Deadly Chase - Chapter 18
Gonzo and Tommy were already sitting in the interrogation room when Miriam, Lily and Alex arrived.
Miriam hadn’t spent much time with Tommy on visits to the DCA, but as she’d told Alex, she trusted Gonzo’s judgment. But as Alex, Lily and she walked toward the room, Chief Walters came over, a scowl on his face as Brady led Peter Jensen into one of the holding cells.
“Chief? Something wrong?” Miriam asked.
The chief shook his head of thinning gray hair. “Jensen came in to complain about Alex when he’d heard he was in town. I should have seen this coming.”
“You couldn’t know. It’s under control now,” Alex said.
“But you both could have been seriously hurt,” the chief said and shook his head again. He gestured toward the interrogation room. “Gonzo’s in there with the boy. Macon’s in the viewing room to do the recording. I trust you to get to the bottom of this.”
“We will,” Miriam said, and the older man walked into his office and closed the door.
As soon as they walked in, Gonzo wheeled over to greet them. A young boy, maybe all of sixteen or so, rose from his chair and stood there, hands clasped tightly before him.
“This is Tommy Adamson. He called this morning for help,” Gonzo explained.
“I didn’t steal the drugs. I don’t do that anymore,” Tommy said. He rocked from side to side, making Miriam’s radar ping.
“Don’t do what anymore?” Alex pressed and Tommy shot a nervous glance at Gonzo.
“It’s okay to share,” Gonzo urged, his tone calm and compassionate.
Tommy skipped his gaze across the three of them and then nodded.
“Please sit. If you don’t mind, we’re going to record this interview.” Miriam nodded at the one-way mirror to advise Macon to proceed.
“This is Officer Miriam Reyes and DEA Agent Alex Peterson interviewing Tommy Adamson. His legal guardian, Gonzalo Lopez, is present. How old are you, Tommy?”
“Fifteen.”
*
Fifteen just like me when my whole world had been turned upside down, Alex thought.
“Please tell us a little bit about yourself,” Miriam said, and Alex didn’t interrupt. Miriam’s calm and understanding demeanor would work well with the scared young teen.
Tommy peered at his mentor again and at Gonzo’s nod, he proceeded. “My dad ran out when I was ten. Mom is a junkie. I got caught stealing drugs when I was fourteen and the court placed me in a halfway house and Gonzo’s program.”
Alex’s ears picked up at hearing the kid had been involved with drugs. It made him put Tommy back on his suspect list.
“The program placed you with a foster family here in Jasper and at the DCA. Are you happy here? Did you make friends here and at the DCA?” Miriam asked, gaze narrowed as she examined the young man. Lily sat by her chair patiently and she rubbed the dog’s head in apparent reward for her patience.
After another nervous look at Gonzo, Tommy nodded. “I’m happy here. It’s so different from my life.”
“This is your life now. It’s a life you’re earning with your good behavior,” Gonzo said.
“I don’t want to lose it. I didn’t do anything,” Tommy stressed again, but this time Alex heard something there.
Miriam must have heard it as well since she said, “You didn’t do anything, but you know who did.”