shop. It's totally hard, never having any money to spend now Dad's gone. We're broke all the time."
"Is our financial situation why you steal things?" Anna interjected. "Because you need them and can't afford them? You couldn't live without a Justin Beiber CD?"
Mallory sat still as a stone, with only her eyes moving sideways as if to avoid looking at the detective.
"Mallory?" he pressed.
Mallory squeezed her hands between her knees and stared at them. "No," she whispered.
Thomas glanced at Anna and raised one eyebrow. Then he turned to Mallory. "If you didn't steal something because you needed it, then why did you do it?"
Mallory spoke in a tiny, frightened voice. "It seemed cool. Terry thought it was cool getting away with it all and I like Terry because she seems so much older than the rest of the kids. They act so immature lately."
"I see. It doesn't seem that cool now, though, does it?"
"No. I don't want to go to jail over a CD or a dress or even jewelry or something equally stupid. It's not worth it. Terry is a bad trip."
"You seem like a nice kid, Eliza Mallory." He looked harder at her. "I’m going to make one condition to your release. I want you to promise your mother you'll stay away from Terry. I could tell by her attitude tonight she’s trouble, and I don’t think you need someone like her in your life right now.”
"No problem, Detective Thomas. I'm not going anywhere near that train wreck."
"I was at your house after your father was killed last fall, so I can understand what you’re going through. It’s difficult for you. I realize that. But you’re going to have to learn to adjust to life now since your father is gone without relying on unwise friendships and thrill-seeking escapades. Are you willing to put forth the effort to try?"
Mallory swallowed, visibly humiliated. By the look on her face, Anna was afraid her daughter might vomit right in Detective Thomas' office. "Yessir."
"So you promise to stay away from Terry and her friends, then?"
Mallory nodded. "Yessir, I promise."
"Good. Will you wait out in the reception area while I talk with your mother for a minute, please?"
As Mallory stiffly rose and walked out the door, Anna turned back to the officer.
"Could I talk to you for a moment as one parent to another?" he asked.
"Certainly."
"I know what you’re going through, Mrs. Lamoreaux. My wife left without a word three years ago, and my son experienced a really rough time after she was gone. He’s sixteen and only now coping with her desertion. I know what it’s like having the rug suddenly pulled out from under you."
"I'm sure you do. It isn't easy coping with something like that, whether it's desertion or death. I realized it was you who came to the house that morning. My brain was pretty fried dealing with Mike's death but you were very kind. Thank you."
"It's the worst part of my job and I detest doing it."
Shivering, Anna gave him a half-smile. "I’ve been having an awful time with her. She’s so terribly bitter."
He nodded. "But she’s a good girl underneath. I can tell. I see all kinds of kids in here, and I’ve gotten to be a pretty good judge. Her friend, now—I knew when we picked her up before Christmas she’d be back before long. I don’t think we’ll see your daughter again."
"I hope not. I’ll keep a closer watch on her."
"Good." His smile widened. "You know, I think I’ve seen you somewhere recently."
"I’ve been working as a waitress at Betty’s Diner."
His finger pointed at her in triumph. "That’s it. I stop there sometimes for a meal when I’m on duty."
"I’ve seen policemen in there once in a while. But you don’t wear a uniform."
"No, I don't. I noticed you but you didn't have a reason to notice me. Maybe I’ll see you in there again someday. Good luck with your daughter. I hope she’ll be all right now."
"I hope so." Anna took a deep breath. "Maybe your pep talk will help."
"Yeah." He frowned. "I hate to see a good kid start to
"Is our financial situation why you steal things?" Anna interjected. "Because you need them and can't afford them? You couldn't live without a Justin Beiber CD?"
Mallory sat still as a stone, with only her eyes moving sideways as if to avoid looking at the detective.
"Mallory?" he pressed.
Mallory squeezed her hands between her knees and stared at them. "No," she whispered.
Thomas glanced at Anna and raised one eyebrow. Then he turned to Mallory. "If you didn't steal something because you needed it, then why did you do it?"
Mallory spoke in a tiny, frightened voice. "It seemed cool. Terry thought it was cool getting away with it all and I like Terry because she seems so much older than the rest of the kids. They act so immature lately."
"I see. It doesn't seem that cool now, though, does it?"
"No. I don't want to go to jail over a CD or a dress or even jewelry or something equally stupid. It's not worth it. Terry is a bad trip."
"You seem like a nice kid, Eliza Mallory." He looked harder at her. "I’m going to make one condition to your release. I want you to promise your mother you'll stay away from Terry. I could tell by her attitude tonight she’s trouble, and I don’t think you need someone like her in your life right now.”
"No problem, Detective Thomas. I'm not going anywhere near that train wreck."
"I was at your house after your father was killed last fall, so I can understand what you’re going through. It’s difficult for you. I realize that. But you’re going to have to learn to adjust to life now since your father is gone without relying on unwise friendships and thrill-seeking escapades. Are you willing to put forth the effort to try?"
Mallory swallowed, visibly humiliated. By the look on her face, Anna was afraid her daughter might vomit right in Detective Thomas' office. "Yessir."
"So you promise to stay away from Terry and her friends, then?"
Mallory nodded. "Yessir, I promise."
"Good. Will you wait out in the reception area while I talk with your mother for a minute, please?"
As Mallory stiffly rose and walked out the door, Anna turned back to the officer.
"Could I talk to you for a moment as one parent to another?" he asked.
"Certainly."
"I know what you’re going through, Mrs. Lamoreaux. My wife left without a word three years ago, and my son experienced a really rough time after she was gone. He’s sixteen and only now coping with her desertion. I know what it’s like having the rug suddenly pulled out from under you."
"I'm sure you do. It isn't easy coping with something like that, whether it's desertion or death. I realized it was you who came to the house that morning. My brain was pretty fried dealing with Mike's death but you were very kind. Thank you."
"It's the worst part of my job and I detest doing it."
Shivering, Anna gave him a half-smile. "I’ve been having an awful time with her. She’s so terribly bitter."
He nodded. "But she’s a good girl underneath. I can tell. I see all kinds of kids in here, and I’ve gotten to be a pretty good judge. Her friend, now—I knew when we picked her up before Christmas she’d be back before long. I don’t think we’ll see your daughter again."
"I hope not. I’ll keep a closer watch on her."
"Good." His smile widened. "You know, I think I’ve seen you somewhere recently."
"I’ve been working as a waitress at Betty’s Diner."
His finger pointed at her in triumph. "That’s it. I stop there sometimes for a meal when I’m on duty."
"I’ve seen policemen in there once in a while. But you don’t wear a uniform."
"No, I don't. I noticed you but you didn't have a reason to notice me. Maybe I’ll see you in there again someday. Good luck with your daughter. I hope she’ll be all right now."
"I hope so." Anna took a deep breath. "Maybe your pep talk will help."
"Yeah." He frowned. "I hate to see a good kid start to
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