The Path Less Taken

Kayla: August 31, 2014-9:33PM

        Click-click.....click-click

Could you seriously stop already? That is the most annoying noise I've ever heard.

        Click-click.....

Stop...clicking....your....pen.....

        Click-click.......
This is going to be a long night...

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        Detective Wise sits across from me in the interrogation room. I've been here for over two hours and I still don't know what's going on. He clicks his pen as he reads the material in a file labeled "Crawford".

        "Are you ever going to tell me what this is about? I've been here for over two hours and you still haven't told me anything." He looks up from his file and stares straight into my eyes. I feel my heart pound in my chest as he closes the file and interlaces his fingers and rests his hands on the table.

        "Why don't you tell me, Miss Delgato?"

        "I really have no idea!" I slam my fist into the table and burst into tears. He clears his throat and sighs, annoyed that I'm crying.

        "Does the name Alex Crawford ring a bell?"

        I freeze when I hear that name. I look up at him, and he gives me a concerned look.

        "What do you know about Alex?" I hadn't told anyone about him, or what he did to me this afternoon.

        "Mr. Crawford is actually a personal friend of mine. He disclosed something to me today that I don't think he meant to, but your name came up. Were you with him this afternoon around 3:00?"

        I can't believe this is happening. I take a deep breath, "Yes. I was supposed to babysit for him."

        "Miss Delgato, I--"

        "Kayla. Please just call me Kayla."

        He gives me a sad smile. "Okay. Kayla, I know what happened. Alex was bragging to me today about a young girl that he had sex with. After talking with him for a while he admitted that it wasn't exactly concentual. I looked through his phone and found out who he was with throughout the day. That's how I found you."

        I feel a tear roll down my cheek. I'm completely speechless. I just wanted it to go away. No one was ever supposed to find out.

        "I don't want to press charges," I whisper, "I don't want to go through the stress of a trial."

        He looks at me and frowns. "It's up to you, but I want you to know that I will be here for you no matter what." He fumbles through a pile of papers and pulls out a business card and slides it across the table. "This is my number. Call me."

        "Thank you" I say with a small smile. I scoot my chair back and stand up. "How will I get home? My mom won't be back until tomorrow."

        "I'll take you."

        I walk toward tarhe door and he places his hand on the small of my back, escorting me to the car. I'm not sure why, but I feel extremely comfortable with Detective Bradley Wise, and to be quite honest, it scares me a little.