6. LEO WAS AT THE WREAKIN'

Fear enveloped me. My bag was taken from me before I was brought here.

I suppose there were rummaging through my things now and most probably, going through my contacts and everything they could lay their hands on.

That was not much of a worry, I know they would not find anything. 

The bigger problem was what I was to tell officer Steve when he came back. Was I to tell him that I was trying to get fucked by a strange man and I did not know that this said man was the thief he is looking for?

How was I to utter such gibberish? Most importantly, would he even believe me?

When the officer that warned me earlier came to get my statement, I asked him if I could make a call. He said yes and so, when officer Steve came in a while later, he brought my phone.

I grabbed it immediately and put a call through to Sophia. She told me we would be here in a few minutes but I am yet to see her.

Officer Steve sat before me and peered into my eyes, like a predator that was sure he had his meal right before him. A smirk coated his lips. He probably thought he could scare me with his eyes into telling him something. 

He was right. If I had anything to say, I would have spilled it already.

How did I get myself into this mess? Shouldn't I have just stayed back at home, drank some juice or wine, and watched a movie or something, instead of acquiescing to Sophia's idea of fun?

Sophia arrived soon but they wouldn't let her into the questioning room so she simply showed them her ID.

"I am here as her lawyer." I heard her say, amidst other things. When they were done going back and forth and she finally came in to see me, I briefed her on what happened before they got a chance to talk to her. 

"That's bull shit!" She exclaimed. "Leo was at the wreakin' yesterday?"

"Apparently. That's what the officers were saying. Wait, you know this Leo guy?"

"Everyone in our world knows him. He is the bane of a lot of people's lives."

I could not ask her what she meant by everyone in her world knew him so I did not understand if she meant it as in the world of rich people or the world of people that deal with the law regularly.

"Look, I don't want to know. I do not have anything to do with any thief and I just want to go home."

"Have you told them anything?" She asked.

"Nothing concrete. Surely, you do not expect me to tell them I was looking to get slept with when I met the man, right?"

"Debby, sadly, I do. We have to tell them everything that happened yesterday. It's the only way we can get out of here."

"What happened yesterday?", Officer Steve's voice intruded. 

"I was talking to my client and not to you, officer." Sophia snapped.

"I was talking to the suspect and not to you, lawyer." Steve returned, with the same snappiness.

I was between the both of them, confused.  

"What happened yesterday, Deborah Matthews?" The officer asked one more time.

"She was not in a club ever before yesterday. I was the one who took her there..." Sophia went on, talking.

It was better to tell them everything that happened yesterday, I thought. It will be embarrassing but better embarrassing than questionable. Sophia and officer Steve were trading words, Sophia trying to make him see reasons why he cannot keep me at the station without solid proof that I was in league with the thief.

"I went on to the man first," I said, breaking into their banter. Both humans turned to look at me. "I approached the man first. I was at the club and I wanted to find a man to sleep with. I approached him, hoping he would be seduced. But the man said I was too drunk to decide that and so, he turned me down. I went to the restroom to take a leak and take time to digest my rejection when I ran into the pervert guy. Chasing the guy, he got hold of me and somehow, someone got him off me. Everything from that point on, I do not know. There was no way I could have known that he was a thief. He was probably scheming his evil plans at the time I went to him and perhaps, it was for the same reason he turned down my offer."

"Exactly. Because he had business to do there that night. Why do you think a grown-ass man will throw away a chance to sleep with a woman if he did not have other priorities to attend to? There was no way my client would have known who he is. What happened outside, was just a chancy thing. She is not affiliated with him or anyone else."

If I was not surprised at Sophia's rapid change and use of words, I would be lying. It was how she went from being my best friend to my lawyer in a matter of minutes for me.

Officer Steve got everything I said down and looked up to us both.

"You both had better be telling the truth."

"We are telling the truth," Sophia said, stressing every word.

Officer Steve stood up, his entire size covering up the wall I was looking at. "Alright. You're free to go. We will be watching and to buttress what you've said, if there is any suspicious activity around you or if you remember anything else, do call me."

He dropped his card on the table. Sophia's eyes saw him out with a glare. She turned to me immediately he was gone. "Are you okay? Did they do anything?"

"No, I am fine. I am just surprised."

She helped me stand up on my weak knees. Something was chewing at my insides. It was not just fear or surprise, it was a feeling of betrayal. How could the man who so thoughtful rejected my offer be a thief everyone's looking for?

"You want me to take you home?" Sophia offered.

"Nah, I am good," I said, trying to put life into my voice. "Sorry I called you out of the blue like that. There was no one else to call."

"Now? Oh, forget it! I was going to call when I got off work later."

"Why? Is anything the matter?" I queried.

"My father is at it again. He got informed about the situation yesterday at the club and now, I have another blind date scheduled."

Knowing the drill, I said, "and you want me to go to it for you. Right?" She gave a pleading nod. "No, I won't." 

"But why?"

"Because I have just been hit with a strange matter and I am still trying to wrap my head around it. I could not possibly factor scheming on how to discourage your suitors right now, Soph."

"Don't fret, me. You have me. It's just procedures the forces follow. They were just making sure."

It didn't seem like that to me. There was a gut feeling inside of me that suggested that this was not the end of the matter.

"Just go to it for me, please." 

"No."

"Please. I will be your lawyer for life. No payments."

"It's not like you have a choice. You are my lawyer for life."

"Okay, I'll give you two grand. Remember, you have to pay your rent by the end of this month. Then there's Jake's-

"Oh, so you're using my situation against me now, huh?" I interrupted. "Nice. How good of you."

I walked ahead and she followed me, making puppy faces, begging.

"Fine. I'll think about it." I said to her, just to get her off my back. Plus, that two thousand was considerable.

But first, I wanted to get to work and go see the director. I am sure I will be in for an earful.

"Great!" She fist bumped the air. "Thank you. It's in two days so we could start planning tomorrow."

"I haven't said I'll go."

In response, the crazy girl simply wriggled her brows. I laughed at her antics. "Alright, I have to get back to work. You as well, right? Do take care, call me if anything happens. Keep your eyes sharp." Sophia said.

"Yeah, bye." 

When I got to the hospital, the hospital director was off work already. It was not a surprise for it was way past mid day. I decided to go home to rest and return in the evening for my night shift.

However, what greeted me when I arrived at the flat I shared with my brother dazzled me.

I had been mugged.