Page 47 of Sinful Seduction
“Have you checked in with the department shrink?”
His eyes fling to Fletch. Then to Mayet and Aubree. “No, sir.” He brings them back to me. “I’ve not been ordered to do so.”
“Did your COsuggestyou do so?”
He shakes his head. “No, sir. He didn’t mention it.”
So he just doesn’t fucking care?Cool.
Dropping it, I move to the door. “Alright, Officer. Stand easy.”
He snaps his spine straight and barely stops before saluting.
“Or not.” I grab the handle and carefully push the door open, revealing a shadowed room that smells of antiseptic and sterile plastic. Machines beep, and girls sniffle. If they were talking before, they’ve stopped now. If they were relaxed, all three women now stare warily as I sweep the curtain aside.
Probably shouldn’t bring four people to a meeting with two teenage girls and a worried mother.
“Hi.” I try for an easy smile. For unhurried movements and non-threatening steps. But already, Molly’s eyes fill with tears and her monitors grow louder. Her heart rate, faster. “My name is Detective Archer Malone.” I step aside and allow Fletch to follow me in, then Minka and Aubree. “Detective Charlie Fletcher. Doctors Mayet and Emeri.” I gesture toward each one as I say their name. “Sorry to fill your room so swiftly. We often move in a pack and forget how little space there is in these places.”
“You’re the detectives investigating Ben’s…” The friend, Tori, gulps. “What happened to him.”
“Yeah, we are.” I show her my badge. Anything to take her eyes off my weapons. “And you’re Tori Baylor, right?” I offer her my hand and watch as her face drains dangerously white. “Molly’s best friend?”
“H-how’d you know my name?” She takes my hand, her grip weak and undemanding, but she remains seated. “It’s weird the police know my name before I even meet them.”
I release her and smile. Comfort.Stop being scary, Malone! “Molly’s social media, actually.” I look at the girl in the bed and search her tubes. Her wires. The bandages hidden beneath her gown and blankets. “Ben’s death matters to us, and Ben—and you,” I bring my focus back to Tori, “appeared a lot in the things Molly posted. Watching those videos made it so we could get to know you all. Get to know who you were before this happened.”
“Do you have any news for us, Detectives?” Mrs. Freemon strokes Molly’s wrist. Gentle, soothing, rhythmic strokes. Though I can’t say for sure who they’re more comforting for. Mother or daughter. “Anything since yesterday?”
“No, ma’am.” Fletch steps forward because he’s our nicer, gentler half. “It’s really important that we speak to Molly now. We can’t proceed until we know her version of events. Your version.” He brings kind eyes toMolly. “We understand you’re sore. We know you’re tired and scared. We don’t want to make this worse for you, but we have to know what you saw. What you heard.”
Molly’s eyes flicker to her mom, guilt lancing across her features.
“I’m a dad,” Fletch continues. “To a girl. She’s younger than you, but someday, eventually, she’ll be a teenager. And I know she’s probably going to sneak out at night sometimes.” He shakes his head, dropping his gaze and scoffing. “God knows, I won’t be pleased about it. I’ll probably mess up. I’ll shout at her and make her scared to admit the things she did. But I promise, in my case, none of that would change the love I have for her. Sneaking out, seeing boys, lying to our parents… these are things every teenager does. It’s part of growing up.”
Molly squeezes her eyes closed, fat tears sliding onto her cheeks.
“Your parents care that you’re safe.” Fletch holds the end of her bed, gripping the steel foot. “They might’ve been mad before if they knew you were sneaking out, but I’m confident thatnow, they just care that you’re okay.”
“We’re not mad, Mol.” Mrs. Freemon wraps her hand around Molly’s, wiping her puffy eyes with the back of her other hand. “Daddy and I… We’re not angry. We thought we lost you. Anything other thanthatis a gift.”
“You snuck out to see Ben two nights ago.” I take a single step forward and soften my expression. “Did you do that often?”
She swallows, her lungs shuddering with an almost silent sob. “A couple of times before.” She gulps, peeking at her mother. “Not many, I swear.”
“Why did you sneak out this time?” Fletch questions. “Why’d you go to the bay? Who were you meeting there?”
“Ben.” Whimpering, she drapes her free hand over her face, shielding her eyes. “I was meeting Ben at the bay.”
“You weren’t going there with him to meet someone else?” I clarify. “He wasn’t there to see anyone?”
“Just me.” She sniffles, short and sharp. “We sometimes go there during the day, too. It’s quiet, and since it’s right on the water, the breeze is cooler than anywhere else.”
“Molly…” Fletch’s voice turns a little harder. A little more serious. “Did Ben get messed up with something? Was he selling drugs or stealing things or?—”
She groans, hiccupping on her breath.
“He won’t get in trouble,” I press. “And neither will you. What’s done isdone. But it’s important we know the things he was into. The people he associated with.”