“Look, I know how you feel about scumbags getting off when they’re guilty as sin, but I think this will be a waste of time.”
Not willing to let him intimidate her, she leaned forward with her hands on her hips. “Why are you suddenly a paper tiger?”
The cop cleared his throat. “I’m still here.”
“It’s okay,” Roz said. “He’s not so macho that I can’t speak my mind.”
“I believe your boyfriend said the guy wouldn’t go home and wait to be arrested. He’s probably right.”
The idea of simply giving up and letting the jerk win rankled her. “The guy may not have gone straight home, but he has to go there eventually.”
Konrad gently held her shoulders. “I just don’t think it’s worth it.”
For crying out loud. Is Konrad afraid of him? What about other innocent people? Aren’t they worth protecting?“It could have been worse,” she said. “Do you want him to pull that somewhere else?”
Konrad’s lips thinned.
The cop added, “Look, all you need to do is fill out a complaint. We can take it from there.”
“What does that entail?” Konrad asked.
“You fill out a form at the station, and we’ll pay him a visit. He’d be told the nature of the complaint, and if, like your girlfriend said, he seems psychotic, we can get him the help he needs.”
“Hmm…” Konrad rubbed his chin.
Roz had noticed the same behavior trait whenever he was deep in thought.Good. At least he’s considering it.
“Will you share with him who made the complaint?” Konrad asked.
“We don’t have to, if you’d rather we didn’t.”
“In that case, go ahead.” He turned to Roz. “Since you’re the one who wants them to pursue it, would you mind filling out the form? I’d rather not get involved.”
“Why are you shying away from this? You don’t seem like the type to be easily intimidated.”
When he didn’t answer her, she figured that either he didn’t hear the question or was ignoring her. Either way, she had to make a decision. “Sure, why not? Do I have to come down to the station, officer? Can’t I give you the information here?”
“I suppose so. I can take down what you want to say and type it up later. What’s more paperwork?”
Sarcastic much?
The cop headed back upstairs toward the school. “I’ll go get the guy’s contact information. Wait right there.”
As soon as he left, Konrad edged toward the street. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to get home and put some ice on my jaw and take some aspirin. I can catch the subway from here.”
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t realize you were still in pain.”
“Yeah, well, you may be able to read my mind, but you can’t feel my pain.”
I have no idea what’s going on in his head right now, and I wish I did.“Yeah, sure. Whatever you need to do,” she said.
He jogged across the parking lot, and she called after him, “You may be off the hook as far as the police are concerned, but I still have some questions.”Hmm…not even a kiss goodbye. It’s like he couldn’t wait to get out of here.
***
Konrad was relaxing in his living room, trying to reread one of his favorite books, but noises from the apartment upstairs distracted him.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
