This Can't Be Love 2

Chapter 8: Controlling The Joneses

Rebecca's voice is comforting toward CJ, who is currently siting on the floor underneath the dinner table, curled up holding his chin to his knees.

"No sense in resisting arrest, Junebug... Come on..."

Rebecca is looking at him with sympathy as she bends down, lifting the table cloth to talk to him.

Mr. & Mrs. Jones are at the door talking to Officer Mendon.

"What could he possibly have done?"

"Assault and battery. Attempted Murder. His finger prints were all over the throat and neck of the Commissioner's grandson."

"The commissioner's grandson? Wait, are you talking about Edga--"

"I should say 'Ex-Commissioner,' Oliver Russo. His grandson received a severe beating from what he described as a 'skinny masked man with a sock full of marbles.' The assailant beat him senseless, and then attempted to choke him out. He played dead and the assailant fled, thinking he left behind a dead body. What we found was permanent blue ink from a pen, almost as if the assailant was trying to leave his fingerprints behind. Grayson University Records matched the prints to one Carson Jones, Junior... Your son."

"There's gotta be some mistake."

"And I hope there is. Or at least a logical explanation proving his innocence. I can imagine the impact this will have on your career as a professor for that institution. But that's not up to us to decide. The evidence found points to him, and they issued out a warrant. I apologize, Mr. Jones, but we must bring him in."

Patricia crosses her arms and gets in between her husband and the cops.

"I can't let you take him."

Mr. Jones shakes his head.

"Patty, no. Don't do this..."

Officer Mendon takes a deep breath and looks back at the two other cops beside him. He shakes his head while looking down at the ground.

"Ma'am, don't make this get worse than it is. I have a warrant for his arrest; that makes him a fugitive, and gives me the right to bring him in by any means necessary. Knocking on the door was only a courteous formality on my part; I could have easily had my guys break down your door and dragged the fugitive out kicking and screaming. The fact that you are standing at the door means you are harboring said fugitive and puts you in a very guilty position. I can either bring him in, or I can bring you both in... How do you want this night to end?"

CJ walks up behind his parents now, with Rebecca holding his hand and rubbing his shoulder. He looks at Officer Mendon with saddened eyes.

"I'll go quietly."

Patricia gasps and turns to look at CJ.

"Junior! You can't be--"

"It's okay, mom. It'll be fine."

Mr. Jones holds Patricia, as they both step aside and allow CJ to turn himself over to the cops. Patricia cringes and turns away as they put the handcuffs on CJ and read him his rights. CJ looks at Rebecca, who is standing behind his parents, and she nods at him with retracted lips and watery eyes.

CJ is brought into the back of the police cruiser, and driven away to the police station. Patricia is weeping on her husbands chest as Rebecca watches him comfort her. Rebecca rolls her eyes when Patricia speaks to Mr. Jones.

"What's gonna happen now? What do we do?"

"I'm not sure, dear. Maybe we can call the police station and they'll tell us what we can--"