Vince walked with his mother up the steps of the police station with his stomach twisted in knots. He wasn't sure he was going to make it to the top without throwing up. His mother had told him that the police only wanted to ask him a few questions about some evidence they had found, but he couldn't help imagine being put on the spot for an in depth interrogation, that is if they didn't just send him straight to a cell.
In the lobby, Lucy waved down Reese who was speaking solemnly with Mr. Lind in the corner. Vince expected the older man to start throwing accusations his way as soon as he saw him, but when he turned around and walked to the door he looked right through him like he wasn't even there.
Reese shook her head sympathetically as she watched him leave before turning her attention to Lucy and Vince.
"Thanks for meeting us here," Lucy spoke up. "I appreciate your legal counsel. What should we expect today?"
"The police obtained surveillance video from the night of the fire from another building. They just want to see if Vince can identify them as the same people he saw leaving the scene of the crime."
"Is that all?" Vince asked warily. When Reese confirmed, he breathed a sigh of relief. "That guy was the head of the law office, right? Why was he here?"
"The police also had him look at the tapes to see if he could confirm the identity of who was on them."
Before Reese could say more, an officer came out to call them back.
Vince sat nervously in front of the monitor, very aware of the police officers, his mother, and Reese watching him closely as he studied the screen. As the video played, he clearly saw Scot and his two friends running down the sidewalk. Once the clip finished the officer played it back and paused on a still of the three teenagers.
"This video was taken at the same time as the fire a block away from the law office. You mentioned in your statement that you saw three young men fleeing from the scene. Can you identify the individuals in the video as the same individuals you saw at the scene of the crime?"
"Like I said, it was dark . . ." Vince started carefully. He didn't want to say the wrong thing, but at this point there was no protecting Scot and the guys and being evasive wasn't going to protect himself. "But yeah. Yeah, that looks like who I saw."
"Are you sure?"
Vince nodded.
"Do you know the identities of any of the people on the video?"
His throat was so dry, he could hardly speak, but he forced himself to do so. "Yeah. Scot Lind used to go to my school before he got kicked out. His friends are Jeff and Alon. I don't know their last names."
"Is that it?" Lucy asked Reese as she walked with them out of the building. "They know who the suspects are. They can just arrest them now and we can be done with this?"
"Well," Reese hesitated. "I don't think they will need anything else from Vince, but arresting the suspects will be difficult since Scot Lind has gone missing. With the amount of money he stole from his father, he could be anywhere by now. But considering he has a motive for setting the fire and his own father identified him on the security tape, I don't think the police will need anything more from Vince to make their case."
"I will be so glad to put this all behind us and get back to normal," Lucy declared.
* * * * *
"Are you still looking at that video?" Andrew asked as he peered over Shayna's shoulder while she sat at the computer. "It was just a little alcohol some kids snuck into a party. Don't you think you should let it go?"
"No, I do not!" Shayna drew back, appalled. "Not when Julian's safety and well being are concerned. I have worked too hard to make sure he's had a good life in a positive environment and I'm not going to let anything jeopardize the life I have built for him."
"Of course, we all want the best for our kids, but I have to say, I think you are blowing this way out of proportion."
Shayna's tone turned to ice as she turned back to the computer screen. "I'm sorry, but when it comes to this, it doesn't matter to me what you think."
Andrew frowned, but before he could protest, Meghan walked into the room and he bit his tongue.
"Meghan, can you take a look at this video again?" Shayna asked, turning the monitor toward her step-daughter. "Do you remember if this is the clown that gave you the drink at the party?"
Meghan sighed and glanced at the monitor again. "I told you, I don't know."
"You have to remember if it was or not. If you can't say for sure that this wasn't him, then it could have been, right?"
"I don't know," Meghan repeated with growing frustration. "Maybe it wasn't even a clown. I don't really remember."
"How can you not remember? Was it or wasn't it?" Shayna asked, her tone becoming increasingly impatient.
"Shayna!" Andrew spoke up sharply, as he stood next to Meghan. "She doesn't know. Just drop it."
"Fine," Shayna replied as she closed out the video and walked out of the room.
She passed Julian in the living room, lounging on the couch watching some reality show. He had seemed restless and aimless the last couple days. She peeked her head into the living room to check on him.
"Are you still watching that? Don't you have any plans for the day?"
"No, not really."
"Why don't you call up some of your friends and see what they're up to? You haven't spent much time with them lately."
"I know. I'm not really in the mood. Maybe some other time." He turned off the TV and got off the couch. "I think I'll go for a walk."
"That sounds like a good idea."
As Shayna disappeared into her bedroom, Julian saw Meghan standing in the hallway, having heard their conversation. She followed him as he headed towards the front door.
"I know why you haven't been spending time with your friends lately," she said. "Thanks for standing up for me. I'm sorry it cost you your friends."
"They were being jerks. It's no big loss."
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