"So where exactly were you the night your mother disappeared, Scarlett?" I groaned in response to the heavy-set officer.
"You must be new here," I replied, impatience filling my tone. "So lemme give you the rundown. If you cared enough to check your files on my mom, you'd know that she disappeared three nights before her birthday, which has obviously gotta mean something. I was seven, what do you think I was doing? I was coloring in my room or something. But I refuse to give up on her. She's a strong woman and I know--I just know she's not dead." I traced the rim of the coffee cup; its contents now long cold.
"Kid, it sounds to me like you've got a bad case of denial. Nine years is a long time to be missing, no matter how 'strong' you seem to think your mom is." He shook his head with finality and I could feel my cheeks getting hot.
With clenched teeth, I spoke slowly, "My. Mother. Is. Not. Dead. I want to talk to detective Paddler, she actually has some competence." I mumbled the last part under my breath, locking eyes with the useless chubby man.
"Look, miss. Your attitude isn't gonna bring your mom back so you might as well cut it out. Now, I'm gonna go get Paddler because you're gettin' on my last nerve." I rolled my eyes, watching as his rolls of fat bounced with each step.
"You can't expect to be told anything if you act like that," I heard a familiar voice from behind me.
"And you can't expect me to cooperate when talking to big-headed dumb asses who think they know everything about everything. Seriously," I spun my chair around, finally facing my father, "none of them even know what they're saying except Detective Paddler."
"They're trying their hardest Scarlett. It's kinda hard to find a missing person that's been gone for 9 years." I sighed and turned back around, not wanting to finish this stupid conversation.
"I thought that they had a lead anyways. Or was that just another lie you told to add to your never-ending list of lies?" I asked in a sickeningly sweet tone. All I got in return was yet another sigh.
"No, Scarlett. I told you, they can't tell you anything that will get your hopes up before they know all the facts. That's why they're asking you--both of us--about what happened that night."
"And what did you tell the cops? We both know the real reason why she's gone, and it's not because I spilled spaghetti on myself that night." I stated bluntly, not even bothering to look at him. When I did look up, though, I saw that familiar hardening in his eyes and that tight clenching of his fist. Don't break eye contact, Scarlett. You're not that little girl with no backbone anymore. You're strong. You're strong. Those three deep breaths, and then words spoken between clenched teeth.
"I. Told. You. Nothing happened that night that was out of the ordinary." He wasn't completely wrong, the sort of thing that happened that night happened all the time. But that doesn't mean it was one of those normal family occurrences.
"Whatever. I don't care about them 'protecting my feelings' or whatever; I just want to know the truth. So I'm going to ask one more time: what the hell do they know?" I snapped at the end, impatience flooding my tone.
"Oh look Detective Paddler is here!" I rolled my eyes and turned around to greet her.
"Scarlett! It's been what, a day? Feels like forever." She attempts to joke with me, trying to lighten the mood but immediately stops when she sees the glare I'm giving her. "Okay, let's get down to it then. I know you like it short and simple, no sugar-coating so I'll just say it then."
"Say what? The lead you guys got?"
"No the type of chocolate chips I use in my brownies. Of course it's the damn lead. Point is, we found your moms prints on a stolen car--fresh too. Couldn't have been more than 48 hours ago."
Incredulity flowing through me, I stood up with tears in my eyes, "Mom's alive?"
