Pain 2: Him (H.S)

Chapter 59

I remain unruffled watching the two professional yet serious detectives approach from both sides. They look like the ones off of those crime movies who are grave and firm when it comes to their profession, and Harry seems to be less aggravated and more collected. I can see how his breathing has found its pace and Laveck has remained the same; tired and pale. Come to think of it, he's been off lately. Not just with appearance, but with attitude and authority. He seems weak and careless with his job as principle and it might just be my natural uneasiness towards things I shouldn't give mind to, but I hope he's alright.

"Take a seat, we just want to ask you a few questions." The one with the slicked back hair instructs. Laveck lazily walks to his desk and falls on his chair as the two men lean against the desk before us. Harry's shaking his leg the way he does when he's nervous.

"My name's Detective Cupo and this is my partner Detective Hartman," he introduces and Harry extends his hand for a polite handshake. With surprise, they both take it and begin. "First off," the man in the buzz cut, Hartman with the New York accent, says, "I'm sorry about the loss of your friend. I know how that feels but you'll get over it." Harsh. "Second, it would be best not to lie. Lies come back around and bite you in the ass and trust me kid, in situations like this it's more deadly than a snake's venom. So we suggest you speak up."

"Just be truthful," Cupo kindly sums it up and Harry nods unaffected by Hartman's sternness,"we won't take up too much of your time and we want to get this done and closed as soon as possible."

You always see the "good cop, bad cop," in movies, and these two are definitely those type. "What do you need to ask?" I wonder. I hope my eyes aren't red from crying. Have they noticed?

"About your friend," Hartman looks to Harry, "witnesses say you beat him up pretty badly."

"Witnesses?" Harry sits up in alarm and all I can do is listen.

"Yeah. You went to his house on Saturday and nearly broke his skull and jaw. What made you act out that way?" Cupo flips his notepad open and clicks his brown pen.

"Uh, we had an argument."

"Over what?"

"My girlfriend." He admits and I can hear my heart beginning to beat through my ears. I really hope they're not here for what I think they are. Harry would never.

"What about your girlfriend?" Hartman questions.

"He was trying to mess around with her."

"I'm assuming this is her." His eyes are intimidating, they make me want to avoid them.

"Yeah," he confirms and Laveck shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "Look sir, if you're trying to get something out of me you won't because I didn't do anything. We fought and that was it." He confidently states.

"We checked his body," the nice detective chimes in, licking his finger and turning the pages to his little pad, and reads, "and you left behind a black eye, a bruised lip, jaw, cheek, and several cuts all over the face." I don't remember seeing all of that when the paramedics were bringing him down. I remember the cut lip but nothing else was visible.

Harry looks down then to me. "What did he try to do with your girlfriend?"

"What?" His neck snaps turning to the bad cop and the tension is as thick as blood.

"What did he try to do with your girlfriend? Was is a sexual, physical, or verbal approach?"

"I--I don't know what you mean." He shakes his head running his fingers through his curls and the nice cop writes something down.