The Test

Chapter Eight

Derek

Allan helped Brian up to sit on the chair, passing him some tissues to wipe the blood that had started dripping out of his nose. Brian glared at me from where he was sitting, and I smiled. I hadn't broken his nose but he would have a hell of a bruise.

Greene sighed, calling in an officer to escort Brian to the waiting room, before looking at me with an exasperated look on his face.

"Mind telling me what the hell that was?"

I sat down in front of him eagerly. "Yeah; all that shit he was saying about the scratches and Layna fighting with her parents? All bullshit. Every single word."

"And how would you know that?" he asked, looking at me suspiciously.

"Because I know Layna."

"That's not really a good enough answer."

"Allan, he's hiding something for sure! Why would he lie about all this stuff, in a way that's easy to believe if you didn't know Layna's family? If I hadn't of been here, it would have been easy to imagine what he was saying because it makes sense. And you would never be able to verify it; it would be his words against Layna's parents and if they really were treating her like that they obviously wouldn't admit it."

Allan sighed again, rubbing his face with his hands. "You do understand that people change. Just because you knew her however long ago, doesn't mean that she's the same person now."

I shook my head, "Not that much, and in that little time. In the sixteen years I've known her, she hasn't."

"I think its time you tell me how exactly you know Layna so well."

I froze when he said that, staring at him with a blank expression, even though my emotions were in a turmoil inside of me.

"We...uh we were neighbors. I was nine when Tom and Steve adopted Layna, but I had known them since I was born; they lived there before Layna. They use to babysit me all the time, and I would be at there house constantly since my parents worked all day, and I didn't like being alone."

Allan looked at me with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Neighbors eh? Wouldn't happen to be the same neighbor that was exes with Layna, would it?"

I cleared my throat. "It would, though we never dated officially."

"Why did you leave?"

"That's an answer I'll save for my therapist, thank you very much. I will tell you that it isn't relative to the case. It was a mutual decision."

"Fair enough. So, hypothetically if what you are saying is true, why would Brian lie about all that stuff he was telling us."

"My best guess? He's hiding something that has to do with her disappearance, and wants to throw us off his tracks. Like I said, it would have worked too."

Greene stared at me thoughtfully, his fingers tapping out a rhythm on his desk. "I'll look into his alibi, make sure everything checks out. But until then there isn't anything we can really do until we have evidence."

I nodded my head. It was a start at least, and something that could lead us to some solid proof.

***

After my conversation with Allan, he sent me home while he checked Brian's alibi. I didn't argue as I was falling asleep; I hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours and I was exhausted. I got a taxi to take me over to my parent's house, knowing my mom would be happy to see me, even if I hadn't told her I was coming.