The Good Day
Interrogation #5
"So, how long have you been dating Kelsey's mother?" Detective Frier lounged on the couch and thanked Eli for the cup of coffee.
"We've been dating since I was transferred to her building at work, about three years ago." His eyes sparkled while he smile, thinking back to the day he'd met Carri for the first time. "Lucky me, eh?"
"Indeed. So, Kelsey must have already been like a daughter to you."
"I like to think so, although we actually hadn't met before the day she woke up in the hospital. Carri didn't want her kids involved in our relationship until she knew that I was sticking around. That's why I proposed so quickly after I heard the news. So she would know that I'd be there for her through all of this."
The two men sat back and relaxed with idle chatter for a few minutes, talking about the women in their lives. "I've got to cut to the chase here, Eli. I need an alibi." The detective wasn't too worried about him, it was just standard procedure.
"Well, I'd gone on a date with Carri that night. After, I went back to my apartment downtown. Once I got the call from Carri I headed straight for the hospital."
"And what about earlier that day?"
Eli sighed heavily. "Well, I was working from home that day. The only person I saw all day was my land lord, and that was pretty early. I know that's not very helpful."
"That's okay. You can only tell me what the truth is. Nobody expects to be interrogated. Can I have the number of your landlord, just so that he can corroborate your statement and clear you?"
"Not a problem." He took out a business card and scribbled a phone number onto the back.
"Thank you for your cooperation."
Kelsey watched the police cruiser back out of her driveway and away from her house from her bedroom window. Max pulled her away and put her hands around his shoulders so that they could dance together.
"There's no music, you know." She whispered, shifting her weight back and forth with her head resting on his shoulder.
"I don't care. I never got to go to a school dance with you." He dipped her, careful not to drop her, and kissed her on the chin.
Eli popped his head in, glaring at Max. "You two shouldn't be alone up here. It's inappropriate."
"I'll keep that in mind." Kelsey retorted. She squeezed Max's hand to tell him to stay where he was.
Eli opened the door all the way and stepped to the side. "That means come down stairs so I can keep and eye on you two."
Kelsey rested her hands on her slightly bloated stomach. "Eli, we're dancing, not having sex. Besides, I can't get any more pregnant."
"Young lady, I said go down stairs!" He bellowed, pointing to the staircase.
She walked up to him and looked directly in his face. "Look, if I wanted this protective shit about my boyfriend I'd go to my dad's place. Do not treat me like a child, let alone like your child, when you barely know me." She turned back to Max, who stood awkwardly in the middle of her bedroom, and motioned for him to come with her. "We're leaving." She stormed by her soon-to-be step-father with Max following close behind.
"Sorry, Sir."
Outside, he started the car and looked over at Kelsey. "Where to?" He asked.
"Anywhere but here." She sniffed. Tears were starting to well in her eyes.
"We've been dating since I was transferred to her building at work, about three years ago." His eyes sparkled while he smile, thinking back to the day he'd met Carri for the first time. "Lucky me, eh?"
"Indeed. So, Kelsey must have already been like a daughter to you."
"I like to think so, although we actually hadn't met before the day she woke up in the hospital. Carri didn't want her kids involved in our relationship until she knew that I was sticking around. That's why I proposed so quickly after I heard the news. So she would know that I'd be there for her through all of this."
The two men sat back and relaxed with idle chatter for a few minutes, talking about the women in their lives. "I've got to cut to the chase here, Eli. I need an alibi." The detective wasn't too worried about him, it was just standard procedure.
"Well, I'd gone on a date with Carri that night. After, I went back to my apartment downtown. Once I got the call from Carri I headed straight for the hospital."
"And what about earlier that day?"
Eli sighed heavily. "Well, I was working from home that day. The only person I saw all day was my land lord, and that was pretty early. I know that's not very helpful."
"That's okay. You can only tell me what the truth is. Nobody expects to be interrogated. Can I have the number of your landlord, just so that he can corroborate your statement and clear you?"
"Not a problem." He took out a business card and scribbled a phone number onto the back.
"Thank you for your cooperation."
Kelsey watched the police cruiser back out of her driveway and away from her house from her bedroom window. Max pulled her away and put her hands around his shoulders so that they could dance together.
"There's no music, you know." She whispered, shifting her weight back and forth with her head resting on his shoulder.
"I don't care. I never got to go to a school dance with you." He dipped her, careful not to drop her, and kissed her on the chin.
Eli popped his head in, glaring at Max. "You two shouldn't be alone up here. It's inappropriate."
"I'll keep that in mind." Kelsey retorted. She squeezed Max's hand to tell him to stay where he was.
Eli opened the door all the way and stepped to the side. "That means come down stairs so I can keep and eye on you two."
Kelsey rested her hands on her slightly bloated stomach. "Eli, we're dancing, not having sex. Besides, I can't get any more pregnant."
"Young lady, I said go down stairs!" He bellowed, pointing to the staircase.
She walked up to him and looked directly in his face. "Look, if I wanted this protective shit about my boyfriend I'd go to my dad's place. Do not treat me like a child, let alone like your child, when you barely know me." She turned back to Max, who stood awkwardly in the middle of her bedroom, and motioned for him to come with her. "We're leaving." She stormed by her soon-to-be step-father with Max following close behind.
"Sorry, Sir."
Outside, he started the car and looked over at Kelsey. "Where to?" He asked.
"Anywhere but here." She sniffed. Tears were starting to well in her eyes.