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“I get that.”
“Whatever you need to do to close this case, do it.”
“On it,” I said. The chief wasn’t one for idle chatter. He just wanted us to get the job done with little to no fuss.
“Keep up the good work.”
I nodded before heading out. Hopefully, just finishing up a few classes to complete my degree would put me in the running for a promotion. I wanted more responsibility. I could handle it.
I tried not to think about what happened in the past. I was older now, more mature. I wouldn’t let anything distract me from my goal or my job.
* * *
In the afternoon, I grabbed Dexter, and we headed out to the usual teenage hangouts to talk to some of the kids and see what we could find out.
At first, I was disappointed with the video, but narrowing down the age of the suspect was our first solid lead.
We approached some of the kids loitering outside a local convenience store. It was just outside the historic area, where we knew the kids walked to after school let out for the day.
Today, there were four kids hanging out. We’d seen and talked to them before, hoping they’d feel comfortable coming to us, but so far, that trust hadn’t yet been established. I hoped they had something to give us, for Remi’s sake.
“You staying out of trouble?” Dexter asked as we approached. He had a better rapport with the young kids. He was relaxed and easygoing. The kids trusted him.
I stayed slightly back, my hands loose at my sides.
“You know it,” Eric said with a smirk. His confident swagger probably got him into a lot of trouble at school.
Dexter scanned the group. “Where’s Chris?”
Ricky shrugged. “He’s playing baseball. They recruited him or some shit.”
“Hey, watch your mouth.” Dexter said the words without any bite, but it had the intended effect.
Ricky straightened.
Dexter nodded. “Good for him. You guys think about doing the same? I liked playing sports as a kid.”
“I don’t need nothin’ taking up my time,” Eric said.
He was expected to keep an eye on his younger siblings when they got home from elementary school. As much as I wanted him to be involved in something that would give him a sense of responsibility and personal achievement, taking care of his siblings was something. It kept him out of convenience store parking lots…usually.
I wished I could help these kids and do more. But I couldn’t do anything about their home situation. All we could do was be there if they needed to talk to someone and encourage them to study and get involved in after-school activities.
Eric dropped his cigarette butt on the ground, stubbing it with the toe of his worn sneaker. “I’m probably getting a job here soon.”
They were too young to purchase cigarettes, but we didn’t mention it today. We needed their trust and cooperation.
As the proverbial bad cop to Dexter’s good guy routine, it was my turn to step in. “You guys know anything about the kid tagging stores downtown?”
Eric noticeably stiffened. “How do you know it’s a kid?”
His reaction could have been for a number of reasons: He was involved, knew who it was, or was worried we’d accuse him regardless.
“We’ve got video,” Dexter answered.
“Must not be a good video if you’re talking to us. We didn’t have nothin’ to do with that,” Eric said with his usual bluster.
He was smarter than he let on.
