Chapter 19: The Line Up
1092 Words
“Candy,” Jason said to her, “which one of these men kidnapped a little girl?” Jason asked her the question minutes after the men where marched into a line up across from the m in the dark room. As in every lineup room, the suspects were unable to see them from the other side of the mirror.
“Can they see us?” she asked him. Candy looked confused.
“Nope,” the chief replied in his uniform, “the glass works in one direction only. People on the other side only see a mirror so long as the light is dim.”
Candy looked at Jason again and he nodded. Assured she returned her gaze to the other side of the room across from them. Candy looked at each one with care and turned her head sideways. She crouched down in front of the glass a few times. After a few minutes of her steel observation, Candy stood up and turned to Jason.
“None of them would hurt a child,” she told him. “None of those men have kidnapped her.” She folded her arms to show she believed her conclusion was right.
“Well?” Jason said to the police officer. “What’s the real story here?” He wanted to know.
“She’s right,” the man said. He reached over and clicked a switch. “All of you are free to return to duty. Make sure you’re at your station on time.” He flicked the switch off as the men shuffled out of the room across from them.
“So why did you haul us down here?” Jason said with muted irritation in his voice. “What was the point of this damn charade? I know there was a real abduction; it was on the radio. So why the little test?”
“Because we don’t have time to play games,” the chief explained to him. “I was willing to play along with your little experiment until this happened. I have an entire city about to explode. People are in the hospital because their neighbors thought they might be the abductor. I needed to know if this was some game you played at my expense or not.”
“And if she chose wrong?” Jason asked him.
“I’d have you pack your bags and get the hell out of Dodge. I’m only a bit closer to believing you can be of help, even after what she found at the park. Right now, we can’t afford to turn away anyone. Jesus Christ, I’ve had to turn to three local psychics, can you believe that?”
The chief turned to the uniformed officer who stood next to them. “Take them in the first cruiser to the place where the last child was seen. I’m sure you’ll have to deal with a mob, but I can’t avoid any trouble.”
“What did he mean by Dodge?” Candy asked Jason as they walked down the hall. “I thought this town had another name.”
“Expression of speech,” Jason tried to explain. “He really didn’t mean anything.”
“I think I understand,” Candy muttered. Jason could tell she didn’t, it would have to wait for another time to explain.
This time the site where the abduction took place was full of reporters. The cruiser pulled up to an alley between two buildings where the crime scene investigators interviewed people. Other police officers kept a crowd of reporters and angry people back as the officers tried to do their work. Three detectives were busy as the noise on the other side of the barricade began to grow.
Candy followed Jason, who checked to make sure she was safe and able to handle the crowd. She didn’t appear to be bothered by the noise and watched the investigation at work. At least the police officer who drove them to the location made sure the cruiser entered on the side of the alley away from the reporters and mob.
The police officer introduced Jason and Candy to the detectives, and then returned to his car. So far, Candy hadn’t spoken a word since she asked the question about Dodge.
“Young girl, about five years old,” the chief detective spoke to Jason. He was a black man much older than Jason and several degrees more intense. “Her mother sent her out to dispose of the trash and she never came back.” He motioned to a white lady who was crying her eyes out as a police officer and detective attempted to calm her down and get a statement.
“She went out to see what took the girl so long and couldn’t find her,” the senior detective continued. “Called around and looked for her, then called us.” He turned to watch the technicians photograph the alley.
“Place looks busy,” Jason said to him. “I wouldn’t think anyone lived around here.” He glanced around the alley and tried to see where the girl might’ve lived.
“There are plenty of low income apartments in this place,” the detective explained. “A lot of these people have been on public assistance for several generations. The manufacturing economy went south years ago and they have to do what they can to survive.” He opened up his notepad and began to scribble something.
“Any clues to what happened?” Jason asked him. He watched as Candy looked at a stone wall next to them and placed one hand on it.
“Hard to say,” the detective responded. “I won’t know a lot until the crime lab gives us some help. This is the sort of place where people don’t talk to public officials because they might get their benefits cut. They need every last cent down here and can’t afford to lose a bit.”
Jason walked over to the lab boys and watched them take samples of the soil and whatever else interested them. Each sample went into a bag that was stamped, dated, and signed. They ignored him and went about their work. He didn’t expect any less.
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