Shadows

Chapter 19

"How did the watch come in your possession?"

"I don't know, sir. I've never even seen that watch before."

"You've said that before, but that watch fell out of your pocket, and I saw it with my own eyes. You must have an explanation for that," the officer, Officer Walsh, insists.

"I really don't know where it came from. Maybe it fell out of someone else's pocket?" I suggest tiredly.

We've been at this for the past hour, with the officer asking me the same question, and me answering the same answer. And honestly, it's starting to become tiresome.

"We emptied the tape of the hallway's camera, and that watch clearly fell out of your pocket."

"Is this an interrogation? Am I being held here? Or am I free to leave whenever I want? I'm assuming that this is a friendly questioning since I'm a minor, and you didn't read my Miranda rights nor did you ask me if I want a lawyer present," I say while looking him straight in the eye. "I'm also assuming that you don't have anything on me since this questioning is not being videotaped meaning that there's no case against me."

"I'm guessing you're either a law student, or you watch too many criminal shows," officer Walsh says looking impressed before he sighs. "No, you're not being held here, but you're the only lead we've got right now, and if you don't help us now, we will have no option but to bring you in for questioning with a warrant. I want to help you, but I can't do that if you don't tell me the truth."

Officer Walsh rubs his hands over his face and sighs for the millionth time before looking at me. "Let's take a different route. How long have you been studying here?"

"I'm a freshman, so I've been here for a little more than a month."

"What is your relation to Alexis Knight? Did you ever meet her?"

"The dorm I'm staying in used to be hers last year, and I only know that because her friend fought with me for staying in Alexis's room on my first day here. And no, I've never met Alexis before," I say, wondering when I'll finally get to go back to my dorm.

"Do you think that perhaps you found the watch in the dorm and kept it with you? Is this why you had it on you? You don't have to be afraid, you can tell me the truth." Officer Walsh says, his voice dripping with hope.

"No, I didn't find the watch in my dorm, I told you I've never seen it before in my life." I insist, getting fed up with being asked the same question.

Another officer enters the room and leans down to whisper something too low for me to catch before throwing me a look and leaving the room.

"Fine, you can go now. It looks like you have someone powerful on your side. If you remember anything, please don't hesitate to come and tell us. We'll have officers stationed all over the campus." He turns around to leave, but I quickly stop him.

"Can I go home for the next two days, or should I stay here on campus?" I ask for I'm afraid that if I just leave, they'll think that I'm running away because I have something to hide.

"I don't see why not. If we need to bring you in, we'll call you."

Standing up, I feel the officers scrutinizing gaze on me. I know what he's doing, he's trying to analyze my behavior to see if I'm hiding anything. Unfortunately for him, I'm not hiding anything, so what he's doing is useless.

Opening the door, I am surprised to see Mint standing in front of me looking mad.

Cursing my luck, I sigh and ignore how mad he looks. "You won't believe what just happened. The officer let me go and told me that someone powerful wanted me out. Who could that be?"