What Lies Beneath

Chapter 7

Maggie and the rest of the administrative staff was nose deep into documents when Olivia entered the room, the local radio station was issuing weather warning, “Expect a severe heatwave to hit tomorrow afternoon”, Olivia found it disturbing that the reporter sounded positively excited about it. What’s there to get excited about? Everyone is just going to complain of the heat. “Morning,” she greeted the room. A few returned the sentiment, and the rest just kept on working.

“How are you?” Maggie gave her a quick smile as she punched holes into a stack of papers. She had to get up to use some of her body weight to push it all the way through.

“That all depends if you’d be able to help me,” Olivia teased a bit.

“Oh?” Maggie seemed interested now. “Well, let’s hear it.”

“Can you recall who handled evidence capturing about two years ago?”

Temporarily halting the a***e to the paper punch, she pursed her lips, scrunched up one eye and used the other to look at the ceiling. Now, that’s attractive. Olivia thought dryly. “I don’t think we had anyone new two years ago. This office has seen the same faces for the past five years.” Olivia looked around the office at the girls. Without knowing it, Maggie had just informed her that the person who handled that box of evidence is right in this very room. Suzie walked over to get something from Maggie’s drawers. Without paying her any mind, Maggie asked. “You looking for something specific, Dear?”

Olivia sighed. “Yes, an entire box of evidence for the murder of Dona Holden.” Olivia might have missed Suzie’s reaction if she would have been behind her own desk and not behind Maggie’s, looking for whatever it is she rifling in the drawer for. The rummaging had stopped. She slowly unfolded her frame.

Olivia pretended not to take notice of her reaction and her slow retreat to the office door. “If you think of anything, just let me know. I have to get back to work,” Olivia quickly excused herself just as Suzie slipped out the office door. Without waiting for Maggie’s reply, she headed after Suzie. She was standing just a couple of feet away from the door, furiously typing on her phone.

As quietly as Olivia could manage, she walked up behind her. Reaching over, she swiped the phone from Suzie’s hands. Spinning around she spat, “Have you lost your mind? Give that back!”

She reached for her phone, but being a few inches taller, Olivia could easily keep it out of her reach. “What am I going to see when I read that message, Suzie?”

“None of your damn business, that’s what!”

“I don’t agree. I saw your reaction when I mentioned Dona Holden’s name. Did you have anything to do with that missing box of evidence?”

The color had drained from her face, but the resentment had not. “You are out of your mind. I was texting the sitter to see how my baby is doing. She had a fever this morning, and I am worried,” the lie came easy, too easy, Olivia thought.

“I don’t know Suzie, something is not sitting well.” She brought the phone down to read the text. She barely had the chance to unlock it when Suzie made a dash for the stairs. “s**t!” Olivia dropped the phone on the carpet and went after her. She was quick for such a sturdy girl, but Olivia caught up to her right in front of Daniels’ office. Pushing Suzie’s shoulders down with her hands, she brought her down to the ground. Making quick work to bend one of her arms behind her back. Olivia cursed herself for not having any handcuffs on her. Looking around for something to contain her with, her eyes landed on Daniels and she almost laughed. The phone was suspended mid-air; she wasn’t certain if he was about to answer it or hung up. His mouth hung open and his eyes were wide as saucers.

“Don’t just sit there!” she scolded. “Get me some handcuffs.” Maggie’s shriek was the thing to pull him from his shocked state. He rushed to the door but halted once he saw Maggie.

“What on earth are you doing, Olivia? That’s Suzie! Let her go immediately!” Maggie was pulling at Olivia’s shoulders, her screeching voice made Olivia’s eyes water.

“Maggie! Back off!” She shrugged her shoulders free from Maggie’s grip. Everyone was just staring at her, sitting with one knee in Suzie’s back, with one arm bent behind her back. “Daniels?” Olivia prompted again, but he was standing by his door, a daft look on his face. “Oh, for the love of…” Detective Ambrose had just rounded the corner coming from the stairs and stepped into the hall. She was busy on her phone and did not notice the scene right in front of her. “Ambrose!” Olivia called, relieved.

At her call, Katherine’s head snapped up, and she halted mid-step. “What the…” Olivia didn’t have time for her questions right now.

“I need to arrest Suzie. I have my reasons, trust me. Just get me some handcuffs, please.” Without a word, Katherine darted into her office and within moments returned with some cable ties. “Where’re your cuffs?” Olivia asked.

“In my car, I think. Those were the first thing I saw when I opened Mason’s drawer.” Katherine explained. Olivia did not much care at that moment because even though Suzie has been silent the entire time, she definitely did not submit - she was bucking something fierce below Olivia. Her arms were growing tired as she struggled to keep a hold of her. With her finally contained, she asked Katherine to hold on to her while she retrieved the discarded phone. Olivia unlocked the phone and swore beneath her breath.

“I just don’t understand Suzie. What did you do?” Maggie stood before her.

“I am telling you, Maggie, that woman is crazy! I did nothing.”

“What the passcode, Suzie?” Olivia asked from where she stood.

“That is my phone! You are invading my privacy!” she yelled, using the hold Katherine has on her to lean forward. “You are insane!” She dragged the last word out until she became red in the face.

“Well, guess we’re doing this the hard way then.” Passing the group of baffled faces, Olivia took hold of Suzie’s shoulder. “Thank you, Detective.” Katherine released her without a word. Her expression remained neutral, but Olivia saw the question in her eyes. Taking hold of Suzie’s restrained hands with one hand, she used the other to steer her towards the stairs. Suzie went down the stairs willingly but kept on insisting that Olivia was mad and that she was going to drag her through the courts for police brutality. It did not bother her that much, it was nothing she has not heard before.

Olivia gently pushed her down on the chair in front of her desk. Closing the door behind her, she walked behind her desk to retrieve some scissors and proper handcuffs. Those cable ties were savage little things. Snipping the cable tie, Olivia half expected Suzie to bolt from the chair. She placed one cuff around Suzie’s wrist and the other around the arm of the chair. It wasn’t about to keep her from running, but running with a chair dangling from your wrist would prove difficult to ignore.

Leaning over her, Olivia picked up her desk phone and dialed the chief. Looking up, she saw Maggie and the rest standing in the hallway. Olivia didn’t blame them. This is one of their own, after all.

“Chief Callaway,” he answered.

“Chief, can you come to my office? I have a bit of a situation on my hands.”

“Olivia?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Alright, I’m on my way.” She took a deep breath and looked over at Suzie. If looks could kill, she thought idly.

A few minutes later, Olivia heard his voice. “What are the lot of you doing standing in here in the hallways?” Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her office door open. Still frowning at the loiters, he shooed them off, but they didn’t budge. “Olivia, what in the name of…” He trailed off when his eyes landed on Suzie sitting cuffed to the office chair. “Detective Pearson?” His eyes shifting continuously between Suzie and Olivia. “Talk,” came the command.

He was speaking to Olivia, but Suzie used the opportunity. “Chief! She tackled me down in the hallway like some sort of criminal. She’s crazy!”

“Detective?” His eyes were blazing. “You have five seconds to explain yourself before I slap some cuffs on you!”

She was sweating bullets, but she kept her composure. “Sir, I believe Suzie was attempting to warn someone about that missing evidence I told you about. I went to Maggie as you suggested and when I mentioned Dona Holden’s name, Suzie had a strange reaction to it. I made the choice to apprehend her before she could do so. I think I might know who she was trying to contact.”

“I was texting my babysitter!” Suzie’s head tilted in his direction. “Chief, my baby had a fever I was just checking up on her. Believe me!” she pleaded. “I refuse to give her the password,” she sneered the last part at Olivia.

The chief’s expectant eyes locked with mine again. “What if you are wrong, Detective?” he challenged.

She shrugged. “Then take my badge.”

After a moment of hesitation, he nodded in agreement and turned to Suzie. “Will you give us the password?”

“No.” She shook her head.

Upon a deep sigh, he turned for the door. “Carry on, Detective.” He left the office and didn’t even bother with the lot in the hall this time around. Olivia could only imagine what the chief must feel right now; one of his staff members would not be clocking in tomorrow.

“Do you need any help?” Daniels came in.

Olivia wanted to rip into him for offering too late, but the truth is he’s known Suzie here a lot longer than he knew her. She couldn’t exactly blame him for hesitating. “Someone needs to keep a very close eye on her. If she gets to a phone or if she convinces someone to help her, I might as well throw this file into the trash.” Olivia hoped he grasped just how serious this was.

“I’ll make sure of it,” he offered. “I give you my word, Olivia.”

She regarded him for a moment and threw caution to the wind. “I appreciate it, Detective.”

She quickly checked the file, scribbled down what she needed and headed for the door. Suzie was complaining to Daniels as Olivia hurried from the office with an address in her pocket.