"I'm sorry Luan, we'll do what we can," Rita Loud told her daughter. "The Cranes are an influential family in this town. They can also afford a better lawyer than we can I'm sure."
"I don't know if $10 is worth going to court over," Lynn Loud Sr. said, sadly. "But it does really grind my gears! To think, people who are supposed to be so prim and proper and have such an impact on the community stiffing a child out of hard earned money!"
Luan scrubbed at her eyes, her typical cheery demeanor nowhere to be seen. Her mind went back to the end of the party. Mrs. Crane had approached her as she was packing up her equipment. The woman handed her a twenty dollar bill.
"Ma'am, my half hour fee is $30 for the act you asked for," Luan told her, not impolitely.
"Yes well, you need to keep working on it, I found it subpar."
"Subpar?" Luan said, incredulously. "Your son told me he loved it, along with several of the other kids and their parents. Everyone seemed to have a good time. Plus, $30 was the agreement. You can't back out of that just because you didn't like it."
The woman told her that she could take the twenty or leave with nothing and had two men escort her to the sidewalk. Luan not knowing what else to do, had just pulled her cart home. She'd gone up to her room without speaking to anyone and pulled her blanket over her head. Luna had tried to get her to talk about what was troubling her, but Luan remained silent under the blanket. Luna sent their parents to talk to her when they arrived home an hour later.
"So the Cranes verbally agreed to the $30?" Rita asked.
"Mr. Crane did. I never spoke to Mrs. Crane before the party."
"Very good," Rita said. "In some cases verbal agreements are as legally binding as written ones. We have a case."
"But dear, it's $10," Lynn said. "I don't see us having the money to fight a drawn out court battle, even if we won and had the Cranes pay the attorney fees as part of the settlement. It could take years."
"I know, Lynn. It's the principle of the thing. No one cheats my child!"
"I totally agree with you on that point. How about we speak with Mr. Crane himself first? He was the one who made the agreement."
"OK fine, I'll go call him now," Rita said.
Rita turned to her daughter and kneeled down to be eye level with Luan as she sat on her bed.
"Don't be discouraged, sweetie. This is going to come up from time to time if you are in the line of work you are in. There will always be someone who doesn't like what you do, even if there was nothing wrong with it. There will always be someone trying to get something for nothing. You just have to keep your chin up and keep doing what you love, OK?"
Luan leaned forward and hugged her mom tightly.
"Thanks, mom."
It had been two days since the birthday party and Luan had returned to her cheery, pun flinging self. The elder Lynn had been unable to get ahold of Alvin Crane either at his house or at his work, leaving multiple messages. He had been told by Mr. Crane's office and his house staff that the Cranes were away. Everyone connected to the Cranes was unwilling to speak to Lynn. His housekeepers in particular.
He told Luan not to worry, he would handle the issue. He was just trying to keep her chin up. He fully believed at that point that the Crane family was trying to stiff Luan on the $10. His plan was to have a sit down with Luan that evening after dinner to talk to her about their options for getting her money. Lynn had also discussed their options with his friend, John Parker, who was an attorney.
John wasn't optimistic about their chances at winning a case against the Cranes over $10. They had influence in the community and he knew that the Cranes had one of the top attorneys in the state on retainer. If they could get it to court the Louds would undoubtedly have their names dragged through the mud.
Lynn vowed to continue calling the other family. He wasn't going to let this drop. Seeing how crushed his funny girl had been made him see red. One way or another the Cranes were going to pay. Whether it be the $10 they owed Luan or through public humiliation.
"Public humiliation!" he thought. "Now there's an idea!"
Aloud he said,
"I could make flyers, write an opinion piece in the newspaper or even better have a reporter do a story on how Luan was cheated!"
"What are you shouting about dear?" Rita asked, walking into the kitchen where Lynn Sr. had been washing the dishes.
The doorbell sounded in the background and the parents heard multiple sets of feet race to the door, along with the shouting that usually accompanied any group effort from their eleven children. They let the kids deal with whoever it was at the door.
"Oh, I was just thinking of ways to stick it to those Cranes, I..."
"Mom, Dad!" came several simultaneous voices from the front of the house. "You two need to come out here!"
Lynn and Rita hurried to the living room. Lori, Luna, Lincoln, Lola and Lisa we're standing around the room. With them was a uniformed police officer and a middle-aged woman in a suit with a leather briefcase.
"Good afternoon, I'm Officer Mitchell with the Royal Oaks Police Department," the officer said. "Are you Mr. and Mrs. Loud?"
Lynn noticed at that point that the man was holding a folded up piece of paper in his hands.
"Yes I'm Lynn Loud Sr. and this is my wife, Rita. What can we do for you officer and...?"
"My name is Olivia Munson. I'm a probation officer with this county's juvenile court."
She extended her hand and shook both Lynn's and Rita's hands. She handed Lynn her business card.
"You're from the juvenile court?" Rita asked. "I don't understand. Why are the two of you here?"
"We're here for your daughter, Luan," Officer Mitchell said. "I have a warrant for her arrest. We often have an officer of the juvenile court involved with the arrest and filing of charges of juveniles."
Rita felt like the floor had fallen out from beneath her. Lynn was rendered speechless and just stared open mouthed at Ofc. Mitchell and Ms. Munson. A murmur of dissent went through the Loud kids in the room.
"Arrest Luan?" Rita stammered in disbelief. "For what?"
"For larceny and burglary," Ofc. Mitchell responded. He handed Rita the papers he had been holding. "This arrest warrant has the details of the charges."
Rita took the warrant in her hands, but didn't do more than glance at it. Her brain was unable to process the written word at that moment.
"I still don't understand. Luan would never, never, commit any crime, must less larceny and burglary. She gets a little overexcited about April Fool's Day, but she would never steal anything. Who's accusing her of these things? What is going on?"
Rita looked towards her husband. His eyes appeared to be bulging from his head and his mouth hung open, the human equivalent of a computer blue screen. He would be no help.
"A valuable diamond bracelet was stolen from the home of Alvin and Susan Crane," Ofc. Mitchell said. "They noticed it missing two days ago, during the evening of their son's birthday, after the party they had held was finished. Luan performed at the Crane's as a magician, correct?"
"Yes, and they stiffed her $10…" Lynn blurted out too quickly. He could feel the color draining from his face as he realized he had just provided the cop with a motive for the theft. "But, she would never, could never do something like that. She is a kind hearted and trust worthy girl."
Luan's siblings sprung to her defense.
"You're insane if you think she would do something like that!" Lori shouted.
"The odds that Luan would commit a crime of any sort are infinitesimally miniscule," Lisa stated, matter-of-factly.
"Whaaa, she'd never do that!" Lola said.
"Blimey, aren't you bobbies arse-backwards," Luna said, her mother throwing her a dark look.
Lincoln could only shake his head.
L"uan steal…anything? That is not possible," he thought.
"What my children say is true, even with the swearing," Rita looked pointedly at her 15-year-old, "Luan wouldn't steal from someone. Even if they had wronged her."
"I'm sure we can get everything cleared up," Ms. Munson said. "But, we have to go by the law now. The warrant was issued by a judge and we have to do as he or she ordered. Where is Luan?"
"She's not here!" Lola blurted out, jumping to the stair case, spreading her arms to block the way up.
Lynn sighed. He knew there was nothing he could do or say to prevent Luan from being arrested. He would just have to find Luan innocent in court, if he could. The Cranes, as he had noted multiple times in the two days prior, had deep pockets.
"Lola, stop that!" Rita exclaimed.
"Luan should be in her room," Lynn said. "I just have a question, before I let you arrest her. I need some more facts to be able to wrap my head around this. Why do the Cranes think Luan took it? When was the last time they saw the bracelet? A diamond bracelet is hardly something you wear and see everyday."
"Fair questions," Ofc. Mitchell said. "Which will all be answered once we get to the station. Since she is under eighteen, you or Mrs. Loud or both even, should be present during questioning."
"I'll go with Luan," Lynn said. "Dear, could you stay with the rest of the kids?"
Rita nodded as she guided Lola from the bottom stair of the house's staircase. Lynn led Ofc. Mitchell and Ms. Munson up the stairs and down the hall to the room Luan shared with Luna. Rita kept Lori, Luna, Lincoln, Lola and Lisa corralled in the family room. Lynn could just hear their comments of disbelief as he climbed the stairs.
Luan was lying her bed, the bottom level of a bunk bed. Ear buds were pushed into her ears and she was reading a clowning magazine. She didn't look up until they were all in the center of her room. She pulled the ear buds from her ears, tossed aside the magazine and stood up. The teen looked from one person to another, puzzled.
"Who are they?" she asked her father.
"This is Officer Mitchell and this is Ms. Munson. She is a probation officer for the juvenile court," Lynn said, pointing to the other two as he said their name. "They are here to arrest you."
Luan's brows creased in confusion.
"What?"
"The Cranes had a diamond bracelet go missing," her father continued. "They have accused you of stealing it."
"I didn't!"
Lynn stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder, kneeling down to look her in the eye. Tears were brimming in her eyes, about to spill down her cheeks.
"I believe you Luan," he said, softly. "But, you have to go with them to the police station. I'll be going with you too. I'm sure it is just a mistake and we can clear everything up. Will you cooperate with them?"
Tears were streaming down Luan's face now. She scrubbed at her eyes and gave a shaky nod. She looked to Ofc. Mitchell as he stepped forward. Lynn stood and stepped back.
"Miss Loud, you are under arrest on the charges of larceny and burglary, I'm going to read you your rights now," Ofc. Mitchell said, not unkindly. "It's called a Miranda Warning. I'm not going to ask you any questions regarding the charges, but it is just a precaution, OK? They will be reading them to you again once you are at the station. If you have any questions about what any of this means, please ask.
"Alright, Miss Loud, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?"
Ofc. Mitchell paused and looked at Luan.
"I understand," she said.
"With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?" he continued.
"I don't feel like talking to anyone right now," she said, looking at the floor. Tears were still streaming down her face.
"Are you going to be cooperative and walk down to my patrol car?" the officer asked. "That way, I don't have to place you in handcuffs."
Luan wiped the tears and snot from her cheeks and nose with her sleeve and nodded. Ofc. Mitchell and Ms. Munson stepped to either side of her bedroom door and motioned for her to step through. Luan hugged herself as she walked from her room, down the hall to the stairs. Ofc. Mitchell walked directly behind her and Ms Munson and Lynn were directly behind him.
Once Luan was at the bottom of the stairs, her siblings expressed, loudly, their belief that Luan was completely innocent. Luan didn't even look in their direction. A feeling of shame was consuming her. Rita rushed forward to embrace her, but Ofc. Mitchell put out an arm to stop her.
"Sorry ma'am. I can't allow that. She is in custody now."
Luan tried to block out the sound of her mother's crying, but couldn't. Fresh tears sprung to her face. She barely heard as Lynn told Rita that he would accompany Luan to the station for questioning and she should remain behind. Ofc. Mitchell said that Lynn could ride in the back of his vehicle to the station. He would be provided with a ride home when they were finished.
The small group stepped out onto the porch. Ofc. Mitchell greeted a group of four uniformed officers and a woman in a suit.
"Detective Strauss, you have the search warrant?"
"Right here," the woman in the suit said. "Judge Atwater signed it this morning."
She turned to Lynn.
"Mr. Loud, yes?" she asked.
He nodded.
"This is a warrant to search your property."
She handed him the paperwork. Rita came over to join them. Lynn handed the paperwork to her.
"Rita, my wife, will help facilitate this. I'm headed to the station with my daughter."
Ofc. Mitchell opened the back, passenger side door of his patrol vehicle for Luan and Lynn. After Lynn and Luan handed over all the items they had in their pockets, wallet for Lynn and candy and a water squirting flower for Luan, they both situated themselves on the backseat and buckled themselves in. Ofc. Mitchell got in the driver's seat. Lynn watched as Ms. Munson got into a tan sedan parked in front of the patrol car as they pulled away from the curb.
He took Luan's hand in his own and gave it a squeeze.
"It's gonna be alright."
**Note**
Procedure for detaining juvenile offenders based on the procedure that is used in the state where I live (Washington). It might just be the procedure in the county where I live. Never experienced it first hand (luckily) and not 100% familiar with it, so it is only based on it. I have no idea how Michigan handles juvenile cases, and while I did do a little research to try to find out, I don't really care. It's just a (fan) fiction story.