Craig shook his head. ‘I was robbed, sir. I’d been in this city for… an hour, maybe two, and I got jumped. They took everything I had – my bag with all my clothes, my wallet, my phone… everything.’
Garcia bobbed his head. ‘Welcome to LA.’
‘You’ve got nothing that can confirm that you are who you say you are?’ Emiliano pushed.
Craig began shaking his head again, but paused mid-shake and nodded at his backpack. ‘Umm… on the outside pocket. My student card should still be there, sir.’
Emiliano checked the pocket and found the student card. The boy hadn’t lied about anything. He showed the card to Hunter and Garcia – Coronado High School, Lubbock, Texas.
‘Where are you staying, Craig?’ Garcia asked.
Craig’s reply was to look down at the ground again.
‘Are your parents back in Lubbock?’ Hunter asked.
‘My mother is, sir, with her… live-in boyfriend. My father died when I was nine, but I’m not going back to that house, sir. I’m not going back to Lubbock. I’d rather go to jail here. If you take me back, I’ll just run away again.’
Hunter picked up more than just anger in Craig’s words. He picked up fear as well.
‘The beating to your face,’ he asked. ‘You didn’t get that when you got jumped, did you?’
Craig stayed quiet.
‘Your mother’s partner?’ Hunter pushed.
Not a word.
‘Is that why you left Lubbock? To get away from him?’
‘I just want a new life, sir. Any life but that one. I just can’t take it anymore.’
Hunter’s gaze moved to Emiliano. The officer seemed to be looking back at Craig, but his stare was distant, lost in a memory somewhere.
‘Does your mother know about the beatings?’ Hunter asked.
The boy nodded slowly, averting everyone’s eyes. ‘She doesn’t really care.’ His voice croaked.
‘This isn’t exactly the best way to start a new life, Craig,’ Garcia said, once again nodding at the backpack. ‘Have you ever been to prison?’
‘No, sir. I’ve never been in trouble with the law. I’m not a thief, sir. I just…’ Tears began rolling down Craig’s cheeks.
Hunter and Emiliano exchanged an understanding look.
‘The detective is right,’ Emiliano said, nodding at Garcia. ‘Ifyou want to start a new life in a different city, especially one like LA, this ain’t it, Craig. Just for this…’ He lifted the backpack. ‘…you could get six months in jail and a thousand-dollar fine. Do you have a thousand dollars?’
Craig shook his head.
‘Do you want to spend your first six months in LA in hell? Because that’s exactly how jail will seem to you, Craig – like absolute hell.’
Another headshake. ‘I am sorry, sir. I was just hungry. And my face really hurts.’ Craig leaned back against the wall in the alleyway, a little out of balance. His legs looked like they were about to give up under him. Clearly the crazy dash around the streets of Watts after two days without food had taken its toll on the boy.
‘Are you all right?’ Garcia asked.
‘Yes, sir.’ He took a deep breath and a moment. ‘Just… a little dizzy. That’s all.’
‘OK.’ Hunter took over, as he reached for the notebook in his pocket and began scribbling something down. ‘So this is what we’re going to do, Craig – we’re going to go back to Smart & Final, you’re going to pay for your groceries and I’m going to give you a list of addresses, OK?’
‘I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t pay for those groceries. I really don’t have any money. Can I just give them back, instead? None of it’s been opened. I’m sorry I took them.’
