The end for now
The last bit written in July. Co-si co-sa.
Gen was stood to her feet by an apologetic officer and her hands were handcuffed behind her back. “Where are we going?” she asked, fighting the worry that was still clawing at her insides. “You’re going downtown and make a statement before we book you. Standard procedure in these circumstances.”
“But it wasn’t me...”
The Inspector had already walked away, ignoring her completely. “We’ll go out the back to avoid the press. We’ll give them the story when we’re good and ready,” he said to the officer who seemed to have gotten the job of handling Gen’s walk from there to the car. “If I hear anything about one of our guys talking to the press, I’ll have their badge on my desk before morning.”
Gen despaired as she was led out the door and down the hall. She really wasn’t sure how she was going to get out of this one.
“Ok, one more time.”
Gen ran her hand through her hair, exasperated. She’d been fingerprinted, photographed, and put into an interrogation room that smelled of cigarette smoke and other equally awful smells. There were no windows, just the one lamp over the table like in the movies. Gen was pretty sure the rooms in the movies were nicer than this one. They’d been questioning her for an hour and she’d stuck to her story despite how flimsy they said it all was. Standing across from her was the Inspector, who’s full name Gen found out to be Charles Greene. He seemed determined to get a confession out of her that night. Even Gen was starting to wonder if she didn’t do it.
“How do you know Dr. Carlton?” he asked.
“I told you, I don’t. I was trying to keep him from being attacked.”
“By the mysterious other person that nobody saw. How’d he get into the room?”
Gen bit her lip, knowing how her answer would sound. “Through the window.”
“Really? Three stories up?” The Inspector shook his head. “Try again, Miss Wellside. What were you doing in that room?”
Gen fell silent, too tired of this round and round questioning to give him the same answer for the fifth time. The Inspector slapped his hand down on the reports on the table in front of him. “You weren’t at the party, that’s apparent from your attire. Once the struggle had been heard, everybody rushed from the party to the room and nobody saw your mysterious attacker fleeing the scene. You were the only one there.”
“Then how did I get under the bookshelf?” Gen said in frustration. “I couldn’t very well throw that at myself.” She realized she shouldn’t do more to antagonize him but her head was still aching.
The Inspector lit up a cigarette before answering her question. “Ok, maybe you did see someone else. Maybe he was your accomplice and maybe he tried to do away with you too. If that’s the case, the best thing you can do now is to give him up.”
Gen couldn’t believe her ears. “No, no, for the last time, I didn’t attack Dr. Carlton.” She coughed a bit as the smoke wafted over to her side. “You ever hear of lung cancer?” she said, indicating his cigarette. “Those things will kill you.”
“Nonsense,” Inspector Greene said as he turned over one of the reports, blowing a smoke ring above his head. “Even my doctor smokes this brand.”
“Great, you’ll have company in the hospital.”
Inspector Greene frowned, stubbing out his cigarette in front of Gen. “You won’t talk?”
“I’ve been talking plenty, you just haven’t been listening to me.”
“Ok, Miss Wellside. Maybe a few nights in jail will jog your memory and you’ll be more willing to tell us all about it in the morning.” He rapped on the interrogation room door and the guard opened it. “Take her to holding cell 3 for the night.”
Gen was stood to her feet by an apologetic officer and her hands were handcuffed behind her back. “Where are we going?” she asked, fighting the worry that was still clawing at her insides. “You’re going downtown and make a statement before we book you. Standard procedure in these circumstances.”
“But it wasn’t me...”
The Inspector had already walked away, ignoring her completely. “We’ll go out the back to avoid the press. We’ll give them the story when we’re good and ready,” he said to the officer who seemed to have gotten the job of handling Gen’s walk from there to the car. “If I hear anything about one of our guys talking to the press, I’ll have their badge on my desk before morning.”
Gen despaired as she was led out the door and down the hall. She really wasn’t sure how she was going to get out of this one.
“Ok, one more time.”
Gen ran her hand through her hair, exasperated. She’d been fingerprinted, photographed, and put into an interrogation room that smelled of cigarette smoke and other equally awful smells. There were no windows, just the one lamp over the table like in the movies. Gen was pretty sure the rooms in the movies were nicer than this one. They’d been questioning her for an hour and she’d stuck to her story despite how flimsy they said it all was. Standing across from her was the Inspector, who’s full name Gen found out to be Charles Greene. He seemed determined to get a confession out of her that night. Even Gen was starting to wonder if she didn’t do it.
“How do you know Dr. Carlton?” he asked.
“I told you, I don’t. I was trying to keep him from being attacked.”
“By the mysterious other person that nobody saw. How’d he get into the room?”
Gen bit her lip, knowing how her answer would sound. “Through the window.”
“Really? Three stories up?” The Inspector shook his head. “Try again, Miss Wellside. What were you doing in that room?”
Gen fell silent, too tired of this round and round questioning to give him the same answer for the fifth time. The Inspector slapped his hand down on the reports on the table in front of him. “You weren’t at the party, that’s apparent from your attire. Once the struggle had been heard, everybody rushed from the party to the room and nobody saw your mysterious attacker fleeing the scene. You were the only one there.”
“Then how did I get under the bookshelf?” Gen said in frustration. “I couldn’t very well throw that at myself.” She realized she shouldn’t do more to antagonize him but her head was still aching.
The Inspector lit up a cigarette before answering her question. “Ok, maybe you did see someone else. Maybe he was your accomplice and maybe he tried to do away with you too. If that’s the case, the best thing you can do now is to give him up.”
Gen couldn’t believe her ears. “No, no, for the last time, I didn’t attack Dr. Carlton.” She coughed a bit as the smoke wafted over to her side. “You ever hear of lung cancer?” she said, indicating his cigarette. “Those things will kill you.”
“Nonsense,” Inspector Greene said as he turned over one of the reports, blowing a smoke ring above his head. “Even my doctor smokes this brand.”
“Great, you’ll have company in the hospital.”
Inspector Greene frowned, stubbing out his cigarette in front of Gen. “You won’t talk?”
“I’ve been talking plenty, you just haven’t been listening to me.”
“Ok, Miss Wellside. Maybe a few nights in jail will jog your memory and you’ll be more willing to tell us all about it in the morning.” He rapped on the interrogation room door and the guard opened it. “Take her to holding cell 3 for the night.”