Seventeen Crimes

Nineteen

Brie chewed on her thumbnail, long since having peeled the paint off of it, and feeling now for the time being, the soreness of the quick.

She stared at the email on her computer screen, having for the first time the urge to email her father at all. In all her years. How things change after one conversation with a person.

She heard voices in the other room, and suddenly, Dylan was in the bedroom door.

"The police are here," Dylan said, wrapping their arms around their middle.

"Why, was there a theft in the building?" Brie asked.

"No," Dylan said. "The United Nations police."

Brie put her computer to sleep and shut the lid before setting it aside.

"Was there an attack?"

"I don't know what they want. They didn't say what they wanted. They only want to talk to you. It can't be bad to talk to them," Dylan said.

"Will you listen to yourself, Dylan?" Brie said, pushing past Dylan to the living room. "What privilege are you?"

Sure enough, two plain clothes in rumbled suits stood in the living room.

"I'm Brie Reyes. What can I help you with?" she asked.

They held out their badges, identifying who they were.

"We need you to come with us for questioning."

"What is this about? Am I under arrest?" Brie asked.

"No, Ma'am. We will discuss what this is about down at our offices."

"I think you better give me a chance to call my lawyer and let me come to you. Give me your card and a good number to call, and once I have contact with my lawyer, I will proceed with how they tell me we need to proceed about this -."

The nearest flashed the gun holster on his hip.

"Are you refusing to cooperate, Ms. Reyes?" he asked.

Her heart bottomed out. "No," Brie said. "No, the furthest thing I want to do is refuse to cooperate, but I need to see my lawyer first because I don't know what any of this is about."

"Ma'am, you are coming with us right now for questioning. A lawyer will be provided for you down at our offices."

"Stop," Brie said, as they cuffed her. "Am I under arrest? What is this about? I want my lawyer called now – Dylan, get my prepaid legal card out of my wallet."

The officers forced her from the apartment.

The last time Brie saw the inside of her apartment, Dylan stood with their arms wrapped around their middle, biting their lower lip. They made no move to do what Brie asked.

And there were no tears.