Your Protector

Chapter 37

"Because he's run away!"

It's just as the police had feared, but they couldn't just take the woman's word for it.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but we have a warrant to search your house," the main officer explained calmly to the distressed woman who was acting her heart out.

Ryoba sniffled. "A-a-alright..."

The officers entered her house one by one. One of them, however, pulled her off to the side and said to her, "We will need to question you, Ma'am, regarding your son."

Ryoba was no newb to how the police work, and she's been duping them for thirty years, this was no challenge for her. She complied with the officer and led him to the couch where he began asking her questions, all the while, she would often glance at the officers turning her house upside down. Seems they've stopped being a bunch of cowards...

"So, Mrs. Aishi, you say that your son has run away... when and why?" the officer began asking.

Ryoba took a deep breath. "He left the house last night without a word of explanation. I assumed he was going to a friend's house, or perhaps going out for a walk. Did... he really attempted to kill somebody?"

The officer sighed. "Yes, Mrs. Aishi. He attacked one of his classmates last night, we have a statement and evidence."

"Oh dear..."

"Do you know why he would attempt to murder his classmate?"

Ryoba shook her head. "I truly don't know, officer. He has been acting rather... off the past week, but I don't know–"

"Off? What do you mean, 'off'?"

The woman wiped away some of her tears with her apron. "Well, he's been cold and silent towards us. H-he was always quiet and liked his alone time, but... recently, it felt like his mind was being occupied by something else..."

"Like committing murder?" the officer asked plainly.

Ryoba broke down at his words. "Oh my God... how could I have raised my son to be a murderer? I don't understand!"

The officer sighed. He reached for the tissue box and handed it to her, instead of letting her use her apron as a kleenex. "So where is your son now?"

She sniffled again. "I don't know... I went to wake him up for school this morning, but he wasn't there. I've been looking for him all morning, but I can't find him."

"I see..."

One of the other officers came up to them. "Aishi-San is not here," he confirmed.

Ryoba continued on with her act. "A lot of his clothes are missing, as is his suitcase, his favorite blanket..."

The officer who was interrogating her stood up. "Seems like we've got a runaway on our hands."

The distressed woman sniffled as she wiped away her tears. "Are you going to search for him?"

"He is guilty of attempted murder, Mrs. Aishi," he sighed. "I'm sorry, but if and when we find your son, he will be under arrest."

Ryoba glanced at all the officers surrounding her, not failing to notice that some of them were giving her a dark look. She simply ignored them and let out a deep sigh. "I understand," she whispered. She then looked up at the officer with pleading eyes. "Just... please find my baby boy."

The officer bowed his head. "We'll do our best."

Finally, they all left her house. She got up from the couch and watched them get in their vehicles and drive away from the window. She smirked when they all left the street.