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He went over the last month or so, focusing especially on the time he’d been away with the track team but couldn’t for the life of him recall any situation that might’ve been misconstrued as solicitation of a minor. He knew very well the tight line he walked in this day of instant recordings in a world where everyone was striving to be politically correct in every which way. In other words, he watched his every move when dealing with the young men and women under his care. Things were surely different from his days in school, that’s for sure. His old coach wouldn’t have lasted a day with his acerbic tongue and penchant for reaming his pupils.
Ryan dragged his mind back from its ramblings, realizing correctly that it was his conscience's way of protecting him from the truth of the moment. He started to ask questions, but neither of the car’s other occupants answered. All he got from the female detective with the New York accent was a “we’ll ask the questions when we get to the station.”
Her dismissive words only added to his stress, and he started recalling every cop show he’d ever watched. He knew, like most people, that the charge was a serious one, and he also knew that contrary to the popular saying, you’re always guilty until proven innocent. If that’s not bad enough, being found innocent doesn’t always mean you’re off the hook. The stigma that follows you after something like this can be hard to wash off.
The further away they got from the school, the more despondent he became, and he hadn’t even heard the evidence they had against him yet. From Pete’s reaction, he could already guess that it was bad. How is that here lately, things just seem to be out of sync, he thought? It seems like from one day to the next, there was something going awry in his life, but none half as bad as this.
Connie rushed into action as soon as the car carrying her stepdad disappeared. She called her mom straight away, but it took her a couple tries to get the words out. Her mom is so in love with Ryan; she was sure the news would devastate her. She didn’t even have time to process it herself; her only thought is one of relief that no one else had been around to see the embarrassing spectacle.
It was selfish to think such a thing at a time like this, she knew, but she and her mother had suffered enough shame in this town over the fact tha her own father had disowned her before she was born and the rest of her maternal family had pretty much-followed suit. She could only wonder what new horrors she would be made to face with this new development.
She forgot all about her earlier upset after overhearing her mother and Ryan’s conversation this morning. Her mother’s scream of distress came through the phone loud and clear when she heard the news and hung up before Connie could alert her to the fact that she was stranded without a ride. Knowing her mother’s obsession with Ryan, Connie correctly surmised that she’d have to find her own way home.
Misty was a nervous wreck. No one would tell her anything after she came all the way down to the police station, and there was no way she could see Ryan. Her nerves were eating away at her as she wondered if she was in any way responsible for this? Had what she’d done alter him this much? Or maybe Connie had misunderstood what that female officer had said.
She remembered her fears at the beginning about her husband being around all those young attractive high school girls. Which one was it? Which one had he found attractive? How long has it been going on? Her mind was a maze of questions, and jealousy burned a hole in her gut. She could only focus on the gossip mill and the shame she would be made to feel once word got out that her husband had been two-timing her with a teenager.
“Excuse me, can’t you tell me anything that’s going on? I’m his wife; don’t I have the right to see him?” Misty approached the desk sergeant for the third time since she’d arrived. The older man did his best to hide his impatience with the woman who’d been asking him the same thing for the better part of an hour.
“Ma’am, I’ve already told you. Only his attorney is allowed to be in there with him at this time. He’s not a minor, so no one else is allowed to hold his hand during questioning. He didn’t quite roll his eyes, but the implication was there all the same. Sergeant Walker once again wished for the old days when the most he had to do was help someone find a stray calf or some such thing.
