Chloe and her attorney were in the hallway outside of the interview room when Ferrari and Josie met with them.
“Counselor, we may want to speak to your client again.” The detective provided the lawyer a business card and handed one to Josie as well.
“I don’t know why you’d need to speak to Miss Conrad a second time. The girl’s car was stolen. She’s a victim. However, if you must drag the Conrads and I down here a second time, please give us a day or two heads up.”
“Yeah, I’ll be sure we do that.”
She hadn’t been on the job long, but she knew Ferrari was telling the attorney to go screw himself.
He moved in front of the lawyer. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll get you out of here.”
He motioned for her to walk with him. He kept his voice low. “We’re done with them. Take them back to the others, pick up your partner and her mother. Be sure the mouthpiece goes down the elevator with you guys. Every once in a while, we have stragglers in the halls who have no business wandering around the building.”
“Yes, sir.” She hesitated. “Um, thank you for letting me observe the interview. I learned a lot.”
“Good. That was the whole idea.”
Once the conference room was in sight, he said goodbye to the attorney and Chloe, then turned back toward his office.
Josie poked her head inside the door where Bender and the mom were scrolling through their phones. “All set?”
The group made it outside where the lawyer assured Tami he’d be available if needed, and then he scurried away.
Bender hurried to the subterranean parking garage to retrieve their black and white.
A few minutes later, the group was seatbelted in the police patrol vehicle.
Her partner turned to the Conrads sitting in the backseat. “I hope you’re not in a big hurry to reach home. Even if I take some shortcuts, we’re looking at over an hour to get back to the Valley.” Although he had a smile on his face, his tone indicated he wasn’t happy.
During the return trip, the mother wasn’t nearly as chatty, and Chloe leaned her head against the window and shut her eyes.
Ninety minutes later, Bender pulled their cruiser into the station parking lot.
He opened the door for the teen, while Josie did the same for the older woman.
“I’ve gotta pee,” the girl announced.
“Young lady! Don’t be crude. Just ask if you may use the restroom,” her mother said, frowning.
“Price, take her inside to the downstairs bathroom.” He looked at Tami. “I’ll escort you to the lobby, and your daughter can join you there.”
Next, he turned his gaze to Josie. “When you’re done, accompany Chloe to the lobby. Then clean our equipment out of the shop. I’ll prep our OT slips.”
He popped the trunk on the car and took out his war bag. “Follow me, Mrs. Conrad.”
The three women trailed behind Bender like ducklings.
Inside, Josie motioned for Chloe to go with her, while her partner and Tami peeled off toward the detective squad room which led to the lobby.
The restroom was empty, and the teen stepped into a stall. “Your partner is an ass. Does he always boss you around that way? You should complain.”
Josie inwardly agreed it was unprofessional for him to bark orders at her in front of civilians, but she couldn’t say that to the teen. “He’s a bit cranky after driving through traffic.”
The young visitor exited and moved to the sink.
“He hates working overtime,” Josie said, and shrugged.
After drying her hands, the girl threw away the paper towel but stayed in place.
“Are you all right?”
Chloe stared her right in the eye. “What if someone was being blackmailed to do something they didn’t want to do? And then, while doing what the person wanted, somebody else died?”
Oh, shit. The academy didn’t train me for this situation.