7 - FEELING SMALL
1582 Words
“THIS is the third robbery in town, Mia. Do you have any leads?” It was nine in the morning, and the first thing that the Chief did when he arrived in the office was to call the detective.
“Yes, Chief. The culprit was already apprehended this morning.”
“Great. Good news, at last.” The Chief’s aura went a little lighter. “How about the missing child from Sta. Barbara?”
“I already gave a call to the officer to whom the case is assigned. Aside from the CCTV footage that I got from the gas station, there was no other proof that the trucker in any way stayed in town. However, I already told them that we are open for joint investigation.”
“Great.”
The phone on the Chief’s table rang. Mia was dismissed before he answered.
“This is Capt. Diggle.”
Mia was by the door when she was called again.
When she looked at the Chief, the crease on his forehead was prominent. The phone was back on its cradle.
“Didn’t you say you arrested someone this morning?”
“Yes, Chief.”
“Did he happen to be the Mayor’s nephew?”
“He is. He was caught selling the goods at the junkyard. The owner admitted that it was not the first time that he had sold something there.” She answered while staring at the changes of emotions on the Captain's face.
She could almost hear the gear stirring on the Captain’s head. She did not have to ask who called him minutes ago.
“Let him go.”
“Sir?”
“The mayor requested not to let this small matter be an issue.”
“But----”
“No one’s going to file a case, Mia.”
“Chief----”
“Let it go, Detective.”
His words were clear and firm.
Disappointed by the decision of the Captain, Mia left his office without another word. She gave an order to a younger police officer to release the culprit of the town’s series of robberies.
She did not wait to see him leave the precinct as a free man. She drove away and let off some steam somewhere else.
A few hours later, Mia was pushing the glass door of the convenience store. It was before ten in the evening, and yet, she was hungry as hell.
She had a meeting with the case officer of Sta. Barbara’s missing child. Apparently, there was a serial kidnapp*r on the loose.
They compared notes, and Mia was thankful that St. Vincent was not included in the small towns where the kidnapp*r did his habit of snatching children. However, St. Vincent was the town that the culprit always passed through.
Most of the day, she and the visiting officer were perusing through the CCTV footage of the gas station. They have found a strong lead.
With a liter of cold water and a hot dog sandwich in hand, she walked back to where her car was parked.
“Hello, Detective.”
Chewing, she turned to the person who spoke. Her face turned sour when she took a good look at him.
It was the mayor’s nephew.
He was standing under the lamp post with a lighted cigar between his fingers. Despite the cap obscuring his face, Mia immediately recognized him. He was still wearing the same clothes from this morning.
The detective ignored him.
She sauntered towards her car, which was less than five meters away.
Mia heard footsteps behind her.
She clenched the bottle of water tighter while finishing the last bite of the hot dog sandwich.
She turned and was about to strike the person behind her. To her surprise, Violet was holding the perpetrator’s wrist. It was right on top of Mia’s head.
“Who the f*ck are you?” Irritation was evident in his tone. He was glaring at the tall woman.
“Do you know this guy, Detective?” Violet’s eyes remained on the man.
“Yeah. I arrested him this morning.”
“B*tch!”
He kicked Violet, but before his foot could hit its target, it was caught by the tall woman’s hands after she let go of his wrist.
Violet’s shin made contact with the man’s jaw. It was followed by a punch.
The poor man sprawled on the ground with a bleeding mouth and a bruised ego. His face was in pure rage. He was spouting explicit words.
“Do you want to press charges, Detective?”
Mia glanced at the tall woman. For the first time since they met, a smile was absent on Violet’s face.
“It will be to no avail. He will be released like what happened this morning.”
“Can you ask your friends from the precinct to pick him up? Let him stay inside the cell for his safety.”
Perplexed, she stared at Violet. When she saw how serious her face was, she made a call to the precinct. She also cuffed him as they waited for the police cruiser to arrive.
“You haven’t learn, Detective.” Despite the difficulty in speaking, the man uttered. He was sitting on the ground. Beside him was his spit muddled with blood.
“What’s his case?”
“Robbery. He’s the mayor’s nephew. The Chief wanted me to drop the investigation.”
“Mayor, huh?”
“Exactly. I have a connection.” The man boasted. “I will sue you, woman. This is battery.”
“Does he always talk like this?”
“He threatened the officers who arrested him this morning.”
Their conversation halted when a cruiser stopped in front of him. It was Carter. He was on night duty these days.
“Him again, Detective?”
Mia nodded.
“Hello, Officer. I saw him about to assault Detective Smith.” Violet disclosed to the uniformed personnel.
“Really? Is this your handiwork?”
“Hers,” Mia confirms. “I’ll be in the precinct, Carter.”
“Have it filed in the morning. It’s kinda late.” The young officer responded before he picked up the bleeding man. He also winked at Mia, who smiled back.
“I don’t know about you, but I need coffee,” Violet said when the cruiser left.
“I didn’t know that you were in town.”
“I went to Oswald. We had a few drinks, and I’m a little woozy, so I need caffeine. I saw you when I got out of the car.”
The tall woman motioned the direction of the convenience store.
“Should I assume that the sandwich was your dinner?”
“Yeah. I had a long day.”
“Me, too.”
They grabbed coffee and donuts. They have decided to walk back to the car.
“Aren’t you afraid that he might get back to you for what you did to him? That man was notorious for nothing good.”
“He can try.” The female doctor said calmly.
Mia stared at her. There was no trace of fear in Violet’s eyes.
“He has connections. He was never convicted.” The police detective warned.
“Don’t worry about me, Detective.” The other woman smiled at her. “I have faced men scarier than him. They had claws that they could use. Old money to spend.”
The shorter woman heaved a sigh. “You have connections far better than he has.”
It was not a question.
Mia lost her appetite. The donut lost its attraction.
“You’re another trust fund baby, I see. You know people in higher places.” She said with distaste. “A luxury to live by.”
Their eyes met. Confusion marred Violet’s purple eyes.
“I hear contempt in your voice.”
“I hate it when people exercise their capability to twist everything to be in their favor. Bluntly display that they knew people in high places.”
“I did?”
“I’m sorry, Dr. Woods, if we ordinary people don’t know people like you do.” Mia made a beeline for the driver’s side of her car. “F*ck nepo babies.”
“Wait a damn minute, Mia.”
Violet grabbed her arm before she could get inside. She glared at the tall woman.
“What the hell happened?”
“You can’t just throw that you have connections, Violet.” She snapped. “That thief was released this morning because he is the f*cking mayor’s nephew. The case was dismissed because the mayor used his power over he people of St. Vincent.”
“How is it my fault?”
“Because you people always do that.”
“We?” The startled Violet asked. “What made this about me, Detective?”
“Everything has been laid down for you. Life was made easy for you.”
“You don’t know a thing about me, Mia.”
“Full supportive parents, money that you can use for your lavish lifestyle, IVY league school, equally rich relatives. Need I say more?”
The tall woman huffed. She let go of Mia.
“Go home, Detective. You had a long day.”
Before Mia could respond, the driver’s door had been pushed closed. The doctor has her back on her.
She shook her need. No ounce of regret on her conscience despite the accusations she mouthed off to the kind doctor.
- Writer
