The Price of Candy by Rod Hoisington

her?”
    She knew where the line was between the
personal and the official. When he put on his state attorney hat,
she’d bite her tongue and not deviate from the truth. Lying to a
state attorney or a federal officer, even if not under oath, can
land you in jail. You can be tricky, you can push the limits of
ambiguity, but you’d better not lie.
    She told him about knowing Abby Olin from
juvenile rehab as teenagers and receiving her phone call. Sandy
avoided mentioning Bruce Banks or the offensive activities of the
counselors and hoped he didn’t go there. She continued about Abby
explaining her Internet panty business, and Jamie overhearing her
mother and Toby talking about a porno operation. “In short, the
woman is an oversexed screwball. You don’t have to believe me, just
search her computer.”
    “Too bad Philadelphia didn’t keep the two of
you locked in rehab. For your information, we searched the Olin
house immediately after the shooting. We found nothing but some
money in a shoe box.”
    “How much?” She knew he wouldn’t tell
her.
    “God, you’re nosey. Why do you even ask such
questions? It’s not your concern.”
    “And stuff on her computer, right?”
    “We were in the house legally because of the
shooting. Had no reason to consider the computer. Later, after
Detective Pomar told us about your porn story, we got the judge out
of bed to implement a warrant covering the computer. He denied it,
seeing no connection between her computer and shooting a
prowler.”
    “You’re starting in with another major screw
up. The computer is everything, Moran. Go back and get another
warrant for the computer before you release Abby and she gets her
deleting little fingers on it.”
    “Not on the say-so of some kid. You think I’m
a complete idiot?”
    “Nobody’s perfect.”
    He continued looking down at the folder. “You
told Pomar the daughter said it was porn. We asked Abigail Olin and
she laughed that off. Her lawyer was just in here. She denies any
activities with porn, child or otherwise.”
    “She didn’t confess to a crime. Imagine that.
You just can’t trust anyone anymore.”
    “She says Jamie is a little liar always
making up stories to cause trouble. She likely made up the story
about her mother being involved with child porn.”
    “Jamie isn’t like that. You should talk to
her.”
    “You don’t know about that kid but we do.
County gave us an old police report. A year ago, she called 911
claiming she’d been locked in her room for days without food or
water. Later, she admitted she was mad because her mother wouldn’t
let her go to the movies, or something. The kid has a history. That
mendacious child took you in.”
    “I can’t believe I figured her wrong.”
Another argument occurred to her. “Jamie might have lied about the
porn, but she was right about something going down last night.”
    He ignored her point. “In her statement, the
mother says she shot that man thinking he was a prowler. In fact,
she claims she’s been threatened by one....” Moran thumbed through
his file. “...Bruce Banks. She said you’d back up her story that
Banks has been threatening her. What do you say to that? Do you
know about Banks?”
    Sandy cursed Abby under her breath. “I
definitely will not back up such a story. Bruce Banks has nothing
to do with this. She told me she thought someone was stalking
her—that’s all. But I’ve no evidence of that. I’ve no knowledge of
Banks threatening her. He’s old news. Someone we both knew up in
Philly. Obviously, she just came up with Banks threatening her as a
cover to shoot Toby.”
    “How do the two of you know Banks?”
    She was afraid that was coming. “He was a
counselor at the rehab facility.” Did that sound innocent
enough?
    “The two of you just happened to remember his
name? I want to know about Banks.”
    “We were talking about our time in rehab. I
don’t think she remembered his name until I blurted it out
innocently.”