never seen before. He said, “Theo, we’d like to ask you a few questions.”
Since there were no empty chairs, Theo leaned with his back against the wall and wondered why they were there. His first thought was the broken window, but he quickly dismissed it. Such a minor act of vandalism would not require the involvement of two detectives. Theo managed to say, “Okay.”
Hamilton went on, “Did you happen to be downtown last night?”
Theo did not like his tone, nor his frown. Combined, they gave the strong impression that they suspected him of doing something wrong. Theo looked at Mrs. Gladwell, who was nervously tapping her fingers on her desk. He looked at Detective Vorman who was writing something on his pocket notepad.
Theo said, “I was at the Highland Street Shelter last night.”
“Were you on Main Street for any reason last night?” Hamilton asked.
“Why are you asking me these questions?” Theo asked, and this really irritated both detectives.
“I’ll handle the questions, Theo. You do the answers,” Hamilton sneered like a bad TV actor.
“Just answer the questions,” Vorman chimed in, a real bully.
“No, I was not downtown,” Theo said slowly. “I went to the shelter, then I rode my bike home.”
“Did you bump into Officer Stu Peckinpaw?” Hamilton asked.
“Yes. I accidentally ran into him, but everything was okay.”
“And where did this take place?”
“On Main Street, Main and Farley.”
“So you were downtown last night, weren’t you, Theo?”
“I was on my bike.”
The detectives gave each other a smug look. Mrs. Gladwell tapped her fingers even faster. Hamilton said, “There’s a computer store on Main Street, two blocks down from Farley. It’s called Big Mac’s Systems. You know the place?”
Theo shook his head. No. However, he remembered the name from his quick review of the morning’s local headlines. The store had been broken into the night before.
Vorman helped out. “They sell PCs, laptops, printers, software, the usual, but also the latest tablets, SmartPads, e-book readers, even cell phones. You’ve never been to the store, Theo?”
“No, sir.”
“Do you have a laptop?”
“Yes, sir. Jupiter Air, thirteen inch. Got it for Christmas.”
“Where is it now?”
“In my backpack, back in the classroom.”
“Do you ever keep it in your locker?” Hamilton asked.
“Occasionally. Why?”
“Again, Theo, we’ll handle the questions.”
“Okay, but I get the feeling you think I’ve done something wrong. And, if that’s the case, then I want to call a lawyer.”
Both detectives found this amusing. A thirteen-year-old kid asking for a lawyer. They dealt with thugs and criminals all day long, and every one of them demanded a lawyer. This kid must watch too much television.
“We’d like to see your locker,” Hamilton said.
Theo knew it was unwise to agree to any type of search. Car, home, pockets, office, even locker—never agree to a search. If the police believed there was evidence of a crime, then they could go to a judge and get a warrant, or written permission, and conduct a search. However, Theo knew he had done nothing wrong and, like all innocent people, wanted to prove this to the police. He also knew the school could open his locker without his approval.
“Sure,” he said, somewhat reluctantly, and both detectives, as well as Mrs. Gladwell, could not help but notice that Theo hesitated before agreeing to a search. The four left the office and headed down the empty hallway. The bell would ring in less than fifteen minutes, and there would be plenty of students to witness Theo in the presence of two dark-suited strangers. Within seconds the entire school would know that he was being investigated for something. When they stopped in front of his locker, Theo glanced around. The hall was empty.
“When did you last open your locker?” Hamilton asked.
“When I got to school this morning. Around eight thirty.”
“So, about
Since there were no empty chairs, Theo leaned with his back against the wall and wondered why they were there. His first thought was the broken window, but he quickly dismissed it. Such a minor act of vandalism would not require the involvement of two detectives. Theo managed to say, “Okay.”
Hamilton went on, “Did you happen to be downtown last night?”
Theo did not like his tone, nor his frown. Combined, they gave the strong impression that they suspected him of doing something wrong. Theo looked at Mrs. Gladwell, who was nervously tapping her fingers on her desk. He looked at Detective Vorman who was writing something on his pocket notepad.
Theo said, “I was at the Highland Street Shelter last night.”
“Were you on Main Street for any reason last night?” Hamilton asked.
“Why are you asking me these questions?” Theo asked, and this really irritated both detectives.
“I’ll handle the questions, Theo. You do the answers,” Hamilton sneered like a bad TV actor.
“Just answer the questions,” Vorman chimed in, a real bully.
“No, I was not downtown,” Theo said slowly. “I went to the shelter, then I rode my bike home.”
“Did you bump into Officer Stu Peckinpaw?” Hamilton asked.
“Yes. I accidentally ran into him, but everything was okay.”
“And where did this take place?”
“On Main Street, Main and Farley.”
“So you were downtown last night, weren’t you, Theo?”
“I was on my bike.”
The detectives gave each other a smug look. Mrs. Gladwell tapped her fingers even faster. Hamilton said, “There’s a computer store on Main Street, two blocks down from Farley. It’s called Big Mac’s Systems. You know the place?”
Theo shook his head. No. However, he remembered the name from his quick review of the morning’s local headlines. The store had been broken into the night before.
Vorman helped out. “They sell PCs, laptops, printers, software, the usual, but also the latest tablets, SmartPads, e-book readers, even cell phones. You’ve never been to the store, Theo?”
“No, sir.”
“Do you have a laptop?”
“Yes, sir. Jupiter Air, thirteen inch. Got it for Christmas.”
“Where is it now?”
“In my backpack, back in the classroom.”
“Do you ever keep it in your locker?” Hamilton asked.
“Occasionally. Why?”
“Again, Theo, we’ll handle the questions.”
“Okay, but I get the feeling you think I’ve done something wrong. And, if that’s the case, then I want to call a lawyer.”
Both detectives found this amusing. A thirteen-year-old kid asking for a lawyer. They dealt with thugs and criminals all day long, and every one of them demanded a lawyer. This kid must watch too much television.
“We’d like to see your locker,” Hamilton said.
Theo knew it was unwise to agree to any type of search. Car, home, pockets, office, even locker—never agree to a search. If the police believed there was evidence of a crime, then they could go to a judge and get a warrant, or written permission, and conduct a search. However, Theo knew he had done nothing wrong and, like all innocent people, wanted to prove this to the police. He also knew the school could open his locker without his approval.
“Sure,” he said, somewhat reluctantly, and both detectives, as well as Mrs. Gladwell, could not help but notice that Theo hesitated before agreeing to a search. The four left the office and headed down the empty hallway. The bell would ring in less than fifteen minutes, and there would be plenty of students to witness Theo in the presence of two dark-suited strangers. Within seconds the entire school would know that he was being investigated for something. When they stopped in front of his locker, Theo glanced around. The hall was empty.
“When did you last open your locker?” Hamilton asked.
“When I got to school this morning. Around eight thirty.”
“So, about
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