Nothing More Contagious Than Love

Chapter 2

My hand immediately goes to my mouth. Not only to prove that I was  in shock, but also to prevent from screaming out loud. 

"Oh my God" the woman next to the police officer says.

Not even seconds later, I see Jerome cripple over onto his knees, crying. Seeing him react like this is really what caused my heart to break. The woman walked over and knelt down next to Jerome to try and comfort him, while I'm left there standing, trying not to choke on my own tears. The police officer then comforts the ring master.

"You knew. You knew she was here" he says angrily.

"No" the ring master says sternly and avoiding contact.

"Look at me" the police officer demands.

"She was like that when we found her" the ringmaster says. 

The woman helps Jerome up, but he stands in the same place. He then turns towards me and collapses into my arms. I embrace him into a hug and cry with him.

"Who could've dome something like this?" I ask.

Jerome obviously doesn't answer and continues to sob into my shoulder.

After a few more seconds, I pull away and look at the cop.

"We're going to find out who did this, right?" I ask.

"We'll try our best, but for now, we need to take you all down to the station. As of now, you are all suspects" the police officer says.

By the time the police officer got me, Jerome, and the rest of Haly's Circus to the police station, it was very late. We were all put in our separate interrogation rooms. Who knew that I would end up in a police station on my 18th birthday? I sigh sadly as I did nothing but stared at the wall for what seemed like hours. Another officer at one point gave me water to try and help me stay awake. Eventually, I think I dozed off for a bit. But I was suddenly awoken by the door opening and closing. It was the same police officer from the circus.

"Isabelle?" he asks.

"Yes?" I say.

He extends his hand forward.

"I thought we'd address each other on a first name basis. The name's Jim Gordon" he says.

I grab his hand and shake it. 

"Pleasure" I say.

Jim then sits in the chair across from me.

"I apologize for the inconvenience of bringing you here and having you wait for hours" he says.

"I understand. It's just all part of the system" I say.

"Alright, now I want you to tell me everything you know about your mother" Jim says.

"Well, first I'll mention the fact that she's not my real mother. My real mother died when I was 10. I noticed how confused you looked when I mentioned I was her daughter so I wanted to clear that up" I say.

"Sorry about your mother. How did she die?" Jim asks.

"Car accident" I reply. 

"Alright, continue" Jim says.

"Anyway, since I was already close with the Valeskas at the time, Lila took me in and raised me like and treated me like the daughter she never had" I say.

"Alright, then what's your relationship with Jerome?" Is he like your foster brother or your boyfriend or something like that?" Jim asks. 

"He's actually just my best friend, but in a way he is a brother to me" I say.