Kat allowed Chad to stay home from school for a few days while the swelling and bruising went away, provided that he swore to not leave the house, reminding him that in leaving him without adult supervision, she was violating several rules.
At school, Savannah was bombarded by Carly for the gossip on what had happened between her and Chad on Friday night behind the closed door of Drake's parent's bedroom. Savannah blushed and admitted that they'd had one heck of a make out session. She omitted the fact that she'd would have gone a whole lot further if Carly's dad hadn't come to pick them up when he did.
Carly pushed to know more details, but Savannah could honestly say that she'd not touched him since. She did not mention that he'd slept with his head in her lap the next day, or how she'd had to drag his drunk and beaten body up the stairs and clean him off in the shower. She definitely didn't mentioned that he cried in her arms like a broken child. Those were intimate moments that she decided were best kept secret. She only told her that he'd come down with a stomach bug when she noted his absence.
Tuesday had the school buzzing however, with the news that Drake's parents had come home from their weekend away to find their house broken into. No one really knew any concrete details, but the gossip spread like wildfire around the school. Later on that afternoon, Savannah, Carly and about forty other students were called into the hall during the last period.
Drake's parents were seated, looking red faced and angry next to Principal, Edwards whose stern face was even more serious looking than usual. Several police officers were talking amongst themselves and to Drake, who was looking very pale. Principal Edwards stood and instructed the student to take a seat on the bleachers quickly, so that an attendance register could be called out. The names were read out, and the students answered, as the police officers ticked off the names from their list. When Chad's name was called, Savannah answered on his behalf.
“Absent, Sir.”
“Absent all day or just now?” Edwards asked, fidgeting with his glasses.
“All day Sir, and yesterday. Stomach bug.”
“Why is his name familiar?” He mused loudly.
Savannah left the bleachers and approached him quickly, not wanting to speak loudly. “He's the new WOTS student, Sir. My mom, social worker Katherine Striker, enrolled him with you last Monday.”
He tapped his pen to his clipboard a few times, his mind whirring. “Ah yes. I recall. Stomach bug you say?”
“Yes Sir.”
“Very well. Be seated, Miss Striker.
Carly looked at Savannah anxiously when she sat back down, this time next to her. “What the hell's going on?”
“I've no idea.” Was Savannah's honest reply. “But whatever it is, I'll bet you anything it's got to do with the party on Friday night.”
“What do you mean?” Carly whispered.
“Look around you. Everyone in here was at that party. Then we hear stuff was stolen and now the cops are here. Maybe whatever was stolen was taken on Friday night?” Savannah stated. “Makes sense, right?”
“Thank God we left relatively early then.”
When the attendance was taken, the students were divided up into two groups: minors and adults. Once shuffled around and settled, Principal Edward stepped forward again, and told them all why they were present. Savannah's prediction was apparently spot on. Drake and his circle of friends had provided the police with a list of those they knew had attended Friday's party, and the police wanted to question them all.
“Those students over the age of eighteen, you do not need your parents present for this as you are legally adults. Those younger than eighteen however require parental supervision. The staff has already made contact with your parents who are on their way to the school now.”
A murmur of confusion and objections rang through the hall from the students, and for the first time, Savannah notice Inspector Bill Richardson's presence. He approached the bleachers and called the students to order. “No one is in trouble. No one is a suspect and no one is getting arrested. This is an elimination process to clear all persons who were there of any suspicion. So relax, this is going to be quick and easy if we all just co-operate.”
Carly and Savannah held hands nervously as the group of students who were legally adults, were shuffled off to the auditorium for questioning, whilst the rest of the students were left in the hall to await their parents. In the auditorium, a desk with an ink pad had been set up. The students were seated apart from each other and communication prohibited. As the list was done alphabetically, both Carly and Savannah were forced to wait a long time before their names were called. Savannah went first, and was relieved that she was assigned to Bill for questioning.
“You alright kiddo?” He asked fondly. “That kid ain't causing too much trouble at home?”
“No trouble. It's nice to have someone help with dishes. And yesterday he mowed the lawn.” Savannah replied with a smile.
“I'll be kinda sad when he goes.” She said, realising suddenly that it was the truth.
“Alright, let's get this over and done with and get you home.” He clicked his pen and wrote the date on the form in front of him. “Full name?”
“Savannah Katherine Striker.”
He scribbled it down, already knowing the answer. “Date of Birth?”
“January 11, 1999. By the way, did I ever thank you for my birthday present? The shirt's cool.”
He grinned and wrote the date down. “Official police business here. You're worse than your mom.” Savannah chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Do you give this statement freely and of your own will, and acknowledge that you have not been forced or coerced in any way?”
“Yes Sir.” She said with a grin. He smiled, smacking his pen atop her head gently. “That's Police brutality.” She whispered. “I'm telling Mom.”
“Like I'm scared of your mom. Alright, tell me what happened Friday night.”
Savannah knew she couldn't lie about Chad being present. Everyone there would remember him as he was the first to jump in the pool. There was no way to cover that up. But perhaps, the fact that he was with her, would be acceptable seeing as she was eighteen. She sighed. “If you tell my mom how much I drank, you realise she's going to kill me, right?”
Bill grinned. “Start confessing your sins so I can see how much I have to blackmail you with.”
Savannah explained that she'd arrived with Carly but spent most of her time with Chad, drinking. She told him that they both got pretty wasted, but had stopped drinking once she'd won the stupid bet.
“Not your brightest decision.” He said grimly. “You don't know half these kids well enough to be drinking yourself dumb around them.”
“I was with Chad. He was looking out for me.”
“And he was drinking himself dumb too. And you know him even less than you know your school mates. Do I need to talk to your mom about your ability to make mature decisions? Cause it looks like I might have to.”
Savannah cringed, but said nothing. Bill motioned for her to carry on with her statement.
“When we stopped, Chad was sitting by the pool and I was dancing with Carly and Josh.”
“Thought you broke up with him?”
“We have. He just wanted to talk. Then Chad jumped in the pool, and started a swimming epidemic. Everyone just kinda jumped in. It was fun.”
“You joined?” He asked, looking at her sternly. Savannah blushed in response. “I'll take that as a 'yes' and try to forget the fact that a couple of statements already provided state that the girls were stripping down to their underwear and just jumping in.”
Savannah cringed and put her head down on the desk. “God just kill me now.”
“If your mom hears about this, you'll wish I had.” Bill said gruffly. “Carry on.”
Savannah skipped over what she'd done in the pool. “After a bit, I got out and dried myself off. Got dressed again. Then Carly's dad collected the three of us and we went home.”
“What time did you leave?”
“Must have been about 00h30? Party was still going on strong, but Mr White doesn't like Carly out past midnight. He usually takes us home.”
“Can you tell me what rooms you were in? Or more specifically, did you go upstairs?” Bill scribbled notes furiously as she spoke.
“I dressed upstairs. I think in his parent's room.” Bill squeezed his eyes closed.
“I want you to think very, very carefully about your next answer. Because this can get messy. Who was with you and what exactly happened when you were in the room?”
Savannah's heart raced. “Carly was with me. She helped me dry off and get dressed. My hands were shaking too much. From the cold.” She added quickly.
“What did you touch?” Bill's eyes bore into her. “Did you remove anything from that room?”
Savannah's eyes went wide as she pictured her hands wrapped around Chad. She'd touched him plenty and had wanted to touch a whole lot more. But only of him. “Nothing!” She said quickly. “Carly and I looked for a hair dryer but we couldn't find one. Then I looked for a hairbrush.”
Bill swore a curse under his breath. “Listen to me carefully.” He whispered. “Your fingerprints are going to be all over that room. Your and Carly's. You're going to be suspects.”
“What do you mean?” Panic rising in her voice.
“I mean a lot of expensive jewellery was stolen from the main bedroom. And as soon as I hand in this statement, you and Carly are officially suspects.” He hissed. “Get hold of your mom. Right now. Quietly.” She nodded and pulled her phone out of her bag with shaky hands. “No. Use mine.” He whispered. “They're going to take your phone away and check it.” He passed her his own phone discreetly while no one was looking. “Tell her to get a damn good attorney and get here. Now.”
Savannah's eyes glazed up and threatened to spill over. She hadn't told Bill about Chad being in the room with her yet. Carly would though. She wouldn't see the harm. She didn't have Bill as a friend to tell her of what had gone missing and from what room. Carly would likely tell whichever officer she was assigned to that she'd left them alone in there. Carly wouldn't realize that even as she spoke, she would be incriminating the three of them. Chad most of all. She had to tell Bill, before it came out in court and her mom found out the hard way.
“Chad was in there too.”
Bill swore quietly. “Please, dear Lord God, tell me you didn't.”
Savannah lowered her head, ashamed. “We were interrupted. So no.”
“Your mom's going to kill you. I'm going to damn well kill you. Are you an idiot?” He hissed.
“Put it down to alcohol and hormones. But that's not the point! He's going to be a suspect now. They'll pin it on him. Regardless of the fact that I was with him the whole time.” The tears spilled over and she wiped at the angrily.
“He's a convicted Juvenile Delinquent. He's automatically a suspect.”
“But he didn't touch anything!” Savannah's voice was shaking. “Except me.”
“Spare me those details, for God's sake. I'm already considering ripping him apart. Don't make it any worse by giving me further details.” He carefully wrote down more notes on the statement. “It doesn't matter if he did or didn't touch or take anything. He's a suspect because he's already convicted of theft and other petty crimes.”
“But he's innocent!”
“I don't give a crap if he's the next US President. I care about you and your mom.” He hissed. “I'm going over there to file the statement. You're going to get hold of your mom and get her here with an attorney right now.” He looked quickly over to his fellow officers, noting them all being busy. “Stick your fingers down your throat.” He whispered.
“What? Are you kidding me?”
“Damn it Savannah make yourself throw up! You'll be excused to go to the bathroom to clean up. I can cover for you and say you got the same bug Chad got. Text your mom when you're in the bathroom. I can say we haven't finished your statement yet.”
“I can't do that!” She hissed, panicking.
“Do you want to go to jail? Do you want Carly and Chad to go to jail?”
That made her decision for her. Savannah squeezed her eyes closed and rammed her finger down her throat.