Miss Artist Can Suffer

What Happened?

"Alright Ms. McKinley, wanna tell us how it all happened?" a gaunt but haughty looking officer was sitting on a bedside table, leaving Gerald and Keira standing in a corner. He had a small recorder in his hand which looked like it was attached to it his whole lifetime. 

Sharon slowly nodded. But instead of answering, she asked, "Why ask me? What happened to Peter?"

"Mr. Walker is perfectly fine, ma'am. He just hasn't regained consciousness yet."

She seemed to think it over but then asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Everything. We want to make sure nothing against the course of law hadn't happened," officer said.

"I don't remember entirely coherently. And you have to consider our situation while listening," Sharon warned him.

The officer narrowed his eyes, his sense of duty unnecessarily flaring up. But he thought, why bother? They couldn't really do much if it had happened in Criminal Town. Even his asking was more or less a formality. He posed his recorder, "Start from the start."

"Our firm had this contract in New Rissolli-"

"We all know that," he said snapped. "Tell us from that emergency landing at RedWood airport, if you please."

Keira, overflowing with protectiveness, stepped ahead. "Easy there," she said in low tone.

The officer glared at her, daring her to question his authority one more time. So Gerald had to take care of the mess.

"We don't want to agitate the patient, that's all officer," Gerald said calmly and and tugged at Keira's hand, signing her to back off. 

"What? He was rude," Keira whispered to him exasperatedly.

"That rude guy guy can kick us out of the room," he whisper-shot back.

The officer ignored them, like they didn't deserve his significant attention.

 "Ma'am, you may start," he said to Sharon. Sharon rolled her eyes slightly and said,

"I'll try. After our plane landed and we completed all the formalities, we came out of the airport. And we found there was nothing around. There was a small parking lot, very few taxis and that's it. No other building was in sight. There was a small road and on the other side was all forest. 

Peter," she paused and smiled as if mere speaking of name bubbled her up with joy, "Peter, went near a taxi and inquired for any hotels around. The driver vaguely said there were few. So Peter took out his wallet and and showed him some bills; which he happily took and offered to drive us there. We had no other option anyways. We got into his taxi.

Half an hour later, he stopped the taxi in middle of nowhere pushed us out. He took our bags, wallet, my purse and left us on the road. He... he had a knife with him. I was so afraid that I stopped Peter from going after him."

Keira gave out and involuntary loud gasps. Sharon, ever so good-natured, promptly filtered out the details and said, "He didn't hurt us though. He left us on road and drove away." 

"Do you want to press charges against the man? Can you recognize him?" The officer asked. 

"Of course she does! You don't have to ask," Keira burst out, "She shall receive justice."

But Sharon put stop altogether, "I don't."

"Sharon," Gerald said, "You should. A criminal must not go unpunished."

"I just want to go home Gerald." The tire and implore in her voice was unmistakable. And Gerald just simply couldn't oppose her. 

"What happened next?" the officer asked. Sharon just stared at him, uncertain of what to say and what not to.