Come Back to Me

When we arrive at the station Alex takes me into a big open plan office.

"Sit.." He says, pointing to an empty desk. I take a seat, looking around the office. The office is dull looking, busy and noisy. Alex's colleagues sit on the phone, some people sit across from them biting frantically at their nails. I see three men at the other side of the room seated wearing handcuffs. Paperwork builds up, taking over the office. Papers hanging out drawers, lockers, paperwork piled up on top of desks and I notice Alex enter an office and close the door behind him. Now I'm the one biting frantically at my nails. I wonder what he's saying. I suddenly feel like a criminal. Maybe I should have told him, I could have avoided this. Or maybe I shouldn't have ran, but Alex is right.. I must have had a reason to. Suddenly Alex leaves the office with a shorter man wearing black pants, a white shirt with his badge clipped onto the little pocket, his hair is black and messy with streaks of gray. Alex waves to me, gesturing for me to follow. I follow them into the hall we just came from, and into a room with a large mirror. Obviously I know someone could be standing behind it, watching and listening.

"Amy, I'm detective Mullen." The short man shakes my hand and gestures for me to sit. I sit opposite Mullen, and Alex sits beside him with his badge hanging around his neck. Alex doesn't look at me, he stares at the table instead. Mullen pulls out a file from his folder and places it neatly infront of him, flicking through the sheets. As he does, i look at Alex. His eyes find mine, he looks frustrated, but his eyes are apologetic. I look away from him.

"Ok, Amy. Alex tells me you ran into someone yesterday."

"Yes.." I whisper.

"Alex seems to think that this man is a threat, do you?"

I look at detective Mullen. His hands are clasped together on top of the file, my file. I don't answer him.

"Let's start from the beginning. What happened yesterday, when you saw him?" Mullen asks.

"I didn't see him, it was Mel." I swallow hard and fold my arms, resting them on the cold table.

"We were walking and.."

"Why did you and Mel decide to go out?" He asks.

"We just wanted to talk.."

"Anything in particular?" He asks. I look at Alex, he stares at me.

"Just about my brother, Tom.." Alex quietly sighs and looks down.

"So, Mel was the first to see him?"

"Yes. We were at the park, we used to jog there every morning together. We followed the path to a secluded area of the park, hardly anyone goes. And that's when Mel saw him."

"And did you recognise him?"

"Yes."

"Then what happened?"

"He started to walk toward us.. And, as Mel and I backed away his pace quickened. So we ran."

"For how long? How long did he chase you?"

"From the park to the corner of cherlom avenue.. We hid behind a car. He didn't see us."

"How did he appear? Angry?"

"Yes.. He looked frustrated when he lost us."

Mullen nods and sits back in his chair.

"Ok.. We need to know what you know about him. We have reason to believe that he was involved with your parents."

"They're not my parents.." I correct him.

"They were a big part of your life, Amy. There's no harm in admitting that." I want to slap him.. Alex stays quiet.

"What do you mean involved?" I ask. Mullen leans forward.

"There's still a lot of stuff we're finding out about them.. But we do know that they worked with a certain group of people and we believe that this..." He looks at the file.. "Jeff, uncle Jeff... May be involved. Uncle?" He asks.

"Not really, they told me to call him that."

"Ah, gotcha. So, Amy.. Tell us what you know. "

"I don't know anything about him..when I was little he would come over every Sunday for dinner. I wasn't allowed to sit in the living room for long while he was in."

"You didn't have dinner with him?" He asks.

"No, I was made to eat it upstairs."

"What do you remember, when he was there?"

"I didn't like him.." I finally admit. Alex sits back, listening intently. He must know how hard this is for me.

"Why?" Alex asks, finally. But I don't look at him.

"I found him weird.. He stared a lot. Every time he would come over I was warned by them to only stay for 10 minutes, and then head upstairs with dinner."

"What would they talk about?"

"I can't remember. When I was in the room with them they would talk about the weather, his work..he was a banker. But.."

Mullen leans forward, suddenly even more interested.

"But?" He asks.

"One time I was sent upstairs, but instead I listened, on the stairs."

"This is important, Amy..what were they talking about?"

"I can't remember.. I almost did when I saw him yesterday, I guess that's why I ran. But i don't remember."

Mullen stares at me, for what feels like forever. His smiles a little, and closes my file.

"I'll give you ten minutes to think about it, ok? Would you like a drink?" He asks.

"No.." I mumble. He picks up the file and leaves Alex and I alone in the room. Alex moves from his seat to detective mullens, directly across from me.

"Amy.." He whispers. "I..."

"I thought I was supposed to try remember what happened?" I ask, angry. His eyes droop like a puppies would. He nods, stands and leaves.