Chapter Two- The Idiot Officer

Officer Young shook Mason's hand and said "Okay Mason is it... doesn't seem to fit you though."

 

"What do you mean?" Mason asked

 

The Officer gulped, he had spoken without thinking again. He was known in the force for it, causing tremendous stress for the Chief. Officer Young attempted to explain "Well... it just seems too plain in a way." Mason tilted his head slightly, somewhat puzzled by the officer's comment. Feeling a tad awkward Officer Young quickly took a drink of his coffee, but he ended up taking a drink too fast and nearly choked. He coughed numerous times attempting to clear his windpipe, and after a few seconds he finally caught his breath. Mason looked at Officer Young with a little concern and asked “Mr. Young are you okay?” Officer Young cleared his throat “I’m alright Mason and you don’t have to call me Mr. Young, Officer Young’s cooler Mr. Young just seems a bit too formal”

The boy nodded with uncertainty; he seemed like the type to either care about formalities or not give a damn about them. It depended on who he was talking to. He asked “You’re kind of an idiot aren’t you?”

Officer Young thought for a moment, and then said “I don’t know the Chief says I’m not the brightest crayon in the box and most people do tell me I’m an idiot. It seems to be though you’re the kind of guy who makes himself out to be the bad guy, just based on how you present yourself and your overall outer attitude.”

“And what do you know!” Mason said sharply “You’re starting to piss me off. You say all this bull, yet you probably heard whatever you’ve heard about me from your superiors…”

Officer Young stared back at Mason’s cold and emotionless exterior, this kid was apparently sure he was guilty, or at least he didn’t know whether he was or not. “I don’t know if you’re innocent, but I don’t know if you’re guilty. So whether you’re a good guy or bad guy I wouldn’t know.”

Mason looked puzzled, and then he chuckled “You’re pretty stupid…”

James smiled “So I’ve been told.”

“I’m serious you can’t possibly believe all that. You’re way of thinking is like that of a child’s.”, Mason said, “You’re supposed to be a professional business like policeman. Throwing the book at me and all that crap, yet you sit down and have coffee like its teatime!”

Officer Young ran his hand through hair “I didn’t want to rush it you know…we’ve got time.”

Mason turned around and looked at the clock behind him high on the wall. “It’s getting late it’s almost 2 am.” James eyes widened; he hadn’t realized the time.

“Got some place to go Officer?’ Mason asked

James laughed “Well I actually have a wife and daughter. My little girl is just three years old almost four, but you need you’re sleep. Kids have to have their sleep if they want to grow.”

Mason stared at Officer Young as if he were looking at a creature he had never encountered “I don’t think I need to grow anymore considering I’m tall for my age if you haven’t noticed, and this ‘Kid’ stuff is getting old.”

Officer Young’s attention turned to his feet and he said quietly “I’m sorry.”

Mason rolled his eyes in response to the timid officer “Sure whatever why don’t you get going this conversation can wait till later.” Officer Young was about to reply when Chief Montgomery and another Officer on the force Brent Foster walked in. “How’s it going Officer Young?” Chief asked

Officer Young said abruptly “We’ll finish later after a little sleep!”

Officer Foster was putting handcuffs on Mason and said “Until then we’ve got a comfy holding cell for you Bud.”

“A Bed as comfy as a pile of bricks and a steel toilet with an armed guard watching me take piss! Oh man that sounds like heaven!” Mason retorted

Officer Young stifled a laugh as Officer Foster escorted mason out. Chief Montgomery was looking through his notes, which were blank. “Did you get anything out of him Young?” He asked with a hint of sarcasm. Officer Young coughed nervously and looked at his feet “Well…” he began “No nothing yet exactly but we’ve got time there’s no need to rush…”

“No need to rush!” Chief Montgomery exclaimed “There’s a kid who’s dead and the public wants answers. I don’t want to have to deal with the damn press breathing down my back. You’re going to have to get this kid to start talking or you’re off the case!”

“I’ll get the story out of him alright…I just need a little time!” Officer Young replied. Chief Montgomery handed the empty notepad to Officer Young and said “Go home James get some sleep don’t stress too much. You’ve got a little girl and a wife to take care of. You have to keep your health in check.”  Officer James nodded and walked out of the Interrogation room with a feeling of uneasiness. He didn’t usually get this way over a case. Mason had seemed to be the only person at the scene of the crime and the Young boy’s blood had been on his hands, but was that hard evidence that he had killed the boy. Officer Young could or racked his brain and still not come up with an answer, so he gathered his coat, keys, and other miscellaneous things and headed out to his car.

To Officer Young Mason really didn’t seem like any murderer he had met. He was a more confusing than anything. He appeared to be apathetic but also empathetic, polite yet possessing a sharp tongue. He overall had an air about him that was uncompressible, yet he seemed perfectly sane. What other motive for killing a little boy other than insanity was there. Maybe a Mental Disorder of some sort? Revenge was a small possibility?

Officer Young pulled into the apartment complex parking lot of his current residence and sighed. The light in his apartment which he shared with his wife and their young daughter was still on. He hoped they were still not waiting for him to come home. As he started his slow ascent up the stairs to the third floor of the apartment complex, Officer Young wondered is Mason had anyone waiting for him.

Mason was being held in police custody surely someone wanted him to turn out an innocent man. Surely someone cared about him, or was he all alone and had no one. The thought was extremely depressing, Officer Young walked into his apartment not feeling in the best of moods until he saw his wife and child. Both were fast asleep on the couch having apparently tried their hardest to wait for his return. His daughter, Mae, looked so much like her mother. Her auburn hair and large beautiful eyes she inherited from her mother, Theresa. Theresa was a small woman, kind, and bookish woman. James thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. They had met in college and married a short time after dating for some time. They were a young couple, but they were happy, and after a year of marriage they had Mae. Mae was sweet and kind like her mother, but timid like her father with her father’s chocolate colored eyes.

Officer Young carefully lifted his wife and carried her to their room then went back to get Mae. He gently cradled her in his arms and put her to bed. He was quietly shutting her bedroom door when he heard a soft voice ask “Daddy?” Officer Young peered through the cracked door and said “Go to sleep Sweetie it’s late.”

Mae sat up and said “You missed dinner Daddy.” He sent back into his daughter’s bedroom and sat on the edge of her bed next to her giant teddy bear. “I know Sweetheart I’m sorry, Daddy had to work late.”

“Why”?” she asked. It was such an innocent question, yet he couldn’t find the words to answer it. His job wasn’t exactly something a three year old little girl would understand. Officer Young stroked his child’s curls and said “Don’t worry Mae just go to sleep okay.” Mae clutched her stuffed rabbit “Okay daddy night night.” Her eyelashes fluttered and she yawned. He kissed her forehead “Sweet dreams Mae.” Officer Young then tiptoed out of her room and headed to the small kitchen. Mae’s mention of dinner and had him realize he hadn’t eaten. He took the leftover spaghetti out of the fridge and nuked it in the microwave. As he ate the leftover spaghetti he started working on his computer and tried to find anything on Mason Todd. The name could have just been an alias and both the name Mason and surname Todd were quite common. Officer Young yawned as his eyes scanned through numerous websites, when he noticed a gentle hand tap his shoulder. His wife then kissed him on the cheek “Come to bed, you work too much James.” Officer Young turned off his computer and followed Theresa to their room. He didn’t even bother changing and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

 

 

Author's Note

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