STEP DADDY 2: FAMILY TIES (COMPLETED)

#18: You Can't Run Forever

2:45pm | The Residence Of Layla Rogers

Homicide Detective Turner's POV

"Ma'am do you remember the last time you saw your daughter, Layla?"

Ms. Rogers pulled her robe closed and answers, "August 3rd, she said she was spending a few days with her boyfriend for his birthday before we went on our picnic."

In the file, it read that Rocko's birthday was August 4th.

"Did she ever tell you the name of this boyfriend?" Samson asked while I jotted her previous answer down in my notepad. 

Ms. Rogers sighed like she had somewhere better to be, "Something with a R. I can't remember. These headaches have been killing me these past few days making me memory all fuzzy." She complained by rubbing her forehead. "He came in once to fix something and gave me some money on a bill."

"You can remember him fixing stuff and giving you money, but you can't remember his name?" Samson questioned her.

"Wouldn't be the first time." She laughs.

Samson pulls out a mug shot photo of Rocko and handed it to her, "Is this the man your daughter is dating?"

She observed the photo for a minute and then handed it back to Samson, "Yeah, that's him but he was more cleaned cut."

"When did you realize that Layla was missing?

"Before she left, she told me that she was returning on the 6th so that we could prepare the snacks for our annual picnic to the cemetery to pay our respects to her grandmother." Ms. Rogers walked over to a bookshelf and picked up and framed photo of an older woman dressed in her Sunday's best. "This is Nadia Rogers, Layla's mother figure." She revealed.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, Nadia took care of Layla until she passed away in 2013. I was recovering from a drug addiction during the time. I managed to get myself together right before she died. And was able to get custody of her. It took a while for Layla to adjust with the fact that I was now her only mother."

"How is ya'll relationship now?"

"We're cordial. If she does what she supposed to do, she doesn't hear my mouth. I gave up a long time ago trying to be the 'parent,' the only time we really come together is when it's time to pay our respects to Nadia."

"So, when she walked your home with a forty-something year old man you didn't care?" Samson questioned her again. I could hear the attitude in his tone. 

"Look, you can think of me however you want, Detective. Like I said earlier, I gave up being a parent a long time ago."

            I closed my notepad and asked, "Do you mind if we check out her bedroom?"

            Ms. Rogers placed the photo back on the bookshelf and then took a seat in her sofa chair, "Go right ahead. Just make sure you don't break anything." She kicked back and relit her cigarette that was sitting in her ashtray nearby and continued watching her stories.

            Layla's room was at end of a dark hall on the left-hand side. The bedroom door was cracked open, I gently pushed it, opening it wider. The first thing you'll notice is numerous of pictures of the latest rappers and R&B singers of today tapped on the wall. Different kind of heels and flats lined up against the wall near the bed. Her closet door was open, showcasing the empty hangers, all the clothes were on them were thrown on her bed. My guess she was trying to find the perfect outfit like most girls who try to look good for their man. I was surprised to see all the designer labels on each item though. One glance at her mother, you wouldn't think she had the money to afford it.