“Fine. Isaac is my boyfriend.”
“Is it true that he works with minors?”
“He runs a youth center that helps homeless kids. Some of them are minors, yes.”
What was he getting at? Why did I have the feeling this was a trap?
“Detective, with all due respect, sir, I was asked to come to the station to answer questions in relation to my sister, Lucia Lopez. I don’t see how my relationship with Isaac or what he does for a living has any relevance.”
His eyes narrowed slightly at my challenge but after a pause, he carried on.
“How long have you been conspiring to take Lucia from her parents’ home to live with you and your… boyfriend?”
I hoped that at some point the good cop was going to come through the door and clarify that this was all a misunderstanding. We’d all laugh about it and become lifelong friends.
Looking at the man in front of me, there was no way I’d ever want to be lifelong friends with him, and I was sure the feeling was mutual.
“Mr. Moretti.”
Fuck me if I wasn’t going to punch the guy, police ranking be damned.
“I met Lucia just a few weeks ago. I didn’t even know about her. She turned up on my doorstep and told me who she was. She ran away from home, and I didn’t want her to be out on the streets alone, so I let her stay with me until we figured things out.”
That was the best summary I was willing to offer. Until I had my lawyer with me, he would not get any more.
He got up and walked toward the door.
“Am I being charged?” I asked.
“There are still some checks that need to be done.”
“Don’t I have the right to make a phone call? I want to call my lawyer.”
I was hoping he’d see the request as a hint thatI understood my rights. In reality, all my belongings, including my phone, had been taken away from me before I was put in the room.
* * *
My watch told me it was almost seven in the morning, but I felt like I’d been at the station for days. I’d been moved to a room with a cot sometime between midnight and one and given a bottle of water and some snacks. As appreciative as I was of being a little more comfortable, it also worried me thatI was more comfortable. How long could they keep me here for?
I hadn’t been able to sleep, even though I was exhausted. All the walking and sightseeing of the day before seemed like a lifetime ago, as did the plans to watch a movie with Isaac on the comfort of the sofa and with a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows in my hand.
To think the last thing I was worrying about before all this was whether Lucy was old enough to start dating.
The officer that had escorted me to the holding room with the cot was a younger man, maybe in his mid-twenties. Hoping to appeal to his better nature, I’d asked if it was usual procedure to keep someone here if they weren’t formally charged with anything.
He’d looked around to see if there was anyone within earshot before telling me to follow him. We didn’t exchange any words until we were in a room when he finally spoke.
“I’m sorry, Mr. James, I wish I could tell you more, but”—he looked around as though someone could hear us, even though there hadn’t been anyone in the bleak corridor and it was just us in the room—“there was a shooting last night. We had to send all the resources to deal with that. My shift started after midnight, and I had specific instructions from the deputy chief to keep you here until he’s back. I don’t think he’ll be long.”
“Thank you, Officer…”
He nodded.
“Officer, can you tell me if my lawyer has been called? Is my sister okay?”
He looked back toward the corridor.
“I’m afraid I don’t have that information, Mr. James.” He paused before leaving. “I would get somerest if I were you. It’ll be a long day.”
