Confidential

by Jack Parker

  "Oh Daddy," I said, my eyes getting teary again, I hadn't thought about how much information they had been given. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and hugged him back. "I'm fine. Anna kept me safe." He pulled away to see whom I was referring to.

  I was then bombarded by my mother, who seemed to have found her tears. Because we had an audience, it was a little on the theatrical side, but I knew it was real when she hugged me, snagged her dress and didn't even notice. Mom. You do care.

  I smiled to myself, feeling happy for the first time since I left Iowa. I had tears for a different reason now, as the entire police department started cheering and clapping, they were as happy for us as we were.

  They gave us a nice room to talk, not wanting me to go home yet.

  My dad was the first to speak, "Are you okay? What happened?"

  It seemed so long ago; it was like reaching into another world to find answers. "How much do you guys know?"

  "Nothing." My mother huffed. "They wouldn't tell us anything except that you had some important information that you needed to testify about, and that they were taking you somewhere to keep you safe."

  "I tried to get you back, but it was a court order." My dad explained, as if worried that I thought they had abandoned me.

  "I can't really tell you." I said.

  "Honey." My dad's voice was tense, "Now is not the time to keep secrets, your mom and I deserve some answers."

  "Its not that, I've had an exhausting couple of days. I hope you understand. I can't really fill you in on months worth of time. I just want to get through this trial, and figure things out."

  "When is this trial?" My mother's voice held her unbelieving tone. As if this was all a joke, and there was really no such thing.

  "Tomorrow is the first day. I testify either the third or fourth day, depending how time goes." I explained calmly, it was easy to talk about simple facts.

  "We'll be there," My dad grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. I smiled in thanks.

  "Where did they take you anyway?" Her forehead crinkling ever so slightly, as she wondered out loud.

  "Um. Iowa. They sent me to Iowa."

  "Iowa?" My mother sputtered, she burst out laughing. "How in God's name did you survive in little ol' Iowa?" She shook her head and shuddered, "Ugh, I bet that place was wretched. It's so flat. There is absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing, there."

  "Actually," I said, my voice a little icy, "There's a lot of really great people there."

  "Oh sweetie, I wasn't trying to insult the friends you made, I'm sure everyone there was very… nice, I'm just saying its so different than from what you're used to,"

  "Lisa," My dad put out a hand to stop her, "I think it's time you stop there."

  "Well, that's fine." She shifted uncomfortably. "We have your room exactly the same as it was, I only changed it a little. You'll like it don't worry, now, lets find someone so we can take you home."

  I suddenly panicked. I couldn't leave Anna. I didn't want to leave Anna. I loved my parents, but I didn't want that much change…

  As if sensing what was happening, Anna came into the room. She was stunning; her honey blonde hair was flowing down her back effortlessly, as she had on a blue blouse that brought out her eyes and a pencil skirt fitting enough to make anyone drool. Both my parents looked at her, dazzled by her smile, friendliness, and her beauty.

  Good. Maybe she can convince them to let me stay with her; it can become a full time thing.

  "Mr. and Mrs. Van Dauson, it's a pleasure to formally meet you," She shook their hands and sat down across from them, next to me. She took my hand under the table and I held on tight. "My name is Anna Michaels, I'm the one who was watching over Heidi when she went under our protection. I just want to thank you guys for being so cooperative in this situation." Like they had a choice, I couldn't help but think.

  "We are trying to have the trial as quickly as possible, no one wants to drag this out any longer than it has already, but it is a very important case." Her bouncy personality had dimmed over the past week, and it made me slightly sad. I had never seen her so serious. "But it's also crucial you both understand that this is dangerous, and we believe it would be the safest if she remained in our care."

  My parents were instantly angered. My mother, because she hated being told what to do, and my dad, because he honestly wanted me back home.

  "Dad." I reassured, "I want this."

  "You do?" He was a little hurt.

  "I'll feel safer this way, and Anna can help prepare me for testifying. I'm really nervous about it." The last part was a lie, but I hated to see my dad hurt. Plus, what if they went after me, and went to my house? Anna I knew could handle herself, but my parents? No, I couldn't risk it.

  "I just don't understand why the police can't watch our house like they did earlier this year." He said, weary and sad.

  "It's a much more serious situation than before, she's much more of a threat to them now. This needs to be treated with great caution." Anna's professionalism shone through the words she spoke, and her calm, almost authorative demeanor, It was weird to see, I was so used to her bouncy, youthful personality. I missed it, as it had left her the past couple days.

  After several more minutes of persuasion, my parents agreed to let me stay at Anna's, and I couldn't help but be relieved. She knew when to give me space, I knew when she needed to vent; we just seemed to work with one another. It was still good to see my parents, we got dinner together before I went back to Anna's apartment, and prepared myself for a long day ahead.

  Chapter 14

  Under the prosecutor's sharp instructions, Anna got me ready the morning of the trial. It was apparently very public, and I had begun getting very anxious. They wanted to present me to the jury as innocent, young, more like a girl than a woman. I am seventeen. I was furious when the prosecutor wanted to, and I quote, "Make her look much younger, fourteen maybe? I think it can be done." Correction, I do have a body that most fourteen year olds don't. Thanks.

  Anna just smiled at him tightly, probably thinking along the same lines. There are some things you just can't do. She decided to focus on the innocent part. We found this beautiful yellow dress, perfect for the spring. Paired with pearls and little ballet flats, she transformed me into this adorable little doll. My make up she left rather plain, some blush for my cheeks, but she let my hair naturally wave, I actually did look quite nice, and I was very happy I did too, because as soon as we pulled up to the court house, I noticed news stations had arrived, camera's and all. It was only a couple local news reporters, but still.

  "It's a good thing Anna dressed me so cute," I voiced my thoughts out loud to Kaiser and Patrick, who weren't really listening.

  "What?" Kaiser asked, a little short, they were all so nervous about this day. It was the beginning of the end for all of us.

  "All the reporters, maybe I'll actually get a pretty picture of me in the newspaper."

  "Are you kidding me?" Kaiser asked, incredulous.

  "We would never let you be put in the newspaper before you testified, they don't even know you are testifying. That would be far too dangerous." Patrick frowned, looking at me as if I was stupid.

  And I had been hearing the word dangerous far too much lately. It was getting annoying. "Fine." I mumbled back.

  We entered the court house, and I sat in the back, next to Anna, Patrick, Kaiser, and a couple of other officers I had gotten to meet over the past couple days.

  The first days of trials were long, and usually boring. There was a lot of terminology I didn't understand; the defense and the prosecutors each had their opening argument, they didn't even get to evidence or anything. It was almost like a school lecture, with each lecturing their side of the story. But I waited patiently, and I looked at the jury.

  Nine people. Nine people to decide the fates of Mickey, Greco, James, and all the other people charged. It was obvious, even to me, when the charges were read, that Mickey was in deep shit. They went throug
h each person by name and the charges associated with them, and the list for Michaela Sullivan was a mile long. Everything from murder to conspiracy, possession, intent to sell, and kidnapping, along with many others I didn't understand. But she kept her composure.

  Mickey didn't see me, as I suspected she wouldn't, She didn't look for me either, and a part of me wondered if maybe she forgot who I was. Maybe if she was too busy to even think of me, she wouldn't follow up on any of her threats. But I knew as soon as I got up there on the stands, and looked her in the eye, all hope of her forgetting about me would be lost. But I had to be brave, I had to suck it up and deal with whatever came my way, because I couldn't continue to let this woman control my life.

  The morning of my testimony came faster than I ever imagined. Months I have been waiting to do this. Either to get it over with, or because I hated Mickey, I really didn't know. But in the morning I woke up before Anna, and sat on the pull out couch, unsure of what to do with myself. I knew today was special, but it was acting out like any other day.

  Anna was unusually quiet, and helped me pick out an outfit. I already knew what I wanted to wear though. I wore the same outfit that I wore to Camdon's house at Thanksgiving. This didn't go unnoticed to Anna, but she let it slide, even though the Arizona heat had already started to sink in, I refused to trade the sweater in for something lighter, it reminded me of why I was doing this. I wore a little make up, and my hair was curled lightly at the ends, and I put in gold hoops and bangles that tinkled every time I moved my arm. The noise was comforting, I always liked that sound, and I tried to focus on that instead of my nerves.

  We were picked up in a police car, just like yesterday, and I hugged myself tightly in the car. "What if I say something wrong?" I asked Anna.

  Anna just shook her head, "Nothing you say will be wrong. Just say the truth, and answer everything you remember."

  I nodded, but that's not exactly what Patrick and Kaiser have been trying to make me do. I was supposed to tell the truth, of course, but they wanted me too look as sympathetic as possible.

  "Everything counts." I distinctly remember Kaiser telling me one day, "The way you sit, the way you walk up to the stands, the sound of your voice, how you address us, everything."

  "What do you want me to do?" I asked him.

  "You need to be sympathetic. Your attitude is a little… spicey." Kaiser threw out there, which sounded ridiculous at the time, even now, as I recalled the way he shrugged, trying not to say anything too offending to me. "So change it." He affirmed, "Sound a little timid, choke up, cry a little, look afraid of the woman, she's a mass murderer. Don't let the defense downplay what happened to you."

  This stuck in my mind. Downplay what happened? Would they do that? Could they do that? The more and more I was around this whole thing, the more I realized it was like a game.

  As we pulled up in front of the courthouse, I nervously got out and was immediately rushed inside, as I was meant to be a big surprise. I honestly wasn't sure how much more of this hiding business I could take. It was getting a little ridiculous.

  We all settled into our respective places, as I was smushed between some officers towards the back corner, where I would be must unnoticed but still watched by the police. A lot of large, unknown vocabulary was spoken back and forth between the judge, our prosecutor, and the defense. Finally, after about an hour of what must have been a review of everything that was said yesterday, the prosecutor, a lovely man named Daniel, stood and said,

  "The state would like to call forth Eric Damien for testimony."

  I huffed and glared in front of me. As if Kaiser knew I was looking at him he turned around and gave me a look. "You didn't think you would be first would you? We need to develop a base first. You're the foundation, but we need to have a little bit of information for the jury to go on."

  I guess that made sense, but my patience was quickly tested as I sat for three boring hours, waiting for the testimony of people who merely talked about stupid actions Mickey had been up to. That Eric Damien, he mentioned that during his undercover work, Mickey was planning on creating a different kind of meth, one stronger, that wouldn't be detected, and that she was trying to figure out how to get large shipments into America. They showed several documents and phone calls that were mentions of something like it, but nothing actually concrete.

  Right as I was giving up on testifying that day, figuring I would actually have to wait even longer and do it the next day, the friendly prosecutor announced,

  "The state calls Heidi Van Dauson to testify."

  My heart stopped and I found it hard to swallow. I got up slowly at first; it wasn't hard to be timid now, in front of the whole courtroom, which had definitely filled up since the first day of the trial. But then I did what I always did when I was nervous; it was a nasty habit of mine that I liked to blame on my mother.

  Whenever my mom got embarrassed, flustered, or nervous, she got this tendency to be really annoying. I could always tell when I was little, because she put on this air of arrogance, like she knew more than you did. It was beyond aggravating. I didn't even realize I did it until I got to high school and I made a girl cry because she looked at me funny, and I thought she was making fun of my spray on tan. She wasn't, but that didn't stop me from being extremely frosty and rude to her all day, until she was so flustered by a comment of mine she burst into tears. It wasn't one of my finer moments.

  I stood up straight and tall, and slowly walked down the aisle, letting my heals click in what I wished was a daunting noise. I briefly paused in front of Kaiser, "What are you doing?" He asked lowly, almost menacingly and I said quietly, a little icily, "Sorry, but I'm a bad actress."

  I continued to the front of the room, and locked eyes with Mickey. She clenched her jaw as if I was an irritation she couldn't wait to get rid of. I raised an eyebrow and raised the corner of my lips slightly, so only she would know it was a smile. I raised my right hand and swore to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, and then proceeded to slide into the cold seat and adjust the microphone in front of me.

  Daniel got up and smiled, attempting to be friendly, but I was already in bitch mode, and I was going to have to struggle to keep it dormant until Mickey's lawyer started questioning me. Then I was going to have free reign. I wanted to rip this kid to shreds. Months of aggravation and anticipation would not let me get stomped on by a courtroom full of people.

  "Can you please state your name for the jury?" His voice was kind, and nice, but addressing me like I was twelve.

  "Heidi Van Dauson." I smiled to myself as I heard my voice come out clear and strong, not at all "meek", as was suggested.

  "Great, well Heidi, we'd just like to ask you a few questions, it shouldn't take too long. But can you start off describing the day, several months ago, when you entered your home to find that it had been broken into?" He had gray hair, and a sharp suite, looking to be in his early forties, he seemed fit, youthful even.

  "Of course." I paused, before shifting in my seat to speak into the microphone. "There was a lockdown at my school earlier that day, and I just wanted to get home, so I drove back to my house right after school-"

  "And around what time would that be at?" Daniel asked, his face having 'I am interested in what you have to say' plastered all over his face. It was a little weird.

  "My school gets out at 3:00 pm. So I would have gotten home around 3:15, 3:20." I remembered to never say anything as a question or with any type of uncertainty.

  I proceeded to give my account of what happened. I described what I heard them speaking about, how they were talking about receiving a shipment of something, and that they were planning on meeting up to receive it.

  "And you heard Michaela Sullivan say all of this?" Daniel asked again, for clarification.

  "Yes."

  "And could you point out, for the jury, who she is?"

  I gave him a look but didn't argue. There was dumb, state the obvious things about this, Mickey was the only w
oman in the defense, who else could it be?

  "Thank you for your cooperation in this Heidi, you've been so helpful to the police." Daniel walked slowly back over to his desk before briefly glancing over some notes. "Now, while you were in your home, and you heard all this, what happened after?" He gave me that piercing stare, and I immediately felt uncomfortable.

  I had been so strong, throughout the testimony, and I tugged on my sweater, to remind me of Camdon and I listened to the tinkle of the bangles on my arms to calm my nerves.

  I sighed deeply, and started off slow, "I remember being so surprised, that I dropped this metal pan I was holding-"

  "Why were you holding a metal pan?"

  I glared daggers at him and his mock concern- I was getting there. "Because, I don't know, because I heard people in my home and thought I could hit one of them with it or something." My voice sounded annoyed even to my ears.

  "Okay, continue please."

  "It all happened so quickly, I turned and tried to run away, but…" I remembered that I wasn't supposed to address the men by there names. "The big guy, right there," I pointed to refrain from being interrupted again, "grabbed a hold of me, and I got away for a little while, before the short man right there, began kicking me, and I got up to run away again, but ran into him and fell back and hit my head."