Lethal Elite

[12]

"Now.." Pete said while sliding me a cup of coffee.

"I don't like my coffee black." I said quickly as I looked into the cup.

Pete gave a now irritated smile as he said "Okay then. I kind of figured you liked your coffee on the lighter side but I wasn't exactly sure how light you liked it." and he then got up and left with my coffee.

Before Pete came back, I began to observe the room. I could not wrap my mind around why all this drama over a little red club dress. There were about four cameras total in the room, one in each corner. There also was a TV directly above the door. Strangely there were 3 mirrors in the room. Each mirror on every wall except for the wall with the door. Looking around at everything was starting to make me dizzy. When Pete came back, the cup of coffee was piping hot. I could tell by the steam flying out from the top of it.

"I also like my coffee with at least two icecubes in it when it's freshly made." I said while looking down at my now strangely swollen ankles. It was weird how they were getting more swollen by the minute because I wasn't feeling a thing.

"Excuse me but I didn't know we were going to have you as a guest today. If I did, I would have been better prepared." Pete said sarcastically.

"You know... I thought since it was about 11:00 o'clock in the morning. I would be nice by giving you a fresh cup of coffee. That's what normal... office workers... like yourself, usually do at this time of day...but you on the other hand ...  obviously, aren't that normal now are you?"

I then began trying to respond to him but he cut me off before I could open my mouth.

"See I'm starting to wrap my mind around you a little bit.. " He said as he got closer to me across the table.

"but then again at the same time, every time I think I understand you ... you do something that makes me change my mind." He continued.

"I-" before i could get a sentence out he interrupted me.

"Being as it is, only because you were out at approximately 9am looking to steal a $1,000 dress of course." He continued.

"So excuse me if my hospitality is a bit... how shall I say? Short."

"I didn't steal any-" I tried to explain before Pete interrupted me.

"Wait. Now before you finish speaking, I want to show you something." He said grinning as usual.

Detective Michael Pete then left the room and came back with my purse and slowly set it on the table.

"Now.. you were saying?" He replied.

"I didn't steal anything and why do you have my purse?" I questioned.

"I'll answer your first question first." He smiled.

"Yes you actually did steal something. Now to answer your second question."

Pete then unzipped my purse and pulled out the beautiful lace dress and looked at me with a squinted eye.

"What is that doing-"

"In your purse?" He finished.

"You stole it."

"I did not steal it," I replied quickly.

"Then who did?" he responded.

"All of this over a stupid dress?" I mumbled.

"A stupid $1,000 dress." He sarcastically mocked.

"If you're going to downplay the dress, at least add the expensive price to it."

"And if the dress is so stupid, why even steal It in the first place?" he asked.

"I told you already I did not steal the dress." I said calmly.

"So you're saying you didn't?"

"Yes." I replied.

"Yes you did or yes you didn't." he asked.

"Yes I did, I mean no I didn't." I stuttered.

"Yes you stole the dress?" He questioned.

"NO! I did not steal the fucking dress Pete!" I yelled.

"Ooh now there's the spice I saw earlier." Pete teased while shaking the dress in my face.

"What spice?" I mumbled.

"This spice." Pete said as he grabbed the remote from under the table and turned the TV on.

The TV showed camera footage from inside the mall, of me from earlier with the police altercation.

After he turned the TV off he looked at me. He gave me a strange serious glare.

"I'm not buying it." He said.

"Buying what?" I asked.

"The $1,000 dollar dress." He said sarcastically.

"Your lies , I'm not buying your lies." He continued.

"I don't remember doing any of that." I told him.

"Truthful." A strange robotic voice said through what sounded like muffled glass.

"What was that noise?" I asked.

"What noise?" He responded.

"Hey Boss." a man shouted before knocking and entering the room.

"Yeah Briggs?" Pete said calmly while not taking his eyes off of me.

"The girl is cleared to go, her friend already admitted to stealing the dress, and both of their background checks came back clear."

"That's good Briggs. Thank you , you're free to go home. Kiss the kids for me." Pete replied while still not taking his eyes off of me.

"Will do sir." He said as he laughed hysterically before leaving the room.

There was something strange about this police station. Just about every police officer that worked here looked like they were all in their early twenties. There were a few older officers, detectives, and maybe even desk workers, but other than that... They all looked really young.