Chapter 05

Deputy Elton "Bucky" Buckner arrived at the school with sirens blaring and strobes flashing. He slammed on the brakes, leaving skid marks in the pavement of the 'no parking' zone in front. He left the red and blue lights of the light bar flashing as he ran inside. Every classroom that faced toward the front had their lesson plan derailed.

Deputy Bucky stormed into the office and was greeted immediately by Mr. Grimes. "Deputy Buckner?"

"That's me. Where are the suspects?"

"For the time being, I would prefer they be addressed as 'students'."

"Tomato, tomahto. Where are they?"

Grimes gestured to Daphne, Velma, Fred, and Shaggy in the four corners of the room. "Separated, as the sheriff requested."

"Good." The deputy pointed at the kids. You four! Into the conference room, now!"

The four filed into the conference room and Velma pulled out a chair.

"No sitting! Line up against that wall!"

Grimes entered the room and Deputy Bucky whirled on him. "I'll take it from here."

"Either I or their parents must be present if they are being questioned by the police."

"Everbody is a lawyer nowadays." Bucky muttered as he turned back to the kids who were standing with their backs to the wall.

"One of y'all is a thief that has stolen several thousand dollars which was meant for a fellow student with severe medical bills. That makes you a low-life. And if any of you know something and are keeping quiet because of some code of secrecy then…"

Velma interrupted. "Code of secrecy? Seriously?"

Deputy Bucky stepped up to within a few inches of Velma who was the only one that he could tower over. "Do you have something to tell us?! How about a full confession?!"

Velma gulped. "No."

"No what?!"

"No sir."

Next was Fred. The deputy was several inches shorter but that did not slow him down. "And you! You think you're so tough!"

"I do?"

"I bet you think you're some kind of a football hero…"

"I haven't even made the team, yet."

"But that doesn't mean you're not a low-life who will do hard time if you stole the money!"

"Hard time?" Fred blanched.

Deputy Bucky stepped over in front of Shaggy. "And what do we have here? It looks like a clear frontrunner. What happened, druggie? Did you need some money to score some ice or molly or lucy or roxy? Maybe you needed to pay off your dealer. Was he threatening you if you didn't pay?"

Shaggy knew what ice was. He didn't recognize the others. He also had been questioned by enough police officers in his life to know to keep his mouth shut—which he did. That didn't stop him from sweating profusely.

The deputy turned on Daphne last. "I doubt that you have ever been in this type of trouble before, little missy."

Mr. Grimes tried to interrupt. "Ahem, Deputy…"

Deputy Bucky ignored him. "Well, if you and your little cohort don't start forking over some facts right now, you will learn what trouble is all about!"

Daphne in heels was as tall as the police officer and looked him square in the eye. "Do you know what my last name is?"

Without thinking, Bucky blurted out the obvious. "I don't care what your last name is!"

Daphne smiled. "You will. You certainly will."

Mr. Grimes tried again, more loudly. "Ahem! Deputy!"

Deputy Bucky realized that something had just changed in the power dynamic of the room and he didn't like it. He was going to change it back. He pulled out his radio. "Dispatch, this is Delta One-Four. Please send Papa Whiskey to my location."

The radio crackled. "Roger that. Papa Whiskey en route to your location."

Deputy Elton "Bucky" Buckner then pulled out four sets of plastic flexi-cuffs and handcuffed each of the four teenagers.

Mr. Grimes stepped forward. "I must protest, deputy! There is no reason for this to escalate to this level." He was looking nervously at Daphne whose face was turning steadily more red.

The deputy shot back. "We tried it your way, Vice-Principal. Now we're going to do it my way!"

To make matters worse, the second period bell sounded and the hallways were filling with students as the gang-of-four were paraded through those halls to the waiting paddy wagon out front. A myriad of telephones popped up and snapped or videoed the entire affair and the internet was filled with these images before third period started.

xXx

At Blake Industries Headquarters, the PR Department has three staff people devoted solely to social media. They each had alarms programmed into their phones for whenever the name of a Blake family member was trending. The sudden trend on Daphne's name caused all three phones to alarm simultaneously. The Legal Department was immediately called. Sheriff Stone was then called. He was waiting at the jail's sally port when the paddy wagon arrived.

The sheriff pulled his deputy aside. "Deputy Buckner, may I speak with you a moment?"

"Sir, I need to process these suspects…"

"Someone else will handle that. I need to speak with you now."

As Velma, Daphne, Fred, and Shaggy were placed in a holding cell, the sheriff shut his office door, creating some privacy for the conversation.

"Bucky, are you out of your mind?!"

"The interviews weren't going anywhere and I thought sitting in a cell for a while might loosen some lips. And, after the red-headed girl talked back to me…"

"The red-headed girl?! Did you even get their names?"

"I've got them written down."

"And so you know the red-headed girl's last name, right?"

Bucky was deflating as he realized that he had not regained the power in this scenario. "I don't recall off the top of my head."

"It's Blake! As in Bartholomew Blake! As in Blake Industries! As in we-have-more lawyers-than-God Blake Industries! And an army of those lawyers are probably in the front lobby right now with every judge in the state on speed-dial."

"I just…"

"Cut the Blake girl loose and call the rest of their parents to come pick them up. Let's cut our losses before this gets any worse."

"But Sheriff, one of them stole thousands of dollars from an injured student who needs the money."

"And your mess-up just made it that much harder for us to figure out which one."

"Yes sir."

Five minutes later, Deputy Bucky opened the door of the cell. "Ms. Blake, you're free to go."

Fred stood. "What about the rest of us?"

"We're calling your parents."

After she stepped out of the cell and the door closed, she turned and looked through the bars at the other three. "Will one of you just go ahead and confess already so that I don't have to deal with this anymore?"

She turned and walked away down the concrete corridor.

The phone calls to Fred's father and Velma's mother went as expected. They dropped everything and were headed to the jail as quickly as they could.

The school had given Deputy Bucky a primary and back-up contact for Norville Rogers. The primary was Paula Rogers–listed as his mother. She did not answer and he left no message as was office policy. The second was Colton Rogers—listed as Norville's father.

He answered on the third ring. "Hello?" There was the sound of machinery in the background.

"Mr. Colton Rogers?"

"Whose asking?"

"I'm Deputy Elton Buckner of the Crystal Cove Sheriff's Department. Are you Colton Rogers?"

"Yes, I am. Is everything okay?"

"We have your son, Norville, detained here at the Sheriff's office."

"I knew it would come to this." Colton muttered before bringing his voice up. "What did the boy do?"

"We're holding him on suspicion of grand theft."

"Grand theft! What did he steal?" Colton was a good law-and-order type and believed that the police wouldn't have arrested his son if he weren't guilty.

"I'm afraid that I can't give you any details at this time. He is here and will be released into your custody if you come down and pick him up."

"What happens if I don't?"

Deputy Bucky pushed down the slight edge of excitement that rose within him and kept his voice professional. "Then sir, we would keep him in custody until you come down or he is officially charged with the crime."

"At this point, a night in jail might just do him some good."

The deputy had already been reamed once today, so he asked the procedural question on the recorded line. "Then do we have permission to discuss the case with your son in your absence?"

"Do what you have to do. I've lost control of him."

Bucky fist-pumped but his voice remained neutral. "Thank you, sir. If, at any time, you wish to come down and pick up your son, that will be your right until up to the time that he is officially charged."

"Yeah. Yeah. I get it."

Bucky ended the call. That could not have gone better.

Deputy Bucky took some time and prepped himself for what was to come. It required props as well as mental rehearsing of a script that had been years in the making. It was thirty minutes before opened the door of the holding cell.

Shaggy stood. "Is my mother here?" He asked hopefully.

Bucky smiled. "Not yet. I just have a few questions that I want to ask you before she gets here. Follow me."

They went down the corridor into a room with a mirror on one wall, a plastic semi-globe hanging down out of the ceiling, a single window with bars on it, a table which was bolted down to the floor, and four chairs also bolted down to the floor. The table had two metal rings attached to it on one side. This was a police interrogation room—just like in the movies.

Shaggy's fright-o-meter went through the roof but there was nowhere to run. He took a deep breath and recited Mom will be here soon in his mind as a mantra.

Deputy Bucky spoke for the camera which was in the plastic dome hanging in the corner of the ceiling behind him. "It is 12:31 PM, Monday, August 28th and this is the interview with Norville Rogers…"

xXx

After being released, Fred and Daphne had done the sensible thing and taken the rest of the day off from school.

Velma—being Velma—had different ideas. "Mom, where are you going?"

"Home, sweetheart."

"What do I have to do at home? If we get back to school right now, I can still make sixth and seventh periods. And sixth period is physics." Seventh period was English which Velma considered a waste of time since she already spoke English but school was school.

"Are you sure?" To Angie Dinkley, Velma didn't seem traumatized, but then she never seemed anything. If she were not driving and could take her eyes off the road, she would see her daughter's white-knuckled fists.

But Velma's voice came out in its usual monotone. "Going home and being alone won't help."

Which made sense. And that is how Velma became the most popular girl in school for one afternoon.

xXx

At 1:00 PM, Shaggy realized something was wrong. He had maintained his silence and answered no questions figuring that his mother would be there any minute to pick him up and then she would help him figure out what to do.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

Deputy Bucky stood from his chair and paced over to directly beneath the camera in the plastic globe which hung from the ceiling. He flipped over his notepad to reveal a note that had been pre-written in black magic marker. You can go to the bathroom after you confess. Bucky then returned to the chair and started repeating the same questions.

"Did you steal the money?"

"Did you use it to buy drugs?"

"Where is it now?"

Over and over and over.

xXx

Velma arrived at school before the end of fifth period and stopped by the office to sign in and get a pass. When she walked in the door, Mrs. Stafford's head popped up over the counter like a prairie dog.

"Velma, have you been cleared? Who did it? It was Norville, wasn't it? I never liked the looks of that one."

This was not the simple paperwork exchange that Velma had expected. "I… don't really know. I don't think I was actually ever arrested."

Mr. Deedle came striding out of his office. "Miss Dinkley! I didn't expect any of you back today."

"Well, there are still two periods left and I was hoping to get a pass…"

"This is confusing. The sheriff still hasn't made an arrest and so all four of you remain persons of interest."

"But I didn't do anything."

"It would be easier if you didn't come back to school today."

Velma stiffened her backbone. Not something to which she was accustomed with authority figures. "I have not been charged with any crime nor has any compelling evidence been brought against me other than I was working late on Friday with the full knowledge and consent of Mrs. Rustor. Are you forbidding me from returning to class?"

Mr. Deedle looked to Mrs. Stafford hoping that maybe she had some idea. She shrugged.

He spoke curtly. "Give her the pass." Then he returned to his office.

xXx

2:00 PM came and went and Shaggy's mother still had not shown up.

"Have you spoken to my mother? Is she out front or something?"

Deputy Bucky smiled a very cold and spooky smile. "I'm sure that she's on her way."

"Can I have some water?"

Again, Bucky stood and walked under the camera before revealing another hand-written sign: You can have some water after you confess.

The questions continued.

xXx

Velma heard the bell ring and rushed out into The Mall with her pass trying to get to her locker and get her physics textbook before sixth period bell. She was immediately stopped by a group of girls she vaguely knew. Voices shot out of the pack.

"Velma! You're back!"

"Were you arrested?"

"Did they take your fingerprints?"

"Are you out on bail?"

"Did the new stoner kid confess?"

A crowd was growing as Velma tried to push through. "No. No. No. No."

"What's jail like?"

"I wasn't there long but it didn't smell good and the floors were sticky."

"How did you get out?"

"They called my mother and she came and picked me up."

"So, You're innocent?"

"Of course I'm innocent."

She fought her way through the growing crowd and realized that she was not going to make it to her locker. Making it to class without her books was her only plan. She made it into the classroom just as the bell rung. Realizing she was probably disheveled, she smoothed her red, pleated skirt with her fingers and made it to her desk with as much decorum as possible.

Mrs. Rustor was kind enough to start teaching the class without any further focus on Velma's misadventures.

xXx

At 3:30 PM, Shaggy knew that his mother wasn't coming. No one was coming. He was alone.

"I'm hungry. Can I have something to eat. My blood sugar gets low."

True to form, Bucky again stood and walked under the camera before revealing yet another hand-written sign: You can eat after you confess.

Shaggy didn't react. It was all too surreal. What was with the signs? He slumped in his chair and tried to prepare himself for a long night. He failed.

xXx

Velma had never before been happy for school to end. She wanted out. Through both classes, she was surrounded by prying eyes. Then the whispers and the obvious pointing. Between and after classes, she was mobbed with a deluge of gawkers trying to get some juicy tidbit to feed the gossip monster rampaging through the students… and the teachers.

Today was a confirmation of something that she had learned many times in her young life: people suck.

But now, she was in the protective womb of her mother's car and heading home.

Her mother wanted to talk. "My phone's been ringing off the hook today. Everyone thinks I know something. Mr. Jones, the plumber, called about his son, Fred. I told him that I was just in the dark as he was."

Velma's phone rang. She didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"

"Hi Velma. It's Marcie."

Velma recognized the voice. It was Marcie Fleach. She had sat next to her all week in homeroom and thought of her as the girl with the unfortunate smell. Why would Marcie be calling her?

"Hello Marcie. What do you want?"

Angie Dinkley winced at her daughters lack of phone etiquette.

Marcie didn't notice. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay. That must have been very traumatic."

"It's been a very confusing day."

"You're going to be okay? Right?"

"I don't see why I shouldn't be. I'm innocent and the system is set up to protect people like me."

Angie Dinkley's wince changed to a shutter as her Marxist ideology railed within her mind at her daughter's naïve statement. She and Dale would have to start giving Velma some education in the realities of life. The man was never on your side and the system was designed to segregate the fortunate few from the unwashed masses.

"That's good. I hope everything is okay." Marcie's call seemed to be without guile or ulterior motive. It was a nice change of pace from the rest of the day.

"Thank you, Marcie. But I'm almost home now and should be going." She was several minutes from home but had exhausted her patience with banal conversation.

She completed the rest of the drive in blissful silence.

xXx

At 5:00 PM, Shaggy asked for water. Bucky again showed him the sign. Shaggy then asked. "Can I just get some rest? You've been asking me these same questions for hours."

This time, Bucky stayed in his seat and answered verbally. "I'm just trying to get at the truth, Shaggy. Give me the truth and this will all be over and you can rest. You moved into town about three weeks ago, correct?"

Shaggy nodded. He really wasn't sure at this point but it seemed like an innocuous question.

"Speak aloud please."

"Something like that."

"And you immediately started looking for a supplier for drugs?"

This wasn't true. Mark back in Plainsville was still hooking him up by mail but he probably would need a supplier before too long. But he hadn't looked. Shaggy didn't answer.

This didn't deter Bucky. "But, for that, you needed money. And they were broadcasting all over the school that the money was there—in the office. All you had to do was wait for the school to be empty and grab it."

"I didn't steal any money. I fell asleep in the school."

"Do you think I'm stupid, Norville? You stole the money and then used it over the weekend to buy yourself a good supply of the stuff. Maybe planning on making some more cash by selling some to your fellow students."

"I would never do that! I'm tired and I really need to rest."

"You can rest all you want once you tell me the truth!"

"I need to go to the bathroom."

Bucky remained silent.

"I need to go to the bathroom!"

Bucky again stood and showed Shaggy the sign.

"I want to call my mother!"

"We already called your parents and they told us that you could stay here tonight and we could question you. So, we are going to honor their wishes. They just want you to tell us the truth. You stole the money from the principal's office at the school in order to buy drugs."

Shaggy tried to clam up again but staying quiet was getting so hard. He ground his teeth together and stared into his lap. The questions continued and the hours passed.

At around 10:00 at night, he started yelling his answers. "I didn't do it! Everything you are saying is wrong."

His requests for food and water had waned but the need to relieve his bladder was passing urgent status. He asked again and again and again. Each time, Bucky held up the sign.

Shaggy—exhausted and confused-began to cry around midnight. But he stopped himself, asking again if he could use the bathroom. Again, the sign came out: You can go to the bathroom after you confess.

At 2:00 in the morning, after a non-stop interrogation lasting 14 hours, Shaggy was so exhausted he could not think and his bladder released. He felt the warm urine staining the front of his pants and began to cry in earnest.

"Please! Please! Please! I need some rest. Just a few minutes… please!"

Bucky's nose wrinkled a little at the smell but his voice was calm. "Just tell me the truth, Norville."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Tell me that you stole the money and bought drugs."

"And then I can rest?"

"You know the answer to that question."

"Yes! I stole the money from the principal's office and bought drugs. Just like you said."

"That's good, Norville. That's very good. We'll type up a confession with those words. Once you sign it, you can rest.