‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
136
There was a collective sigh of relief as the boys hit the familiar interrogation room down at the station. It wasn’t just from them.
“I take it you’ll be wanting to head back for Tulsa as soon as possible?” Carlson confirmed as Isaac and Taylor both took a seat.
“Definitely,” Isaac nodded.
“I’ll see if I can arrange for Davison to have your interviews conducted there instead of here. After some basic evidence-taking you should be good to go.”
“Thank you,” Zac nodded as he closed the door behind him.
He ran his fingers through his hair as he joined his brothers at the table. He quickly noticed Taylor fiddling with his wedding ring, even as it was hidden inside his fist.
“You’re not gonna put that on?” he raised an eyebrow as Isaac looked across curiously.
Taylor glanced up but diverted his eyes.
“I need to get the other one off first,” he said decidedly.
“How did they even get it on?” Isaac looked perplexed.
“They welded it,” Taylor lifted his hair so that Isaac could see.
Zac got up and ducked around the table to have a look for himself. He winced when he saw the burn scars on the back of Taylor’s neck.
“They really never expected that to come off,” Zac couldn’t help himself.
“You think?” Isaac scorned just as the door opened again.
“Taylor?” they looked up to see Carlson in the doorway, “they’re ready for you.”
Isaac gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he got up and followed Carlson out.
Once again they took photos for evidence, this time focused on the marks on Taylor’s neck from the cable tie, the new bruises on his face and on the bloodstains on his clothes. He eventually had to take the shirt off so they could enter it into evidence – opting to leave his jeans until he had replacements - and that was when Carlson noticed the scars for the first time. He ordered more photos to be taken of Taylor’s older injuries that were still visible.
Once they were through with Taylor, Zac was next. They got through with him a lot faster.
As he returned to the room, Carlson came in with him.
“I got a hold of Davison’s unit,” he informed them, “they’ve agreed to do your interviews in Tulsa, but the National Task Force running the trafficking case want to sit in if that’s alright.”
“I don’t see why not,” Isaac gave his brothers a look.
“Sure,” Taylor shrugged, “it’s all going to come out one way or another.”
“Great, I’ll let them know to meet you there,” Carlson offered a small smile, “you can be on your way as soon as you’re ready. Although we will need Taylor’s jeans, and Zac’s clothes too.”
“If there’s a store nearby I can go get you something,” Isaac offered.
“I’ll come with,” Zac assured.
“Probably not the best idea,” Carlson hinted, “you’ll risk contamination in public.”
Zac hesitated pursing his lips, but nodded in agreement.
“Cool?” Isaac looked to Taylor.
“Sure,” he nodded.
Isaac got up to leave the room, Carlson stepping aside so he could walk out.
“By the way they found Trent,” Carlson informed them, making him stop, “he was picked up trying to hitchhike on the highway. He was trying to leave town.”
“I take it you’ll be wanting to head back for Tulsa as soon as possible?” Carlson confirmed as Isaac and Taylor both took a seat.
“Definitely,” Isaac nodded.
“I’ll see if I can arrange for Davison to have your interviews conducted there instead of here. After some basic evidence-taking you should be good to go.”
“Thank you,” Zac nodded as he closed the door behind him.
He ran his fingers through his hair as he joined his brothers at the table. He quickly noticed Taylor fiddling with his wedding ring, even as it was hidden inside his fist.
“You’re not gonna put that on?” he raised an eyebrow as Isaac looked across curiously.
Taylor glanced up but diverted his eyes.
“I need to get the other one off first,” he said decidedly.
“How did they even get it on?” Isaac looked perplexed.
“They welded it,” Taylor lifted his hair so that Isaac could see.
Zac got up and ducked around the table to have a look for himself. He winced when he saw the burn scars on the back of Taylor’s neck.
“They really never expected that to come off,” Zac couldn’t help himself.
“You think?” Isaac scorned just as the door opened again.
“Taylor?” they looked up to see Carlson in the doorway, “they’re ready for you.”
Isaac gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he got up and followed Carlson out.
Once again they took photos for evidence, this time focused on the marks on Taylor’s neck from the cable tie, the new bruises on his face and on the bloodstains on his clothes. He eventually had to take the shirt off so they could enter it into evidence – opting to leave his jeans until he had replacements - and that was when Carlson noticed the scars for the first time. He ordered more photos to be taken of Taylor’s older injuries that were still visible.
Once they were through with Taylor, Zac was next. They got through with him a lot faster.
As he returned to the room, Carlson came in with him.
“I got a hold of Davison’s unit,” he informed them, “they’ve agreed to do your interviews in Tulsa, but the National Task Force running the trafficking case want to sit in if that’s alright.”
“I don’t see why not,” Isaac gave his brothers a look.
“Sure,” Taylor shrugged, “it’s all going to come out one way or another.”
“Great, I’ll let them know to meet you there,” Carlson offered a small smile, “you can be on your way as soon as you’re ready. Although we will need Taylor’s jeans, and Zac’s clothes too.”
“If there’s a store nearby I can go get you something,” Isaac offered.
“I’ll come with,” Zac assured.
“Probably not the best idea,” Carlson hinted, “you’ll risk contamination in public.”
Zac hesitated pursing his lips, but nodded in agreement.
“Cool?” Isaac looked to Taylor.
“Sure,” he nodded.
Isaac got up to leave the room, Carlson stepping aside so he could walk out.
“By the way they found Trent,” Carlson informed them, making him stop, “he was picked up trying to hitchhike on the highway. He was trying to leave town.”