“Yeah,” I say. “I will.”
“Time to go home, buddy,” I say once Mom has hung up.
“Do we have to go?”
I wish we didn’t. We could buy a shitty car and go on a road trip around the country for years. But that’s kidnapping, and eventually Jake will probably notice.
We get on the bus and we go home. Just like Mom said, there’s a squad car waiting. Jake doesn’t notice, because he’s more worried about what Mom is going to say to him.
“Go on in,” I tell him. “I’ve got to go off to work.”
The cops are nice enough to let me send him on inside before approaching me. I’m just a girl on foot with no vehicle. It’s not like I’m a viable flight risk. They sent two very large officers after me, both big, burly men. One has a mustache. One doesn’t. They’re both middle aged with that kind of dad strength look. The sort of look that triggers a girl whose dad walked out on her.
“Laura?”
“That’s me.”
“We’re arresting you for assault.”
“Is there any evidence I did that?” Hey, I have to at least give not being arrested a chance.
“Yes. The security cameras in the principal’s office were relatively high definition.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. Turn around, please.”
He reads me my rights while he cuffs me. I wonder if Mom is going to come out and help, but she stays indoors. She’s got the other kids to worry about, and I’d put money on her keeping them away from the windows so they don’t have to watch me being arrested.
The police put me in their car, take my stuff, drive me to the station, and I get processed. The whole thing feels like a bad dream. I can’t believe this is happening to me. The principalcould at least have sucked it up and not decided to press charges on a girl who hit him.
I’ve made things so much worse for Jake, I bet. Now there’s evidence we’re a violent family. I don’t know how Mom is going to find another school for him.
“Smile.”
The cop behind the camera surprises me by saying that just as he takes my mugshot. I end up smiling just out of reflex.
“Why did you say that?”
“None of this is that serious,” he says. He’s got a cheerful expression and a kindly demeanor that doesn’t really mesh with the whole being a police officer currently putting me behind bars.
“Can I go?”
“No. You’ll have to go before a judge tomorrow.”
“So I’m spending a night in jail.”
“Yes,” he says. “You are.”
Then they go through my stuff. It’s fine until they pull a wad of cash out of it. My precious wad. I kind of wish I’d left some of it back at home, because right now they have the whole lot. I’d say easy come, easy go, but I could have done so many good things with that cash, and I just know I am never going to see it again. Right now, he’s putting it into a plastic bag.
“That’s a lot of cash,” the officer says. “How did you come by it?”
“Sold a car,” I say.
“Your car?”
“Yes. You can talk to the dealership, and I have a receipt in my apartment. It’s legit money.”
