Chapter 6

The In-Between

"Thank God, she answered her damn phone," Leah thought.

Kitty just stepped out to answer her phone; Leah suspected that her husband would call at this time. While the young one was outside, she was in signing the civilian logbook at the station. Leah was partly glad the confounded ringing stopped; her head was throbbing.

In a minute, Leah had finished writing. Leah checked her watch; it was 4:35 pm. She closed the logbook and handed it to the female officer, who smiled back at her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Carlton," the lady cop glanced at her name in the log; Leah smiled.

"It worked!"

"Officer Miller is in the interrogation room at the moment. Please have a seat over there."She then pointed at one of the vacant metal benches facing each other with the back of her pen. Leah thanked her and sat at the end of the bench, and crossed her legs.

With her eyes closed, Leah sat there for a good five minutes. She spent her time tapping her heel on the tiled flooring and rechecked her watch. It was 4:40 now. As Leah was about to stand up, She could hear footsteps coming from behind her. It was Offer Miller, just the man she wanted to see.

"Oh, Ms, Leah" Officer Miller jumped when he saw her. He had a folder in hand and an almost spilled coffee mug.

"Perfect timing!"

"How is Kai," Leah asked; she could see his face turn serious.

"He's over in interrogation. Could you please follow me?"

"Of course, officer." Leah followed the officer to where he came from previously. They entered to look like a soundproof room.

The interior was padded with long black patches of foam to muffle out noise both inside and out. A one-way mirror was on one wall, reflecting the interrogation room on the other side of the glass. Just under the edge of the glass was a steel counter. On it was equipment, communication, and paging systems that led to the other room. Lockersers and shelves stacked with records and boxes covered one wall of the room; a black leather sofa was on another corner, in the middle of a medium-sized table with four chairs.

Before putting down his still hot coffee mug on the table with the folder before he sat, Officer Miller offered.

"Please have a seat." Leah smiled and sat down facing him.

The officer coughed, opened the folder, and began to report his findings. Officer Miller told Leah that her brother got attacked right after they separated. Keanu received a sucker punch square on the mouth, which he retaliated after, kicking the attacker and punching until they garnered attention and civilians notified the police.

"Given the findings, I would like to know Mrs. Carlton-" the officer said, sipping his cup and audibly swallowing.

"Do you know this man? John Evans?"

"I'm sorry, officer. I knew I should have reported sooner," Leah's voice grew huskier. Under the table, she was digging her filed nails on her thighs. She tried crying on command, and it worked.

She looked over to John behind the glass. "That man over there was stalking me a few days ago!" she shrieked and rubbed her eyes; there were real tears.

"I've heard enough, thank you."

Across the table, Leah could see that her words affected the officer. He stood up, grabbed an open tissue box on the adjacent shelf, and handed Leah. He went behind her and rubbed a spot behind her shoulder blade.

"There, there. It's okay." the officer said as Leah blew her nose.

"We're letting Kai go today" he smiled down at her, hoping it would make her feel better.

"Get your fucking dirty hands off me, you fucking old man!" Leah said internally.

Leah recoiled herself and acted surprised. "Is... Is he off the hook officer?"

The enamored cop nodded assuring. "He's clear."

"God bless you, officer!" Leah's face lit up as she smiled, eyes still red.

The officer said something inaudible on the intercom. Whatever it was, an officer entered the interrogation room and freed Keanu's wrists. John was frantic, but they ignored him intentionally; Keanu and the officer exited the room.

"Thank you again, officer." Leah grinned.

"We're checking in the stalker at our cell later," Officer Miller said, his cheeks rosy. "Please do give you a call when Johnny over there causes you both any trouble."

Leah smiled and nodded. He opened the door for her, and they walked out; Keanu was there waiting for her outside.

"Oh, Mr. Carlton. Please take care of yourself and your sister," Officer Miller advised.

"-Will do, officer," Keanu answered, and Leah waved goodbye.

The two walked out of the station. The two silently walked down the steps and across the road until they reached Leah's red Vitara.

"Leah Carlton? Where did that come from?" Keanu giggled lowly.

"It came from your ass, Kai" Leah smiled. "Sorry about that."

"Still being a whore?" Keanu poked.

"You're one to talk," Leah coyed.

"Anyway, I'll have to run. The kids will be home soon," she said while fishing for her phone in the bag. "Don't worry about a follow-up statement; they won't be calling; the contact number I put was fake."

"What's new, sis?"

"Okay then, we had enough to handle today," Keanu smirked; Leah answered with a giggle. She was busy calling her companion earlier.

The two waved goodbye.

---

Keanu waited for her sister to drive off. He made it a point to be discreet when he went hunting. He recalled that the brunette was with Leah at the supermarket, and while he was vacant, he was ready to pounce on the opportunity. He removed the cap on his head, no point now since the sun was going down.

He walked around the area near the police station. Keanu kept going until he heard a woman crying. He was curious. He followed her voice and saw a brunette in front of a cafe with her hands in her eyes.

Keanu went wide-eyed. He remembered Mrs. Lewis' clothes a while back. "Yes, that's her!" he thought to himself. Immediately, he walked up to the distressed woman like a tiger approaching its prey. He sat across from her, pushed his wavy hair back, and wiped his bruise.