, I think it's best we talk about this later today once all of our minds are clear. I don't want Grace overhearing this tonight; Zach can stay with me. When you're ready, come by my place and the three of us will talk."

"No, we need to handle this tonight, Peter! He's going to think this is okay," she practically yelled, piercing their son's attention.

"Mom, I know it's not okay," Zach groused.

Alicia leaned around Peter, her quick action nearly causing him to stumble back as he quickly latched his arm around her waist, refraining her from going over to the defenseless teen.

"Do you, Zach? For all I know, you've been operating a business out of the apartment for months."

"Alicia." Peter grabbed her arm, tugging her back to face him. "Please."

She yanked her arm from his grasp. "Why are you so calm about this?"

"Trust me, I'm as livid as you are. But I'm also trying to be rational. Let's just pay his fine and get him home."

She shook her head in frustration. "I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight. Not until we talk, Peter."

"Then maybe you should go back to work with Will." It was a sore dig. One that took her anger from one hundred to one thousand.

"You're kidding, right?" When he arched his brow at her, she all but slapped him. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," she said through clenched teeth.

At that moment, the officer opened the door.

"Sorry to break this up folks. But, will his fine be paid or are we keeping him overnight?"

"We'll be handling the fine in a minute, Jack," said Peter.

Alicia looked back at Zach. "I'll see you later." She didn't say another word as she eyed him before giving Peter an equally menacing glare and walked out the door.

Peter's shoulders slumped as he raked a hand through his hair. Looking back to his son, he realized aside from changing his first diaper, this was a rare time in his life in which he felt truly helpless.