After dropping Charlie off at home with Fiona, Michael drove up to Papanui Police Station with Finlay. Papanui is a suburb of Christchurch that the Westens now called home. It wasn't as crime heavy as what they were used to in Miami but nor was it a crime free zone. As with any city in the world, crime never sleeps. Not even in New Zealand.
It was standard procedure for field operatives to give civilians pep talks prior to interrogations (ok this was just a police interview but still). However when the civilian is a twelve year child who has only ever dealt with the authorities over the phone...
"Three things," Michael said as he stopped the car. "When we get inside, I want you to stay with me at all times."
"But what if I need to go to the toilet?" Finlay asked.
"You know what I mean," Michael shook his head.
"Just pulling your leg," Finlay smiled.
"When they question you, I want you to answer them truthfully, and try not to look at me when you're answering them." Michael continued.
"Why do I have to avoid looking at you?" Finlay asked.
"Because people are more likely to take what you tell them seriously when you appear confident. Looking to me before you answer a question doesn't make you appear confident." Michael explained.
"Okay, what's the third thing?" Finlay asked.
"Lastly, and this is the most important thing, If you can see that something's not right like if they tell us that it was a suicide and you don't agree with them, don't say anything while we're inside."
"Why?" Asked Finlay.
"Generally speaking, detectives don't like it when they're wrong," Michael explained. "And we haven't got any evidence to prove them otherwise so it's better if we just don't say anything."
"So, am I Finlay or am I Charlie?" Said Finlay.
"That depends on whether or not you want your mother to get involved." Michael replied.
"Does she know?" Finlay asked.
"She knows that something's up but she doesn't know the specifics of it." Michael replied.
"What happens if I decide to be Charlie?" Finlay asked, mining his options.
"If you come clean now and explain that you were lying to protect yourself, they'll probably give you a talking to but it won't get any more serious than that but it will end up involving both your mom and my nephew." Michael explained.
"And if I don't come clean now?" Finlay asked.
"If you do decide to be Charlie, you'll need to stay as Charlie throughout the investigation and they won't just give you a talking to if they find out."
"You sound like you're expecting the case to drag out." Finlay observed.
"Sorry. It's a bad habit that I have. I always plan for the worst case scenarios." Michael explained.
"What's the worst case scenario here?" Asked Finlay.
"The case getting dragged out is one of them." Said Michael.
"What are the other scenarios?" Finlay asked.
"Let's see what the police have to say first," Michael replied as they got out of the car.
Once inside the station, they waited in line just like everybody else. Michael told the officer stationed at the front desk that they were here for Constable Te Wera before sitting down with Finlay in the waiting area.
Waiting for your contact is comparable to surveillance but much less informative. This was one of the reasons why Michael preferred to work off the books. There was no bureaucracy, no competing priorities & much less waiting around.
"You don't have a phone?" Asked Finlay.
"Yeah. It's in my pocket." Michael replied.
"There's three adults in this room. One of them is reading one of the police pamphlets from wall & the other one is playing on his phone." Finlay observed.
"Your point?" Michael asked.
"You're not into the whole must look busy thing like everybody else." Finlay replied.
"I'm just tired," said Michael.
"No, if you were tired, you'd be sitting more slouched and your eyes would be half closed." Finlay observed.
"What are you saying?" Michael asked.
"Whatever you normally do when you pick up Charlie, you're doing that with me right now." Finlay replied.
Again, being accurate as always, Michael had to laugh at Finlay's remark. It had been so long since he'd last been in the field that he couldn't seriously say that he expected there to be an active threat to either himself or Finlay but it never hurt to be cautious.
"Am I annoying you?" Finlay asked.
"No. You're not annoying Finlay." Michael replied. It was actually the opposite. Spending time with Finlay was a cathartic experience for Michael.
Sometime later, they were taken into an interview room to speak with Constable Stephen Te Wera.
"Thanks for coming guys. I really appreciate it." Said the constable as Michael and Finlay sat down. "Now Charlie, your father has requested that you don't see the body, which I agree is a sensible thing to do."
"She's still Ms Richards." Finlay insisted.
"Of course. My apologies. That was very insensitive of me." Stephen corrected himself. "Yes, Michael doesn't want you to see your teacher so he's going to have a look at a photo while we have a quick chat."
Michael found himself being handed a folder while Stephen tried to engage Finlay with small talk. Michael appreciated that the constable didn't start questioning the child without him.
The photo was a head shot taken at autopsy. The cause of death was not visible in the photograph but it was unmistakably Ms Richards pictured in the shot.
Meanwhile, Stephen and Finlay were engaged in a conversation about The Hobbit films.
"I don't know why they make such a big deal about them being filmed here. There's so much CGI in them, they could be filmed anywhere." said Finlay.
"The landscape is still recognisably Kiwi." Stephen laughed.
"And they changed it completely from the books." Finlay continued.
"Those films aren't a direct interpretation of the book. They are a continuation of The Lord of The Rings films preceding them. That's what happens when you switch the filming order. You end up having to make some changes." Stephen gave his take on the films.
"Okay. I'm going to pretend that I know what you two are talking about." Michael looked up from the photo.
"You're not into fantasy?" Stephen laughed.
"Not so much." Michael shrugged.
"Your son is quite the Tolkienist." Stephen remarked.
"Kids these days. They read everything online." said Michael.
"Did you recognise her?" Stephen asked.
"Yes." Michael nodded.
"What happened to her?" Finlay asked.
"We're still looking into it," the constable replied. "That's why we need to ask you some questions."
"What do you want to know?" said Finlay.