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Skipper
We need to talk.
Julie’s message is just as interesting as it is creepy. The fact that she said if she doesn’tseeme walking into the prison means she’ll be watching from somewhere nearby. I thought she was smarter than that. If she’s watching somehow, it means she could get caught. Of course, she doesn’t know I’ve involved the cops, so she’s not expecting to get caught. Then again, she could be bluffing in the hopes it will force me to attend. Either way, just thinking about her watching gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Tyler’s message, though, has me reeling. That line,we need to talk, never ever leads to anything good. He’s going to call it off with me and put an end to this whirlwind of a secret we’ve been keeping. It explains why he’s been avoiding me. Why he hasn’t turned up at school? Fucking hell, he can’t even bear to be around me. He must think I’m a pathetic little girl, especially after my less than mature lesson about Mickey Juice in class the other day.
What the fuck is wrong with me? Why do I have to be this way? All I had to do was ignore Tillie’s request to teach one of my lessons. But noooo. No way was I letting the opportunity to have all eyes on me pass. Of course, Tyler fucking lost it at me! I’m nothing more than a seventeen-year-old brat of a student that has a fucking lot to learn. Why would he be interested in me? Sure, I can fuck like a pro, and my dirty needs appeal to guys because I’m not a boring lay, but that’s about as far as it goes for someone like Tyler Foster. He’s a fucking man. Like in his thirties, and I’m a teenager still talking shit like I’m fifteen.
My heart hurts. Like it actually aches. I know I should just try to put Tyler to the back of my mind since I have four other guys, and I need to stop being so fucking selfish. I really wish I could do that. It would make it so much easier to deal with. Especially now as I enter the fucking Allansdale Police Station with my olds. I need to be focusing on what I have to do today, not longing for a thirty-two-year-old man who thinks I’m nothing more than an annoying adolescent.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Dad asks as we wait at the counter for assistance. I look up into his light brown eyes, immediately seeing the worry.
“Yeah. I do.”
He frowns. “I get the feeling you’re not coping too well right now, Rhys. It really is ok to change your mind about doing this. The police can try to get more information a different way.”
They probably can, but not before my entire school finds out I’m the girl in the video.
“It’s fine. I just want to get it over and done with.” I offer him an upward curve of my mouth that isn’t a smile but also isn’t a frown.
“Hi there.” Officer Zimora’s voice gains our attention as he walks through a door off to the side, holding out his hand to my dad. “Mr Rogan, Mrs Rogan.” He shakes their hands and then focuses his attention on me. “Miss George. How are you feeling?”
“Nervous as shit, to be honest. But, ready to do this.” The determination in my voice isn’t faked. I am ready to do this. Ready to get this day over with so I can move on.
“Being nervous is understandable.” Officer Zimora nods, his dark eyes kind as they offer me sympathy. He’s a good-looking bloke, nailing that whole tall, dark and handsome thing. I’m pretty sure Lexi told me he’s gay. I bet his partner, Officer Fredricks, is bummed about that. “I got the new message Julie sent this morning. It’s very interesting, actually.” Jason steps back and gestures for us to go through the door he came out of. I trail in behind my mum while my dad stays at my back, and we are met with several officers talking quietly with each other. “She gave away that she will be watching, so we have to assume she will be in the vicinity somewhere. Either outside or inside. The only photo we have on record of Julie was from five years ago. We have to assume she’s aged a little and perhaps changed her hair colour and style, but the Crimes Against Children unit here in Allansdale has created this image of what she might look like now.”
Holding up a computerised picture, Officer Zimora hands it to me to study. I instantly want to screw it up and throw it. It looks like her. The same eyes. The same resting bitch face. When my hand starts to tremble, my dad reaches over and takes the image from my hand while mum wraps a comforting arm around me.
“I’m still reluctant to let this go ahead.” Her voice is filled with anguish as she directs her comment to Officer Zimora.
“I understand, Mrs Rogan. And this isn’t common for us to involve a minor in our attempts to get more information, so we don’t ask this of Rhys lightly. There are a number of potential illegal activities at play. Despite the fact that an adult is blackmailing a minor and using indecent videos of a child as the tool, there is also the concern that a prison guard could be involved. Rhys should never have been taken into that private room. The only allowance for that is for immediate family members to meet in private if there is a hardship that needs to be shared, like a family death.” Jason gestures to the table, and we all take our seats.
“We need to determine who the brains are behind this stunt. Is it Brian? Is he pulling strings from within the walls, or is it, Julie? Or someone else entirely? There’s a long list of other victims that have come forward over the last twelve months across the state, and the only reason we are linking them is because a lady called Julie is blackmailing them. Is it a coincidence? Maybe, but I’ll be honest. It’s unlikely. We feel strongly that it is the same, Julie. And for some reason, with you, she is bringing Brian into the equation, not just as a background threat.”
“What assurances can you make that Rhys will be safe? Your email stated that we would have to wait here at the station while she goes on a bus to the prison.” My dad’s voice rises with each word as his anger comes to the surface.
“I will be with Rhys.”
We turn to see Officer Fredricks walk into the room, dressed in plain clothes.
“Today, I’m just Dana, going to the prison to meet my pen pal lover.” She shoots me a wink before glancing at my parents. “I will be one of six undercover officers in the facility today, and just like all of us, Rhys will wear an audio recorder and a camera.”
“Isn’t that dangerous? What if she gets caught?” Mum’s voice is high pitched, showing her worry, so I reach up and cover the hand she has resting on my shoulder with my own.
“The devices are small and practically untraceable. Besides, there will be enough of us there to run interference. They won’t expect a child to be wired up.”
“I feel like I’m on an episode of FBI or something.” I mutter, and Dana grins.
“Rhys, I want you to know that we will be there every step of the way. Even if we aren’t in the same room, we will be nearby. We’ll be able to hear everything you say and what he says, and the video feed will be streamed onto this screen,” she gestures to the sidewall, “where your parents can watch and hear everything.”
“What if something happens in the room while she’s alone with that monster?” Mum starts to cry then, yet her question has the opposite effect on me. It’s like a layer of armour moulds over my heart, and I stand a little taller.
“I can handle Brian, Mum. Don’t worry about that. I’ll get him to talk.” I was going to say I’ll do what it takes to get him to talk, but thought better of it. Cin and Will don’t need to know that. Once I’m there, all they can do is wait and watch.
We go through different scenarios as I get wired up, and the undercover officers gear up. Then I go through the gruelling process of trying to break free from Mum’s arms when she changes her mind and doesn’t want me to go. Thankfully, Dad sees my determination and pries Cin away, and I leave them behind to catch the bus.
Dana sits behind me on the bus, and I notice that not all officers get on the bus, only a couple of them. I use the time to go over things in my head before my phone rings with an incoming video call from Cherry’s Merry Men on Snapchat.
