Chapter 22

Grace had given him another day off because she hadn’t gotten all the sensors and such for the pawnshop. So Alex found himself relaxing in a pool chair when he saw two sheriff’s cruisers pull into the parking lot. They were moving fast, their light bars flashing as they came to a sudden stop by the clubhouse entrance.

“Ladies, I suggest you leave the pool area. I have a feeling that’s for me,” Alex said, pointing as two sheriff’s deputies exited their vehicles.

He was sitting with Maddie, Dawn, and Lyric. They listened to him for once, gathered their stuff, and made a hasty exit.

The night before, he’d briefly talked with Sheriff Conly and, in retrospect, should have kept his mouth shut. He admitted he’d created plans to rob the casino and also hijack a weed delivery. He’d gotten smart and refused to show the sheriff those plans. He figured this was the sheriff’s way of scaring him into giving them access.

Alex noted that one of the sheriff’s deputies had a shotgun at the ready while the other had his hand on the butt of his pistol. They must be worried he might be armed and dangerous. Alex took off his sunglasses and put a shirt on in case they threw him down onto the concrete.

The pool area quickly cleared out as the deputies entered the clubhouse. A moment later, one came out of the mens locker room and the other from the clubhouse to bracket him in, cutting off possible escape routes. Alex just watched the drama unfold while making a point of putting his hands in clear view on the chair’s armrests.

The man with the pistol looked older and relaxed. He had to realize Alex was just a kid and not much of a threat. Mr. Shotgun, though, was a twitchy young guy who made Alex a bit nervous. These were two men he hadn’t met, which confused Alex because he thought he knew all the sheriff’s deputies in Conclave.

The man with the revolver took up a position at an angle so he wouldn’t shoot his partner if he did have to draw and fire. Mr. Shotgun quickly closed the gap with the barrel pointed at Alex’s stomach. He gave them high marks for doing this by the book. If they’d switched positions, the shotgun guy would have probably shot them both, and if there was a struggle, the pistol could miss.

When the shotgun guy got within three feet, he yelled, “Don’t move! Police!”

Alex raised his palms to ensure no misunderstanding would get him shot. The guy with the pistol came around the side behind the shotgun-wielding tough guy. If Alex was in the mood to have fun, he might have lunged for the shotgun and forced it up. The blast might kill the irritating blackbird that had taken up residence so it could steal food, which would be a win. The man with the pistol would have been impotent because he couldn’t use his gun for fear of shooting his buddy.

“Hands above your head and lay face down on the ground!”

Alex did as ordered and chuckled when Mr. Shotgun realized he couldn’t both cover Alex and cuff him. The deputy with the pistol rushed forward, cuffed Alex’s hands behind his back, helped him sit on the concrete pool deck, and frisked him.

“No weapon.”

He looked down at Alex and said, “You are under arrest for grand theft.”

He had the younger deputy read Alex his rights.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”

Alex wasn’t impressed with the younger guy because he had to read his Miranda rights off a card. He must be brand new.

Up to this point, everything had gone the police’s way. Alex’s dad had strongly encouraged that if he were ever arrested, Alex should take full advantage of his right to remain silent. So, when he didn’t respond to the question, the young guy looked confused because he obviously had never had anyone exercise their rights.

“Do you understand your rights?” the older guy asked.

Alex just stared at them.

“Do you speak English?”

Alex bit the inside of his mouth to keep from letting a little grin touch his lips.

“Well, note that the suspect said nothing,” the older guy said.

They each took an arm and walked Alex to one of the deputies’ cars. The younger guy opened the back door, nudged Alex’s head down, and put him into the back seat. Alex was by himself with a glass partition between him and the front of the car.

The senior deputy drove him to the police station and pulled up to the back door. As Alex waited to be taken out of the car, he wondered what they had on him. Grand theft could mean a lot of things, for example, embezzlement, extortion, receiving stolen property, or the unauthorized use of property. The most common form was larceny, the theft of personal or tangible goods.

The term ‘grand’ referred to more expensive items; in Oklahoma, it was anything valued at over $500. Alex had to guess it was way above the minimum amount for them to treat him like this.

He was so calm because he couldn’t think of anything he’d stolen.

They walked him inside, and the older woman, Mrs. Olson, who usually handled the front desk, was reading a trashy romance novel. She looked up over her glasses and smiled at Alex.

“I take it your date with Officer Grayson didn’t go so well,” Mrs. Olson said with a smirk.

It was the running joke since he’d first met her and claimed he was there to ask Mandy out on a date. Today, Alex stoically looked straight ahead, not saying a word. Mrs. Olson gave him a curious appraisal and looked at the deputy.

He walked Alex inside the station to one of the interview rooms, where he told Alex to sit down. The deputy left, locking the door behind him. Alex figured he was in for a long wait because one of their tricks was to make a suspect feel isolated. It usually made them more willing to talk. The only problem with that was they hadn’t met Alex.

Mandy came in, uncuffed Alex, and took him to get his picture and fingerprints taken. She led him back without saying a word until he was seated in the interview room.

“Sheriff Conly will be down in a minute to question you,” Mandy said and left.

Five minutes later, Sheriff Conly came in with a thick folder and sat across from Alex.

“I hear you’re not talking. Did you want a lawyer?”

“I don’t think I need one,” Alex said.

Sheriff Conly put his phone on the table between them.

“I’m going to record this.”

“Sure.”

The sheriff found his recording app and turned it on.

“I’m with Alex Turner,” the sheriff said, adding the date and time. “Have you been read your rights, and do you understand them?”

Alex stared at Sheriff Conly.

“You actually have to say something for it to be heard on the tape.”

Alex continued to stare.

“Okay. I need you to sign this to confirm that you’ve been read your rights and understand them,” Sheriff Conly said.

Alex took the paper, read it, and signed his name.

The two of them stared at each other for the next ten minutes before there was a knock at the door. When the sheriff opened it, Janice came in and sat down.

“For the record, Janice Conly, Alex’s guardian, has entered the room. Now that she is here, I will begin the interview. Alex, tell me what happened,” Sheriff Conly said.

Alex didn’t say anything. Janice gave him a curious look.

“I’m exercising my right not to speak,” Alex told her.

“We should have arrested you ages ago,” Janice quipped before turning to her dad. “What’s this all about?”