by Erin R Flynn
Chad snorted. “And not just because we have a daughter. A lot of pro players do, and your sons would be blacklisted from teams. Players will shut them out, as they make all players look bad. If they have real futures, now is the time to get that.”
Kim nodded and took back over. “The settlements have ranged from millions of dollars all the way to signing they will never play college or pro sports. They used that as their reason they were allowed to commit crimes, and courts have found that privilege should be taken from them as punishment.” She didn’t give them a chance to respond. “If I could speak with the ladies, I’d appreciate it.”
“And that’s why I have to recuse myself,” I answered Mrs. Parker. “I can’t be FBI and work with the attorney of the victims. Freddie will act as Alpha, but Ashley won’t fall under the laws of child of the Alpha. However, there was an underage shifter, and she warned them repeatedly that meant something, and they ignored her. So before anyone else tells me that they didn’t know, the guys did.”
“They just didn’t care,” one of the parents seethed.
“Let me get Louisa set with the first of the guys,” I said to Mrs. Evans. I got that set up and then let Mrs. Evans have my office with the girls. Then I brought the Phillips back to the viewing room, as Craig was going first, and they wanted to see what would go public. I didn’t blame them, but I made it clear they were getting special treatment by allowing it.
“I know, and I thank you, but he’s not our only child, and we’re worried for the fallout,” Mrs. Phillips said, sounding seconds from breaking down. Yeah, that was tough, but Craig should have thought of that.
I slid into the interview room and nodded to Louisa that we were set.
“I want an attorney,” Craig demanded before we could even start.
“You are not entitled to one,” Louisa told him easily. “Unlike human criminal proceedings, there is no dancing around or delays, as we already know you’re guilty. I am here to determine how guilty, the depth of the crimes, your intentions, and if there’s any reason to not give you the maximum sentence.” She held up her hand when he went to argue. “I spoke with the victims, and they were not lying.”
“I don’t believe you,” he snapped.
“Yes, you do, and I can tell that from your physical reaction,” she explained. “You’re sweating more. Your heart fluttered at the lie. I can even sense the distress in your stomach from the moment I turned on my extra camera and recorder. Innocent people do not have that reaction unless they have a nervous disposition or anxiety issues.”
He opened his mouth but then shut it, crossing his arms over his chest and giving her a smirk. Idiot.
Amusement danced in her eyes. “I realize you don’t want to admit all your crimes and sins in front of your parents who are watching and agreed to this, but staying silent isn’t an advisable position. It won’t help you.” She seemed to give a mental shrug and continued even when he didn’t reply. “Do you know the women in question who are accusing you?”
His heart picked up, and she nodded.
“So you do.”
“I didn’t say that,” he bitched.
She blinked at him. “You don’t need to. Your heart already did.” She held up a file I didn’t recognize. “And according to your medical records, you have a very healthy heart. The warrant allowed me access to your complete medical history. You’ve had many exams as a college athlete, and there’s nothing wrong with your heart, meaning your reactions are able to be read by me.”
“That’s bullshit. You can’t allow that in court.”
“We are not in court,” she told him. “This is your court proceeding, and I am the prosecutor. I will know the truth or lies, so a jury isn’t needed. It’s a conflict if I rule as judge, and I will not. I will, however, give a recommended sentencing as a DA or AG would. So giving me the silent treatment will not help your case but will still give me the answers I need.”
He didn’t seem to buy it, as he kept his mouth shut as she asked another dozen questions.
She sat back and gave him an amused look. “Have you ever heard the old adage ‘answer for yourself now, otherwise others will and you won’t like what’s said?’” She studied him. “No. You understand the principal though. Your staying silent won’t keep this quiet. It will make us fill in the blanks in a way you won’t want. For instance, I can smell that you were aroused in those situations.
“Your body echoes that feeling when you remember it. Now, I could sit here and ask you more questions to figure out why that is, but I have a life besides you. I had plans that were pushed aside to get on a plane and fly halfway across the country because your parents asked for that leniency and exception. But you’re not answering, so we can fill in the blanks how we want.”
He narrowed his eyes at her as if daring her to make shit up.
“I don’t need to lie, child,” she promised him. “I could go tell your friends and teammates you were aroused around them, leaving out the females were around, and let people fill in those blanks.” She shook her head when he reacted. “So that’s the line for you. You worry more about your teammates thinking you’re homosexual and not people finding out you sexually assaulted women.
“Have you ever harassed gay students?” She sighed when his heart fluttered. “So you have. So you are a predator and bully all around, not just in this one situation. That’s not someone who deserves leniency or redemption.” She studied him again. “Which is why you’re not answering. You think if you’re quiet that we won’t discover more than we know.”
His expression said that was clearly where his brain was.
“I could make my final recommendation without you answering a thing. You will go to the Global Shifter Council, and they will send in a junior interrogator in training, and they will interrogate you for weeks or months just to teach them how to listen to a healthy heart flutter and read people. It’s good training. I’ve done it. I’ve trained people how to.
“The funny thing about that is unlike your human crimes justice, there is no time served during the proceedings. It’s completely blank, as you made it that long with being uncooperative.” She smiled at him. “And I’m a very old woman with an ungodly amount of patience.” She bobbed her head when he shot her a look he wasn’t buying. “I had a situation like this before. Many, but one I like best.
“He thought he’d wait me out. Not tell his side and let me get a better and complete read instead of what I could put together. I decided if he was going to push my buttons, I would push his. We had a standing appointment at eleven. He would be brought to the interrogation room after breakfast and wait for me. That’s three hours, as breakfast is over at eight.
“There he would sit in a room close to this, on an uncomfortable chair, and have nothing to do but stare at the wall, stare at his reflection, and see he was older than yesterday. I would come in, ask him the list of prepared questions I had from piecing together more and more information. Then he would miss eating lunch with others, miss one of his only chances to see others, as he wasn’t in gen pop with those convicted.
“And then I would tell him I would be back. I’d leave him for another few hours, and right after he’d had his dinner alone in the room, I’d come back and ask him a few follow up questions. He would then be taken back to his private cell away from the others, as he hadn’t been convicted and sentenced yet. That was our routine. Day after day. Do you want to know how long I did that until he broke?”
He swallowed loudly but didn’t say it.
“Over two years. He lasted longer than any other, I have to give him that, but when he broke, he broke. He let it all out, way more than we ever knew. Once we had it all, he was sentenced, and the clock started from the moment he was. Those years were gone and not even counting. So, you want to not answer me, I already have a well-tested and foolproof play.
“It has always worked because I have done this for almost a hundred years after I completed my intense training. No one can
just sit here and be a Global Shifter Council interrogator. It takes a certain kind of person and unyielding patience, someone who enjoys watching the mouse run around the maze and desperately try to get out when there’s no exit.
“And there’s not one here, Mr. Phillips. You are caught and guilty. So I’m going to list where we stand on your crimes and the sentences. This is the starting line because if you don’t start talking to me and tell me your side and give me your answers, I will start at your college and find everything else you’ve done. I will talk to others, and I will find every single sin you’ve ever committed just because you’re annoying me.”
I wasn’t shocked when he talked. He talked a lot.
“She was always pacing and shaking, so fucking dismissive like I was some piece of shit,” he bitched. “I got mad, and yeah, I wanted her to see where she really ranked.”
“You fucking idiot,” I seethed, interrupting for the first time. “She was trying not to shift.” I snarled and moved closer to the guy, changing my hands and running my claws along the table. “She was trying to protect your stupid ass from an accident because our wolves want to come out and protect us when we’re threatened. You should kiss her feet she cared enough to control her wolf and not risk you.”
Louisa blinked at me. “Well, clearly you would never be an interrogator.”
“I’m fairly good at it,” I defended. “I’m not a patient woman, but I have a few traumas of this nature that set me off.” I nodded to the kid as I shifted my hands back. “Besides, a reality check is good for those in the hot seat now and again.” I looked at the guy who was shaken, his eyes wide. “That’s how fast it can happen. That’s how fast we can shift.
“Most accidents happen because people are dismissive and don’t listen. I have several in my pack that blew it off as bullshit and got cut because they didn’t believe everything about shifters, didn’t care enough about them to hear them. Your actions have consequences, kid. They warned you again and again they were shifters and to not corner them, to let them walk away.
“So before your next shit line is something about them, as you apparently think you’re any god’s gift and should teach people their places, listen and take a look at yourself. They basically warned you they were armed. They’re not dangerous animals. You are. You ignored what’s right and are pissed someone would really protect them.
“You are lucky they were shifters and are in better control of themselves so there wasn’t an accident. You deserved whatever they gave you, but they didn’t because people turn it around.” I leaned over the table again and let him see how serious I was in my eyes. “But I was human once, and let me tell you how none of that would have flown with me when I was college.
“I put a guy in the hospital when he cornered me, groping me and trying for more. I broke several bones, and he lost his scholarship. He never played college sports again. And he deserved it. He came after me thinking I was an easy target being young and without friends, and found out he wasn’t the strongest one. That’s the problem with self-important people. Someone is always stronger, smarter, or faster.”
He swallowed loudly. “No way that’s true. You’d be in prison.”
“It is,” I promised him. “It was self-defense. He came at me and told me what he was going to do to me as he groped me, ripped my clothes. I realized no one would hear me scream, as it was the weekend and I was working on extra credit. Everything I did was in reaction to his attack. I panicked, as he had at least a hundred pounds on me and half a foot. It was completely legal, and so would anything they did to you.”
I turned and walked out, seconds from ringing the little shit’s neck. I hated guys like him that could with a straight face think that I should be the one in trouble for what had happened.
Assholes.
I got a call not long after and had a feeling it would put me in a bad mood.
“The director is not happy you took this political stance as FBI,” Deputy Director Galvin informed me.
“Oh, well, tell him to bite me,” I growled. “What political stance? Doing my job and making sure people understand supes are protected too? We publicize and publicize that we police supes, and still there are too many people who think no one protects us. I’m tired of it. It’s my jurisdiction and—”
“I agree with you, Thomas,” he cut in. “And so does the president. I’m calling to warn you and check from you that this wasn’t meant as a stunt.”
“No, but that’s coming,” I muttered. “I have better taste than a leaked video taken in class on social media or whatever it is. Someone was saying that was it.”
“Oh, no, it’s not one,” he chuckled. “The moment you walked in people apparently knew something was up and got the whole thing. There’s also some audio of your discussion with the dean when he tried to block you. He’s out of a job I’m sure. You were professional, and I reminded the director of that.”
“Can he retire soon please?” I grumbled. “For real.”
“I didn’t know you feel that way,” he said under his breath. “Is there something I should know?”
“Officially? No, I’ve never met the man, but it’s reached my ears that he’s less than supe friendly. People who have met him are very clear on that, and that’s a lot of why more wasn’t done sooner.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“We didn’t know what side you were on,” I admitted, not wanting to throw Monroe under the bus, especially since it wasn’t only him I’d gotten that from.
“Fair enough. What stunt is coming?”
“In my defense, everyone says I pull stunts and misbehave for doing my job. I get the shit, I should at least get a chance to pull a stunt.”
He sighed. “It’s going to be bad, isn’t it?”
“I think it’s brilliant, but it was mostly my idea.” I went into the stairwell and gave him the basics, smiling when he started laughing. “I’m more than FBI, sir. I know very well how everything I do is viewed differently because I’m FBI, but the bureau won’t care that I’m slut shamed or shifter shamed if that’s what it’s called. They defend them, and that’s seen as my shit. Fine, I get to handle it that way then.”
“I understand. I do ask there be no profanity or nudity.”
“Fine, we’ll blur when we flick people off,” I purred, glad when he snorted. “It’s going on the club’s YouTube page, not the FBI one. I’m also Alpha and a business owner. I take my role and those lines seriously, so it would be nice if others backed me as well.”
“I do, Thomas, I do. I’ll warn the president on the side. If I could get an advanced copy, that would immensely help us prep and have a supportive response formulated.”
“You just want more lobster.”
“It was damn good,” he groaned. “I invited my sister over, and she did some buttered grilled thing, and they were just so damn good.”
“I’ll send more after I see what your supportive response is, sir.”
“Brat,” he grumbled before hanging up.
Only some days.
Things moved smoother after that, the parents hearing from their own kids’ mouths what they’d done… And not just to Ashley and her friends. Problems started again when it was time for me to head out for what else was on the agenda.
“You’re just leaving?” Mr. Collins demanded.
I gave him a hard glare. “My job was supposed to end the moment I arrested them and turned them over to the Shifter Council, Mr. Collins. This is an exception. A very generous one, and not the only thing on the plate of a division chief of the FBI. I’m turning it over to Special Agent in Charge Shaw who is more than capable.”
“I talked to Remus, and Louisa’s all set up at Timequake,” Barnes told me.
“Thank you.”
“Wait, she’s staying with you guys?” Mr. Nguyen asked, looking as if he wanted to question that.
“No, she’s not staying with the pack, as that’s not fair, but a supe owned hotel is a bit different,
as it’s not always safe for us to stay at human establishments,” I explained. “Again, she’s here because this favor was asked of her. I’m not sticking her somewhere she has to keep one eye open.”
“Especially when she’s going to recommend that the young men be remanded into your custody instead of spending the time this takes in jail,” Louisa added. “I want those anklets that can’t be taken off and it made very clear that if they run, I will find them and throw them in a very dark, deep hole, but I’m fine with it.”
“I’m not,” I grumbled. I shrugged when I got several surprised looks. “These are serious crimes, not something to blow off or take lightly.”
“Agreed, but I believe their parents will be the best way for them to fully understand that, and they could have posted bail or had a bond hearing.”
I snorted. “Not on a Friday. It’s forty-eight hours from booking, and weekends just about always hit that limit.” I glanced at Freddie, seeing he didn’t like it either. I looked at the other parents. “Normally there’s also collateral and no bail if there’s a flight risk, which we haven’t assessed.”
Mrs. Parker nodded. “That’s fair and understandable. I wouldn’t think you could spare an agent to stay with us, but is there something else along those lines besides the anklet?”
“And a guarantee they will deescalate the situation?” Mrs. Evans said from the doorway, anger thick in her gaze as she stared at the parents. “Their friends are harassing the victims. It’s on social media, and they’re receiving messages. Apparently they tracked down their numbers from a few that worked on projects with them.”
Mr. Collins snorted. “They started this all. They have to deal with the fallout.”
“No they didn’t start this,” Mrs. Parker seethed. “Our sons did, and mine is apologizing and accepts that. What did they start? Attend college? Yes, they absolutely deserve this. They tried to go to the college, and they didn’t help. They told the boys to stop, and they didn’t. None of this is on them.”
