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I don’t offer them chairs because I’m not about to encourage them to get comfortable or stay longer than they need.
My mouth draws in a straight line and I bite down on my lip, now that I’m here alone and they’re towering over me my false bravado is cracking fast.
I can’t seem to stop swallowing as I twist and pull at my clothing. I go to slide my hands into my pockets, but they’re too tight, and my hands don’t fit.
Keeping my head lined up with Dawson, I look away at the motivational poster on the wall. ‘When you’re going through hell, just keep going.’ Amen, to that.
I scoot back on my small bed, using the foot of it as a sort of buffer between me and the boys in blue. Very, very big boys…with guns, cuffs, and nightsticks. They could kill me six ways to Sunday if they wanted, not that I’m expecting any violence but what would be worse is if they asked me to go downtown, cuffed me, and marched me out of my own dorm, making an example out of me, while doing so.
“This isn’t about you this time, Erica, so you can just relax,” Dawson says.
“So why are you here then?”
“How well do you know Sam? I mean…how well do youreallyknow him?”
I don’t answer immediately, not because I’m worried about my relationship or what Sam might be up to, but because I don’t really want to talk about him to other people. But now that Dawson has tried to plant the seed of doubt in my mind, I can’t deny that it doesn’t want to take root…at least a little bit.
“As well as anybody can after being together almost a month now.”
Dawson looks at Fields and they both kind of raise their eyebrows.
“You clearly know we’re together or else why else would you be here? No point in hiding it so better just cut to the chase and ask your questions so we can all get along with our days.”
“Fair enough,” Fields says. “Has he ever said anything unusual to you or done anything strange?”
“Yeah, he has actually.”
Both officers can’t help but lean in. Dawson even goes for a voice recorder he has in his pocket.
“And what was that?” Fields continues.
“He’s shown me affection, respect, and a commitment to caring for me in a way no one else on Earth ever has.”
Simultaneously they release the breaths they were holding.
“Not that. Something along the lines of…something more important.”
“There’s nothing more important, at least for me.”
“Erica,” Fields tries restarting. “Sometimes guys like Sam, people like him, they’re…well, they’re really good at making you see what you want to see, even though they might not be anywhere near what they present.”
“You’re going to tell me about a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”
“Exactly!” Fields says, his back straightening as he makes a motion in the air with his index finger almost like he’s banging on a drum.
“I don’t get that vibe at all.”
“You wouldn’t. That’s the whole point. That’s why we’re here, to warn you, to ask if you’ve seen anything. Think hard.”
“You guys are wasting your time. Really. He’s an amazing guy. Can’t you just let it go?”
Fields and Dawson look at each other again.
“Erica, we don’t want anything to…anything bad to happen to you in the future.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Dawson says, putting his hands up in the air. “We’re warning you. Be careful with Sam.”
