Mystery Loves Company

Chapter 26 - File #4.6: The God Article

Rhett

Officer Parry rejected my request about seeing the surveillance footage. Couldn't accept the fact, I went to the station to directly ask him after I'd done with my classes. The guy had a soft heart, maybe he would melt seeing my puppy face and finally give me the footage. Well, that, or shoot me with his gun out of annoyance.

A voice that I knew belonged to Officer Parry called me. He brought two cardboard boxes that were stacked on top of another, covering his face. Above them was another stack of folders. "Can you help me with this just for a second?"

I immediately took the top box. "Whoah, it's heavy," I commented while immediately putting it down. The folders slipped away and scattered on the floor. "Oops, sorry."

He kneeled after placing the other box down. "The guy that usually does this is sick. I have to take care and brought them to the evidence room."

"Ah, what a perfect timing!" I exclaimed. "Could you please reconsider about my request yesterday?"

"No can do, sorry," he denied without a second thought. "Besides, even if you try going through legal process, you still won't get it."

I sighed in exasperation. I knew I could buy or give him something like I did to Avery's brother, but bribing a police officer was a crime. All of this sounded a lot easier in my mind.

Disappointed, I got back to help him. In the middle of gathering the folders, I found a piece of newspaper article with a really interesting headline.

HIT-AND-RUN INCIDENT EXPOSED AN UNDERGROUND POKER CLUB: GOOD THING OR BAD THING?

I was so caught up with the article that I didn't realize Officer Parry had finished cleaning the folders. He snagged the article from my hand in a flash.

"That's a really good article. Very precise." I was involved in the case, so reading an article so accurate felt like reliving the moment.

He folded the paper and put it in his pocket before lifting the box again.

"Doesn't it have to go inside one of those folders?" I asked, being purposely fussy.

He shook his head. "That's just a piece of paper. It goes to a trash can."

When he got up, I helped him balancing the boxes.

"Hey, Owen—can I call you Owen? You look about the same age as my brother," I blurted, still trying to get his attention. He glared at me. "Okay, 'Officer Parry' it is. Sounds so old." I complained, but then smiled again. "Do you like pizza? Pepperoni and cheese?"

"Rhett, I know what you're doing. I'm telling you, I can't do that," he asserted once again. "It's against the rules."

"Rules are made to be broken."

"Just, please, get out of the way. I need to get this done before going on patrol."

"You sure you don't need help with the boxes?"

"I'm good," he replied. "I just remembered the Chief told me to keep you away from all the important rooms in this building."

"What? That's ridiculous. What am I going to do in the evidence room anyway?"

"I don't know, set them on fire?" Chief Snell suddenly showed up behind me. With just a head gesture, he make Officer Parry leave. "Or worse, inadvertently leaking a classified document."

I laughed awkwardly. "Hi, Uncle Dave! How are ya?"

He immediately grabbed my arm and pulled me to a quieter place in the station. "I think you don't understand what 'spy' means."