Shallow River
“Don’t you worry, River, they’ll figure out who did it. And when they do, I’ll be sure to put them away for life,” Matt says, leaning forward to pat my leg in assurance. How sweet, but not going to happen.
When they walk in, Mako stands. He obviously knows them.
“River, I’m Officer Brady and this is Officer Gonzalez. I see you already know Detective Fitzgerald.”
Unfortunately.
The officer who introduced himself is a stocky man with a shining bald head and a bushy, blonde mustache. His head is red from the sun. He should put some sunblock on.
“Hi,” I say shortly. Officer Gonzalez steps forward. He’s attractive, with Hispanic heritage and warm chocolate eyes. I’d probably be interested in him if I lived a different life.
“River, do you remember anything that took place last night?”
“Based off where I am right now, I assume I was jumped.” Ryan tenses from beside me.
“Do you know who they were?”
A heartbeat passes.
“No.”
“Understandable, you were hit pretty hard in the head,” Officer Gonzalez concedes. “Do you remember where you were?”
Do you know, do you remember, do you this, do you that…
“Shallow Hill.”
The officers shift uncomfortably. The police force mostly stays away from that area. It’s only twenty-five minutes from where I live, but it might as well be a whole other state. I’ve always wanted to move out of state, but I got too damn attached to the college I was attending, and the people in it.
Amelia… Ryan…
Stupid, River.
“Why were you there?” Ryan asks this time.
“To see my mother,” I answer shortly.
“River, do you remember anything about the night you were attacked? If there were more than one. What they looked like. If they said anything?” Officer Gonzalez asks, pinning me with warm sympathetic eyes.
His sympathy bounces off me like a basketball on the court. I’ve received sympathy my whole life for my situation, yet only one person cared enough to get me out of it, and she died before she could. Countless teachers and adults have crossed my path, and all of them turned a blind eye, even when I showed up to school dirty and covered in bruises. That’s what all the kids looked like that came from Shallow Hill. It wasn’t anything new to them.
These police officers aren’t going to be much different. They’ll pretend to care, ask questions, and then they’ll poke around for a few clues. When they don’t find anything and all their leads dry up, they’ll drop the façade, and I’ll be grateful for that. Because the minute these cops ask the wrong questions to the wrong people, they’ll go missing without a trace.
You’re welcome.
“I think it was just one person. But he came from behind me. I don’t remember anything,” I answer robotically.
They ask a few more probing questions without getting much of an answer from me.
Officer Brady clears his throat and steps forward, a card in hand. “We’ll need to take a statement from you when you get out. If you remember anything, gives us call.”
I nod and take it, and they both leave. It should go in the trash, but for reasons I can’t name, I hold onto it. Mako follows behind them, more than likely to tell his side of the story. Meddling fool.
Julie and Matt leave a few minutes later, wishing me well and promising to stop by again soon. Their concern warms my heart. I’ve never had a family before.
“RYAN!” I SHOUT FROM the couch.
No answer.